Statistical Analysis of Partial Discharges in SF6 Gas via Optical Detection in Various Spectral Ranges

Partial discharge (PD) detection is essential to the operation of high-voltage systems. In this context, we investigate the basic characteristics of light emission during PDs in SF6 gas from the perspective of insulation diagnosis. A synchronous system is constructed using three optical photoelectric instruments with separate wavelength responses in the ultraviolet (UV, 189–352 nm), visible (VIS, 381–675 nm), and near-infrared (NIR, 737–920 nm) spectral ranges and a wide-band PD current pulse detector with a response of 1 pC. The results indicate that light emission depends upon the type of insulation defect and discharge energy. An increase in PD charge gives rise to more components in the spectral range from UV to VIS, and the presence of an insulator surface in discharges yields a more complex VIS-to-NIR spectrum. The phase-resolved partial discharge pattern (PRPD) of UV light pulses can reasonably reflect the electroluminescence process in the presence of the insulator surface and weak corona at negative voltage points. The PRPD of VIS light describes the features of the actual PD pattern in most cases. In comparison with the other two spectral ranges, light intensity in the VIS range is more sensitive to changes in gas-pressure-normalized voltage (Vrms/p). The linear fitting analysis of the relationships between the light intensity and PD charge shows that UV light detection has a greater sensitivity to the PD charge and that UV detection exhibits a greater degree of linearity. NIR detection is applicable only to severe PDs. We believe that our findings can significantly aid in application of optical PD diagnosis in SF6 gas insulated systems.