To make a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission more energy efficient, the voltage of the system has to be increased. To allow for that the components of the system must be constructed to handle the increases AC and DC stresses that this leads to. One key component in such a transmission is the HVDC converter transformer. The insulation system of the transformer usually consists of oil and oil-impregnated pressboard. Modeling of the electric DC field in the insulation system is currently done with the ion drift diffusion model, which takes into account the transport and generation of charges in the oil and the pressboard. The model is however lacking a description of how charges are being injected from the electrodes and the oil-pressboard interfaces. The task of this thesis work was to develop and implement a model for this which improves the result of the ion drift diffusion model. A theoretical study of ion injection was first carried out and proceeding from this, a model for the ion injection was formulated. By using experimental data from 5 different test geometries, the injection model could be validated and appropriate parameter values of the model could be determined. By using COMSOL Multiphysics®, the ion drift diffusion model with the injection model could be simulated for the different test geometries. The ion injection gave a substantial improvement of the ion drift diffusion model. The positive injection from electrodes into oil was found to be in the range 0.3-0.6 while the negative injection was 0.3 lower. Determination of the parameters for the injection from oil-pressboard interfaces proved to be difficult, but setting the parameters in the range 0.01-1 allowed for a good agreement with the experimental data. Here, a fit could be obtained for multiple assumptions about the set of active injection parameters. Finally it is recommended that the investigation of the ion injection continues in order to further improve the model and more accurately determine the parameters of it. Suggestions on how this work could be carried out are given in the end.

Low-earth orbit (LEO) contains plasma which can impact satellite charging and radio frequency (RF) communications. Quantifying both the composition and movement of ions in LEO can improve efficiency of the forecasting models that predict the impact plasma will have on satellite communications and accuracy of global positioning satellite measurements. Two instruments known as the Retarding Potential Analyzer (RPA) and the Ion Drift Meter (IDM) have been used in tandem to measure ionospheric properties including ion temperature, velocity, and density. These instruments are costly and occupy large areas on a spacecraft. In recent years, space mission budgets have diminished. This change has driven innovation towards creating new instruments which are compatible with smaller and cheaper satellites yet still yield measurements of comparable quality. This thesis presents the design of a new instrument that encompasses the functionality of both the RPA and IDM, known as the Plasma Velocity Vector Instrument for Small Satellites (PVVISS). PVVISS has compact form factor and low power requirements, making it a viable option for smaller, low cost nano-satellite sized missions. Missions utilizing the PVVISS sensor will allow increased exploration of the ionospheric impact on satellite communications.

Es werden die Eigenschaften von Driftwellen untersucht, welche an der rotierenden magnetisierten Plasmasäule des PSI-1/2 beobachtet wurden. Ihre parallelen Wellenzahlen sind sehr klein, sie besitzen eine nahezu lineare azimutale Dispersionsrelation, ihre azimutale Phasengeschwindigkeit ist etwa gleich der azimutalen Ionendriftgeschwindigkeit und die Potentialfluktuationen eilen den Dichtefluktuationen um etwa Pi hinterher. Deshalb können sie als Ionendriftwellen bezeichnet werden. Alle zugehörigen Messungen wurden mit Langmuirsonden, Spektrometern und schnellen CCD-Kameras durchgeführt. Ein einfaches analytisches Modell, welches die Potential- und Dichteverteilung der Ionendriftwelle beschreibt, offenbart den zugrundeliegenden Instabilitätsmechanismus. Weiterhin wird eine Klassifikation der beobachteten Ionendriftinstabilität in einem Übersichtsschema der bekannten Driftinstabilitäten gegeben. Abschließend wurden die parallele und senkrechte Teilchendiffusion untersucht. Während der gemessene parallele Diffusionskoeffizient sehr gut mit den theoretischen Vorstellungen übereinstimmt, kann die beobachtete Senkrechtdiffusion nicht allein durch die klassische Diffusion erklärt werden. Email: sok@ipp.mpg.de / The properties of drift waves observed in the rotating magnetized plasma column of the PSI-1/2 will be shown. Their parallel wave numbers are very small, their azimuthal dispersion relation is approximately linear, their resultant azimuthal phase velocity is nearly equal to the azimuthal ion drift velocity, and the potential fluctuations always lag behind the density fluctuations with a phase shift of approximately Pi. Therefore, they can be identified as ion drift waves. All corresponding measurements were performed with Langmuir-probes, spectrometers and fast CCD-cameras. A simple analytical model, describing the potential- and density distribution of the ion drift wave, shows the underlying mechanism of the instability. Furthermore, a classification of the observed ion drift instability is given, by referring to a survey scheme summarizing all known drift instabilities. Finally, the parallel and perpendicular particle diffusion were investigated. While the measured parallel diffusion coefficient is in a good agreement with the theory, the observed perpendicular diffusion can not be described with the classical diffusion alone. Email: sok@ipp.mpg.de

This thesis focuses on measuring techniques and results of resistivity in four commercially available insulating transformer oils: mineral oil, ester oil and two isoparaffin oils. Two measuring techniques, the industrially used diagnostic system for electrical insulation IDA and the Labview implemented Triangular Method, are used for resistivity measurements and the techniques are compared, a correction algorithm to the triangular method is suggested. Dielectric properties of mineral & ester and isoparaffin A&B mixtures are investigated, it is experimentally shown that the transformer oils that show high resistivity also show low loss factor. The effect moisture has on resistivity in mineral and ester oil are shown both in terms of relative humidity and actual water content in parts per million. A previous measurement cell is redesigned, the cell is manufactured in copper and gold. It is found that the material choice of the cell significantly affects the resistivity measurements. The electrical double layer and contact resistance between the oil and cell are investigated as a way to explain the difference in measured resistivity. These experiments are limited to the mineral oil and isoparaffin oil A, it is found that contact resistance is a plausible explanation. The electrical double layer is fairly constant for both oils and the Debye length of the double layer is negligible compared to the total distance between the electrodes of the cell. Lastly, the field of insulating transformer oils and its future is discussed, from data obtained regarding the dielectric properties and environmental aspects of the four transformer oils used in this study. A positive trend which combines the high insulating properties with good biodegradability qualities is found. Suggesting a positive future in the field of insulating transformer oils. The results found in this thesis can be used as a basis for future theses regarding transformer oils used for HVDC applications.

With power generation and consumption placed further away from each other, with for example increased offshore power production, the need for HVDC transmission systems increases. As voltage levels in the HVDC transmission system are raised, the losses can be decreased, enabling efficient power transfer over longer distances. Such an increase in voltage levels comes with questions regarding insulation performance due to increased electrical field stress in high voltage apparatus, particularly in and around cable terminations. Thus, physical measurements of electrical fields or voltage potentials in air are of interest to improve the understanding of the electrical fields around cable terminations as well as to verify and develop simulation models for use at ultra high voltage. In this thesis, different measurement systems and sensors for electrical field measurements are investigated, and their benefits and drawbacks are compared to a known previously implemented reference measurement system with known strengths and limitations. Two new conceptual measurement systems with a sensor concept and positioning system are developed and proposed for a set of given conditions, such as measurement around cable terminations in air. The first proposed system is based on a shutter field mill sensor placed on variable electric potential. The second system is based on the reference system's sensor design modified to remove the need for a large positioning system. The feasibility of the two measurement systems is investigated further utilizing a COMSOL model and a mechanical prototype. The simulation model is used for electrical field simulations around cable terminations in a 2D-axisymmetric geometry as well as a 3D geometry to verify the first measurement system. The mechanical prototype is utilized to test and verify the possibility of implementing the second system's positioning system. The two final proposed measurement systems can be further developed and used as a foundation for a future implemented measurement system. / Ökad elproduktion i form av exempelvis vindkraftsverk placerade till havs leder till elproduktion och konsumtion placerad med större avstånd från varandra, vilket skapar ett behov av HVDC transmissionssystemm. Genom att höja spänningsnivåerna i transmissionssystemet kan förluster minskar, vilket möjligör effektiv kraftöverföring över längre avstånd. En sådan ökning av spänningsnivåerna i transmissionssystemet kommer med obesvarade frågor angående isoleringsprestanda i högspänningsutrustningen på grund av en höjd elektrisk stress, med särskilt intresse gällande påverkan på kabelavslut. Därför är fysiska mätningar av elektriska fält eller potentialer i luft av intresse för att förbättra förståelsen av det elektriska fältet kring kabelavslut, samt att verifiera och utveckla simuleringsmodeller för användning vid ultrahög spänningspotentialer. I detta examensarbete har olika mätsystem och sensorer för elektriska fältmätningar utredits och deras fördelar och nackdelar jämförts med ett känt tidigare implementerat rereferensmätsystem med kända styrkor och begränsningar. Två nya konceptuella mätsystem med sensorkoncept med tillhörande positioneringssystem utvecklas och föreslås för en uppsättning givna förhållanden, som t.ex mätning kring kabelavslutningar i luft. Det första föreslagna systemet är baserat på en fältkvarnssensor placerad på variabel elektrisk potential. De andra systemet är baserat på referenssystemets sensordesign modifierad för att ta bort behovet av ett stort positioneringssystem. Genomförbarheten av de två mätsystem undersöks vidare med användning av en COMSOL-modell och en mekanisk prototyp. Simuleringsmodellen används för elektriska fält simuleringar kring ett kabelavslut i en 2D-axelsymmetrisk geometri samt i en 3D-geometri för att verifiera det första mätsystemet. Mekaniska prototypen används för att testa och verifiera möjligheten att implementera andra systemets positioneringssystem. De två föreslagna mätsystemen kan vidareutvecklas och användas som en grund för ett framtida implementerat mätsystem.