Modeling the polarization spectrum in composite oil/paper insulation systems

The determination of the polarization spectrum in the low frequency region of the dissipation factor, commonly has been used in practice to diagnose insulation conditions. The recovery voltage method (RVM) is one of the methods used to estimate the polarization spectrum. Nevertheless, current analysis of the RVM tests do not use all the information available from the test. In this paper, a mathematical model of the polarization spectrum is proposed. It is shown that, from the derived model, some of the hidden RVM peaks can be identified. Since the difficulty to derive a model from RVM data increases with the number of the peaks to be identified, a simpler model is always preferable. A scheme for determining the parameters of an equivalent circuit is also given, The composite oil/paper insulation is considered which is extensively used in cables and transformers. Cellulose paper, such as the Manila-Kraft type, which is used as insulation, exerts a major influence on the life of the equipment because of its hygroscopic nature. The importance of detecting and eliminating moisture from paper is crucial in oil-impregnated HV insulation. Analysis of the polarization spectrum has been used by several utilities to determine moisture in the paper. Recently, some test results indicated that the polarization spectrum may not clearly show important peaks corresponding to local moisture ingress and thus can mislead experts in the field, The developed model has been validated using RVM data of real power transformers.