Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: From a systems operation and design perspective, it is important to understand the behaviour of HVDC system insulation when presented with high voltage transients, such as induced by lightning and switching operations. Therefore, this thesis investigates the design, operation and performance of a circuit arrangement that can be used in high voltage laboratories to generate impulse voltage waveforms superimposed on a dc bias voltage. The circuit arrangement consists of an impulse generator and a dc source that supplies continuous dc voltage to stress the test object, which can be any type of insulator, i.e. composite, porcelain, glass, gap arrangements, etc. The composite waveform obtained from the test arrangement is used experimentally to investigate the impulse flashover of insulators. For modelling and analysis purposes, the test circuit was transformed to a Laplace equivalent in order to derive the applicable nodal voltage equations. After substitution of circuit parameter values, the voltage equations are then transformed to time domain equations that predict the time-domain behaviour of the circuit. To validate this mathematical approach, the voltage waveforms obtained with this mathematical model is compared with the waveforms measured under laboratory conditions and also with waveforms simulated with HSPICE software. These comparisons are performed using graphical representations. Good correlation was obtained and the results are presented in this thesis. The final stage of this thesis discusses the application of the designed test arrangement for flashover and withstands tests on a silicon rubber insulator. The determination of the flashover values is done by using the existing statistical methods. The insulator was tested under dry conditions and also under polluted wet conditions for both positive and negative impulses compared to the DC bias voltage polarity. The results show that the dc bias voltage does not affect the total voltage flashover of the insulator significantly. It was also observed that wetting affects the flashover for negative impulse more severely, while the influence of wetting is minimal with positive impulse voltages / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vanuit ‘n stelselbedryf en ontwerp perspektief, is dit is belangrik om die gedrag van HSGS stelsels te verstaan wanneer dit onderwerp word aan hoogspanning oorgangsverskynsels soos veroorsaak deur weerlig en skakeloperasies. Daarom ondersoek hierdie tesis die ontwerp, werking en werkverrigting van ‘n stroombaanopstelling wat gebruik kan word in hoogspanningslaboratoriums om impulsspannings gesuperponeer op gelykspanning voorspannings op te wek. Die stroombaan bestaan uit ’n impulsgenerator en ‘n gs-bron wat die langdurige gs-spanning voorsien aan die toetsvoorwerp, wat enige tipe isolator kan wees. bv. porselein, glas, gapings, ens. Die saamgestelde golfvorm wat met die toetsopstelling verkry word, is eksperimenteel gebruik om die impulsoorvonking van isolators te ondersoek. Vir die doel van modellering and analise, is die stroombaan na ‘n Laplace ekwivalent getransformeer om die toepaslike knooppunt spanningsvergelykings af te lei. Na substitusie van die stroombaan parameter waardes, word die spanningsvergelykings getransformeer na die tydgebied vergelykings wat die tydgebied gedrag van die stroombaan voorspel. Om die wiskundige benadering te toets, word die spanningsgolfvorms wat met die wiskundige model voorspel word, vergelyk met golfvorms wat onder laboratorium toestande gemeet is en ook met golfvorms wat met HSPICE programmatuur gesimuleer is. Hierdie vergelykings word gedoen met behulp van grafiese voorstellings. Goeie korrelasie is verkry en die resultate word in die tesis gegee. Die finale stadium van hierdie tesis bespreek die toepassing van die ontwerpte toetsopstelling vir oorvonk- en weerstaantoetse op ‘n silikonrubber isolator. Die bepaling van die oorvonkwaardes word gedoen deur bestaande statistiese metodes te gebruik. Die isolator is onder droë en nat besoedelde toestande gedoen, vir beide positiewe sowel as negatiewe impulse met verwysing na die GS voorspan spanning. Die resultate toon dat die gsvoorspanning nie die oorvonkspanning van die isolator beïnvloed nie. Dit is ook waargeneem dat die benatting die oorvonking neer beïnvloed met ‘n negatiewe impuls terwyl die invloed minimaal is met positiewe impulsspannings.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The worldwide increase in the popularity of high voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission application has led to questions regarding the performance of high voltage alternating current (HVAC) insulators when energized under HVDC excitation. These questions have led researchers conduct numerous research projects worldwide. A particular question NamPower (the power utility in Namibia) has faced is: how do these insulators perform and age when energized under HVDC excitation in heavily polluted environments? This question was only partly answered by some insulator ageing tests conducted under laboratory conditions for HVDC excitation. However, the natural ageing tests on insulators, which are preferred, have to date been confined predominantly to HVAC excitation voltages. Thus, this research was initiated to investigate the natural ageing performance of insulators under both HVAC and HVDC excitations, when subjected to harsh marine pollution environments. This research project involved performance and ageing tests on three identical sets of line insulators made from different insulator materials, energised under HVAC and both polarities HVDC excitations respectively. The tests were conducted at Koeberg insulator pollution test station (KIPTS), which is a natural marine pollution insulator test station located near Cape Town, along the west coast of South Africa, approximately 50 m from the sea. The set of insulators consisted of EPDM silicone alloy rubber, HTV silicone rubber, RTV silicone rubber coated porcelain, Porcelain and Glass insulators. The HVAC excitation voltage was chosen as 12.7 kV r.m.s. phase-to-ground and it was decided to use a HVDC excitation voltage equal to this value. The research results showed that the insulators made from HTV silicone rubber performed better than the insulators made from EPDM silicone alloy rubber under all excitation voltages. It is also showed that RTV silicone rubber coated porcelain insulators performed better than Glass and Porcelain insulators under all excitation voltages. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die wêreld wye toename in gewildheid van hoë spanning gelyk stroom (HSGS) krag transmisie aplikasie het gelei na vrae oor die effektieweteit van hoë spanning wissel stroom (HSWS) insolators in HSGS aplikasies. Hierdie vrae het gelei na baie navorsings projekte. Een vraag waarmee NamPower (die krag voorsienings maatskapy in Namibia) gekonfronteer was, was hoe gaan die insolators wat onderworpe is aan ’n HSGS toevoer reageer in ’n baie besoedelde omgewing. Hierdie vraag was slegs gedeeltelik beantwoord deur verouderings toetse op insolators wat gedoen is in ’n labaratorium met ’n HSGS toevoer. Inteendeel, die meeste natuurlike verouderings toetse op insolators, soos verkies, is meestal gedoen met ’n HSWS toevoer. Om hierdie rede was hierdie navorsing begin om natuurlike verouderings toetse te doen op insolators onderworpe beide aan HSWS en HSGS toevoere binne ’n marien besoedelde omgewing. Hierdie navorsings projek gaan oor prestering en verouderings toetse op drie, identiese, transmissie lyn insolator stelle, wat onderskeidelik onderworpe was aan HSWS en beide polariteite HSGS toevoere. Die toetse was gedoen by Koeberg insolator besoedeling toets stasie (KIBTS) wat naby Kaapstad geleë is langs die weskus van Suid Africa omtrent 50 m van die see. ’n Stel toets insolators bestaan uit EPDM silikon allooi rubber, HTV silikon rubber, RTV silikon rubber bedekte porselein, Porselein en Glas insolators. Die HSWS waarde waarmee die insolators getoets was, was 12.7 kV w.g.k., fase-na-grond, en dit was besluit om ’n HSGS waarde gelyk aan hierdie spannings waarde te gebruik. Die navorsings resultate wys dat insolators wat gemaak is met HTV silikon rubber presteer beter as insolators wat met EPDM silikon allooi rubber gemaak is onder al die verskillende toevoere. Dit wys ook dat RTV silikon rubber bedekte porselein presteer beter as Porselein en Glas insolators onder al die verskillende toevoere.