Weshine® Partial Discharge Test identifies insulation defects, surface tracking, corona, arcing, internal PD, voids, and floating electrodes in solid or fluid dielectrics. Partial discharges are very short and confined discharges that produce electromagnetic signals, induced electrical signals, and acoustic emissions that can be detected non-invasively. PD also causes thermal, physical, and chemical changes in insulating materials. PD can also occur on conductors, such as bus bars, or at the interface between insulators, semiconductors, and conductors.
Partial discharges are "partial discharges that only partially bridge the insulation between conductors and that may or may not occur near conductors".
When a partial discharge occurs, a variety of physical and chemical changes can occur, resulting in emissions that we can detect, locate and characterize to provide the information needed to prevent insulation failure in medium and high voltage electrical equipment.
Partial discharges occur in solid, liquid or gas insulating media. Partial discharges can occur in the form of corona, surface traces, voids, particles or floating electrodes, resulting in reduced insulation performance. Once PD begins, it always gets progressively worse. 80% of electrical failures are caused by insulation breakdown or failure, and PD is the first sign of insulation deterioration.