INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECT OF REPETITIVE VOLTAGE SURGES ON EPOXY INSULATION

The aging of epoxy electrical insulation by unipolar, repetitive voltage surges has been investigated to determine whether such surges can precipitate premature failure of high voltage motor windings and gas insulated switchgear spacers. A full factorial statistical test was devised and performed on 180 pure epoxy insulation specimens to examine the effect of voltage magnitude, polarity and surge repetition rate on the life of unfilled epoxy specimens containing a needle-plane electrode geometry. All factors and inter-actions were determined to have a significant effect on the life, and life prediction equations were estimated. Increasing the voltage magnitude or repetition rate, decreased or increased the life, respectively. Aging was found to occur at as low a stress as 2 MV/cm. An important conclusion is that gradual aging of the epoxy does occur under repetitive voltage surges. Based on a realistic number of surges with typical voltage amplitudes which can normally occur from vacuum switchgear during service, gradual deterioration of the epoxy tum insulation in motor stator windings is possible in some situations. Situations where surge aging may occur are identified.