Assessment of interfacial charge accumulation in oil-paper interface in transformer insulation from polarization-depolarization current measurements

Abstract

Accumulation of interfacial space charge in oil-paper interface is a critical issue in insulation diagnostics of transformers. This interfacial charge mainly accumulates due to the conductivity difference of oil and paper. Accumulation of interfacial charge leads to localized field enhancement, which further leads to partial discharges and acceleration in the aging of insulation. Therefore, from the point of view of transformer insulation diagnostics, assessment of interfacial charge is very important. However, it is not easy to estimate interfacial space charge behavior from the transformer diagnostics methods currently in use. In case of Polarization-Depolarization Current (PDC) measurement, a well known method for transformer condition monitoring, the effect of interfacial charge is reflected in the non-linearity of current response during polarization and de-polarization. During de-polarization process, a part of the interfacial charge accumulated during polarization period is absorbed by the electrodes producing a current, which is difficult to separate using conventional linear dielectric theory. In this paper, an attempt has been made to separate this current component from de-polarization current through considering charge de-trapping mechanism. Terming this current component as de-trapping current, its relationship with other parameters of transformer insulation is discussed. The developed methodology has been applied on several practical transformers. It was observed that the time constant of de-trapping current is related to the paper conductivity, oil conductivity, dissipation factor and age of the insulation.