The concept of More Electric Aircraft, where is to utilize the electrical power to drive more or all aircraft subsystem instead of conventional combination of pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical and electrical power, can be recalled to World War II. It has been proven to have more advantages for decades in terms of energy efficiency, environmental issues, logistics and operational maintenance. It can also enhance aircraft weight, volume and battle damage reconfigurability.Thanks to the new electronics technologies and the emergence of new materials, It becomes feasible for high power density electrical power components to drive the majority of aircraft subsystem. However, sustaining the transmission of hundreds of kilowatts of electrical power at low voltages is not feasible owing to the penalties incurred due to high cable weights and voltage drop may become critical. It is very easy to come up with the solution of the increase of voltage. However, higher voltage will introduce other problems such as the reliability of insulation coordination on the aircraft due to the increased probability of electrical discharge. For aircraft designers, it is very important to understand the rules of insulation coordination on the aircraft including determining clearance and creepage distances, and also have a clear investigation of the phenomena and mechanism of electrical discharges. Past research has identified a number of the concerns of operating electrical systems at higher voltages in an aerospace environment, especially for dimensioning of clearances. However, there is little study on dimensioning of creepage distances and relevantly flashover and electrical tracking on solid insulating material surfaces. This thesis firstly discusses the rules for determining clearances and creepage distances. The experimental validation work was done for breakdown in air gap and on the solid insulating material surfaces under dry condition so that some standard recommended values can be evaluated not only with theoretical values such Paschen's law. Suggestions of application of those standards were provided. Secondly, the complex electrical discharge under wet condition on solid insulating material surfaces was discussed. A mathematical model to predict this type of electrical failure -electrical tracking (the electrical discharges on solid insulation materials which will lead to physical damage in the materials) with the consideration of different environmental conditions including air pressure, ambient temperature, and pollution degrees was developed. A series of electrical tracking tests were carried out on organic materials to find out the mechanism of electrical tracking and validate the finding by the mathematic model. Finite element analysis simulations were also conducted to find out the background thermal transfer mechanism to support our explanation of those phenomena of electrical tracking. Different test techniques have ben developed for specific impact factors. Finally, the suggestions for utilization of the standards and feasible test techniques for electrical tracking under wet conditions were provided.

Dans le présent travail, nous abordons une problématique essentielle liée aux accessoires des lignes électriques et plus particulièrement au connecteur à perforation d’isolant (TTDC 45501 FA), commercialisé par la société Sicame située à Arnac-Pompadour (Corrèze). Ce produit permet d’effectuer des dérivations de courant en moyenne tension gainé HTA entre 15 et 25kV. Cependant, il devient nécessaire de concevoir une nouvelle génération de connecteurs capable de fonctionner à une tension de 52 kV en raison de la constante augmentation des besoins en électricité. En réalité, le principal souci concernant ces produits réside dans l’apparition de décharges partielles dans le volume constitué par la matière isolante (polyamide 6 chargée à 50% en poids de fibres de verre). Ces décharges engendrent un vieillissement prématuré du produit sous l’action conjuguée d’une atmosphère corrosive (brouillard salin) et d’un champ électrique. Ainsi, l’objectif de la présente thèse est de faire, dans un premier temps, un choix approprié de matériaux isolants parmi des polymères thermoplastiques, thermodurcissables époxydes ou élastomères en EPDM, capables de résister à plusieurs contraintes : thermique, électrique, mécanique, chimique et climatique. La partie expérimentale concerne, tout d’abord, la mesure de la tension de contournement, de l’activité des décharges partielles se propageant à la surface des matériaux isolants et de la tension de claquage, en tension alternative (A.C.). Pour cela, des échantillons polymères qui comportent des surfaces planes ou des surfaces pourvues de protubérances ont été moulés en vue de comparer leur comportement diélectrique en présence d’atmosphères polluées de type brouillard salin; ces mesures sont nécessaires pour effectuer un choix approprié du matériau à intégrer dans le connecteur. Par la suite, l’étude et la caractérisation optique et électrique de décharges glissantes, se propageant en surface de divers matériaux polymères, en tension impulsionnelle (L.I.) pour les deux polarités (positive et négative) et pour deux types de champ électrique (normal et tangentiel) sont présentées pour le cas d’une interface solide/air. La mesure de la longueur finale des décharges glissantes et la visualisation de l’onde de courant sont les deux paramètres principaux pour différencier les caractéristiques des matériaux utilisés. L’ensemble des résultats de mesures a permis de sélectionner les résines époxydes cyclo-aliphatiques (CEP) comme candidates potentielles pour la conception d’une nouvelle génération de connecteurs. De plus, la simulation du champ électrique, à l’aide du logiciel Flux 2D/3D, sur le connecteur électrique (TTDC 45501FA) a permis d’aboutir à la proposition d’un prototype de connecteur présentant une nouvelle géométrie et pouvant fonctionner à 52kV. / In the present study, we deal with an essential problem related to electrical lines accessories and more particularly to piercing connectors (TTDC 45501FA) commercialized by a private company named Sicame and which is located in Arnac-Pompadour (Corrèze, France). This product/accessory is designed to provide power diversions on medium voltage live lines HVA operating between 15 and 25kV. However, it becomes required to design a new generation of piercing connectors able to operate on 52kV live lines because of the electrical power demands that are steadily increasing. Actually, the main concerns about these products are the occurrence of partial discharges within the insulating material volume (polyamide 6 containing 50%wt of glass fibers). Most of the time, these discharges induce an early ageing process of the accessory under the combined effects of a corrosive environment (as salt fog) and an electric field threshold. Thus, the main objective of the present Ph.D. thesis is to carry out an appropriate choice of insulating materials among several tested polymers such as thermoplastics and thermosetting epoxy resins and EPDM elastomers that are capable of withstanding several constraints: thermal and electrical and mechanical and chemical conditions. The experimental section is focusing on the measurements of flashover voltage and partial discharges activity propagating on polymeric surfaces and breakdown voltage within material bulks under A.C voltage. That is why polymeric samples with plane surfaces and textured surfaces are molded to compare their resistance to partial discharges when being subjected to polluted environments such as salt fog; these measurements are necessary to choose the suitable materials for the required application to be integrated in the new generation of connectors. Then, the optical and electrical characterization results of creeping discharges propagating on several polymeric surfaces under lightning impulse (L.I.) voltage with its both polarities (positive and negative) and for two kinds of applied electric field (normal and tangential) are presented in the case of solid/air interfaces. Final length measurements of creepage discharges are the main parameter for distinguishing material properties. The whole obtained results (under AC and LI voltages) allow us to point out the cycloaliphatic epoxy resins as potential candidates to the conception of a new generation of piercing connectors. In addition, the electric field simulation and modelling of the TTDC 45501FA connector by using the Flux 2D/3D software seems to be helpful to design a connector prototype which exhibits a new geometry and is able to reach a voltage level that equals 52kV.