High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) bushings are insulated devices designed to facilitate the safe passage of electric current across an earthed barrier. Understanding air conductivity is of utmost importance in the design of HVDC components, which is determined by ion density and ion mobility. Previous research has indicated a correlation between air conductivity, air humidity and phenomena on HVDC surfaces. This thesis aims to investigate and elucidate how adsorbed water may contribute to air conductivity. To accomplish this objective, an experimental study is conducted employing ellipsometry to measure the water layer thickness as a function of relative humidity and applied voltage. The results exhibit a thickness consistent with prior studies in the absence of applied voltage, but reveal an altered thickness when voltage is applied. While definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from this thesis alone, the findings provide some support for the hypothesis from earlier research, suggesting the involvement of surface phenomena in air conductivity. The experimental procedure presented in this thesis can be further expanded and refined to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the surface reactions at play. This could further develop the understanding of the factors influencing air conductivity in HVDC systems and contribute to the advancement of design methodologies in this field.

The aim in this project is to find a design space for a condenser type bushing given by HitachiEnergy. The design space shows which combinations of air and silicon-rubber (SiR) conductivity remain under a specified electric field strength value. This range of value represents how humidity affects air and SiR conductivity. Hitachi energy provided two different models, one with foils and one without foils. The design space for these models consists of how humidity affects the conductivity of both air and SiR. The values of air conductivity are gathered from different studies with different air humidity and external effects that affect the conductivity such as high aerosol concentration and high radon concentration. The values used for simulation will be approximated because of the different external effects and will range from 10^(−12)–10^(−13) S/m for humid conditions, 10^(−14) S/m for average humidity conditions and 10^(−15)–10^(−16) S/m for dry conditions. The range of SiR conductivity and the correlated weather conditions was given by Hitachi Energy and range from 10^(−11)–10^(−15) S/m where 10^(−11) S/m is for humid conditions, 10^(−12)–10^(−14) S/m for average humidity conditions and 10^(−15) S/m for dry conditions. For each of these combinations of conductivity the maximum electric field strength is calculated using COMSOL Multiphysics and compared to the threshold value of 2 kV/mm. Using these parameters the maximum electric field strength on the sheds of the bushing was calculated using COMSOL Multiphysics for all combinations of SiR and air conductivity. The results shows a pattern for both models. SiR conductivity must be higher or equal to the air conductivity to be below the threshold of 2 kV/mm.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Soil structure is defined by form and arrangement of soil particles and pores. As a consequence of time increase of no-tillage use the soil structure has been modified by repetition of traffic caused by agricultural operations throughout years, which, in turn, has been identified as compaction implying in lost of soil quality. In this study, the S index sensibility was tested as related to other soil physical properties and was evaluated also the alterations of pore diameters and its implications on saturated hydraulic conductivity and air conductivity caused by soil use. Its was used six Oxisols, classified by brazilian soil classification system as: Latossolo Vermelho eutrófico, Latossolo Vermelho aluminoférrico, Nitossolo Vermelho distrófico, Latossolo Bruno alumínico, Latossolo Vermelho distrófico de textura média, Latossolo Vermelho distrófico de textura argilosa e Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico. The soil uses studied were: a) natural condition represented by native forest or grass field and; b) no-tillage. The S index was not associated to total clay content neither to dispersed clay content. However, for clayey soils the S index had an exponential decreased as the bulk density increased and an exponential increase as organic matter increased. The available water had a log increase with S increase and pre-consolidation pressure reduced exponentially as S index increased. These results imply sensibility to S index to evaluate soil quality of clayey soils. The soil use effects on water and air flow was detected by alterations caused by notillage on increasing bulk density, reducing total porosity, changing pore size distribution with increase in micropores as macropores reduced causing, in turn, reduction on saturated hydraulic conductivity and air conductivity. The high aggregation state of soils under native forest favored to presence of big pores and smaller amount of intermediate pores. In more compacted layer of soils under no-tillage was detected reduction of intermediate pore class and increase in micropores. / A estrutura do solo é definida pela sua condição física, expressa pela dimensão, forma e arranjo das partículas sólidas e dos poros a elas associados. Com o tempo de uso do sistema plantio direto, a estrutura do solo é modificada pela repetitividade das operações agrícolas realizadas ao longo dos anos. A alteração da estrutura pela compactação tem causado perdas na qualidade física dos solos. Neste trabalho, testou-se a sensibilidade do índice S, em relação a algumas propriedades físicas dos solos e avaliaram-se as alterações impostas pelo uso do solo no diâmetro dos poros, na condutividade hidráulica saturada e na condutividade do ar. Os solos avaliados foram: Latossolo Vermelho eutrófico, Latossolo Vermelho aluminoférrico, Nitossolo Vermelho distrófico, Latossolo Bruno alumínico, Latossolo Vermelho distrófico de textura média, Latossolo Vermelho distrófico de textura argilosa e Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico. Os sistemas de uso foram: condição natural, representada pela mata nativa ou campo nativo; e condição de lavoura, sob plantio direto. O índice S não se relacionou com o teor de argila total ou argila dispersa. Para o os solos argilosos e muito argilosos, o índice S apresentou um decréscimo exponencial com o aumento da densidade do solo e um crescimento exponencial com o aumento da matéria orgânica do solo. A água disponível as plantas aumentou de forma logarítmica com o aumento do S enquanto a pressão de préconsolidação reduziu exponencialmente com o aumento do S. Conclui-se que o índice S apresentou sensibilidade para determinar a qualidade física dos solos de textura argilosa e muito argilosa. Quanto ao impacto do uso do solo sobre os fluxos de água e ar, constatou-se que o solo sob cultivo apresentou aumento na densidade e redução na porosidade total, ocorreu alteração na distribuição do diâmetro de poros com aumento da quantidade de poros pequenos em detrimento dos poros maiores, o que provocou a redução da condutividade hidráulica saturada e da condutividade do ar no solo. A alta estruturação do solo na mata nativa favoreceu a presença de poros grandes e menor quantidade de poros de tamanho intermediário. Nas camadas mais compactadas do plantio direto verificou-se a redução da classe de poros de tamanho intermediário e o aumento da quantidade de poros pequenos.