Design, development, and testing of a comprehensive and automated classification system for single and multiple PD source identification based on the relationship between the variation of PRPD patterns and the sources of PD is proposed. The proposed system consists of feature extraction methods and classifier algorithms that are implemented for recognition of partial discharge patterns. For single PD source identification, twelve high performance, applicable feature extraction techniques on PRPD patterns are employed to extract features. In order to present a comprehensive classification system, 10 well-known algorithms for the classification of PD sources have then been used. To evaluate the performance of the classification system, three laboratory test setups are designed and built to simulate various types of PD activities. The first test setup is designed to model common sources of PD in air, oil, and SF6. Using this setup, the application of automated classification system on different sources of PD in different HV insulation media is investigated. The second and third test setups are designed to test the classification system on identification of different sources of PD in oil-immersed insulation and power transformer cellulose insulation under both electrical and thermal stresses, respectively. In many practical situations, the interest lies in the identification of multiple, simultaneously activated PD sources in insulation. Multi-source PDs sometimes results in partially overlapped patterns, which makes them hard to be identified by single source identification techniques. To further enhance the proposed classification system, a novel algorithm to identify Multi-source PDs is developed and appended to the system. To evaluate the performance of this algorithm, a number of multi-source PD models have been designed. The overall results show that the classification system is well able to identify the single and multi-source of partial discharges. More importantly, this identification system is able to assign a ``degree of membership" to each PRPD pattern, besides assigning a class label to it. This enables probabilistic interpretation of a new PRPD pattern that is being classified and results in safer decision making based on the risk associated with different sources of PD. The results of this research is beneficial for the design of a solid basis for an automated, continuous 24/7 monitoring of equipment, which facilitates PD source identification in early stages and safe operation of HV apparatus. / October 2016

This thesis concerns partial discharge (PD) diagnostics withvariable frequency of applied voltage in the frequency range 1mHz - 400 Hz. The exploration of a new type of spectroscopythat combines partial discharge analysis and dielectricresponse is demonstrated. A question addressed is if and howthe PD activity varies with the frequency of the appliedvoltage. The nature of an existing frequency dependence couldbe useful in the classification of different defects and tojudge the degree of progressive ageing. A Variable-Frequency Phase Resolved Partial DischargeAnalysis (VF-PRPDA) technique is developed for the appliedvoltage frequency range 1 mHz - 400 Hz. The VF-PRPDA techniqueis combined with a system for high voltage dielectricspectroscopy that allows simultaneous measurements. TheVF-PRPDA technique is used for studying the frequencydependence of PD. The PD activity is for example measured byintegrated measures like total charge per cycle and totalnumber of discharges per cycle. Statistical measures like mean,standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis etc. are applied tomeasure the frequency dependence of the phasedistributions. High voltage dielectric spectroscopy is supplemented withharmonic analysis for studying non-linear dielectric responsecurrents. The VF-PRPDA technique is demonstrated on defined objectslike point-plane gaps and artificial voids, but also on aninsulated stator bar and a paper insulated cable. Surfacedischarges on insulating surfaces are studied in an environmentwith a controlled relative humidity and temperature. Theadsorption of moisture on the insulating surface alters thesurface conductivity of the surface and the frequencydependence of the PD activity. The influence of temperature upon the PD activity is studiedfor a oil paper insulated cable. The results of the measurements show that the partialdischarge activity in general is frequency dependent over thefrequency range 1 mHz - 400 Hz. The reasons behind thefrequency dependence are linked to surface- and bulk-conducting mechanisms, frequency dependent field distributionsand statistical effects of the supply of start electrons. An algorithm is developed that relates the phase resolved PDcurrent measured with the PRPDA technique to the non-linearcurrent measured with dielectric spectroscopy. The algorithm isexperimentally verified by simultaneous measurements of PRPDAand dielectric spectroscopy on defined objects. The resultsexplain the contribution of PD to the apparent capacitance andloss. Moreover, the harmonics of the fundamental currentcomponent yield information about, for example, polaritydependent discharge sources. Keywords:diagnostic methods, partial discharges, phaseresolved, variable frequency, dielectric spectroscopy,dielectric response, harmonics, insulation / QC 20100527

L'objectif de cette thèse est de fournir une meilleure compréhension des différents phénomènes physiques liés aux microplasmas/microdécharges. Pour cela, des matrices de microréacteurs sur silicium ont été étudiées. De nombreuses configurations ont été construites de manière à analyser l’influence de chaque paramètre physique sur le fonctionnement de ces dispositifs. Le présent travail porte sur l'élaboration et la caractérisation de dispositifs micro-décharge à base de silicium. Dans ce travail de thèse, les régimes de courant continu (DC) et de courant alternatif (AC) sont étudiés en utilisant des configurations de décharges différentes. Pour la fabrication de ces réacteurs, nous sommes partis de wafers de Silicium que nous avons structurés et traités en salle blanche. La technologie de fabrication utilisée est compatible avec les méthodes de fabrication de dispositifs CMOS. Les microréacteurs sont constitués d’électrodes de nickel et de silicium séparés par une couche diélectrique de SiO2 de 6 μm d’épaisseur. L’épaisseur du diélectrique est ici beaucoup plus faible que celle des microréacteurs étudiés jusqu’à présent. Les dispositifs sont constitués de cavités de 25 à 150 microns de diamètre. Les essais de microdécharge ont été effectués dans des gaz inertes à une pression comprise entre 100 et 1000 Torrs. Nous avons d’abord étudié les phénomènes d’allumage et d’extinction à partir de microdispositifs monocavité en alumine. Puis, nous avons étudié le fonctionnement en DC/AC de microréacteurs en silicium comportant un nombre de cavité compris entre 1 et1024. Les caractéristiques des microdécharges ont été étudiées grâce à des mesures électriques, des mesures de spectroscopie d'émission optique (OES), de spectroscopie d’absorption à diode laser (DLAS) et de spectroscopie d'émission optique résolue en temps (PROES). Ces différents diagnostics nous ont permis de mettre en évidence les phénomènes d’allumage, d’extinction, d’instabilité et les mécanismes de défaillance de nos microdispositifs. Ce travail de thèse a permis de tester les performances et les limites technologiques des matrices de microdécharges sur silicium. Une attention particulière a été portée sur leur durée de vie. / The objective of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of various physical phenomena related to microplasmas/microdischarges. For this purpose, arrays of microreactors on silicon were studied. Different array configurations were fabricated to analyse the influence of each parameter on the physical operation of these devices. The present work focuses on the development and characterisation of micro-discharge devices based on silicon. In this thesis, direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) regimes are studied using different discharge configurations. For the fabrication of these reactors, Silicon wafers are structured and processed in a cleanroom. Fabrication technology used is compatible with the CMOS technology. The microreactors are fabricated with nickel and silicon electrodes, separated by a dielectric layer of SiO2 with a thickness of 6 μm. The thickness of the dielectric is much lower here than the microreactors studied so far. The devices consist of cavities with 25 to 150 μm in diameter. Experiments of the microdischarges are performed in inert gases at a pressure between 100 and 1000 Torr. We first studied the phenomena of ignition and extinction for the microdevices based on alumina. Then, we studied the microreactors based on silicon containing 1 to 1024 cavities under DC and AC regimes. Characteristics of microdischarges were studied by electrical measurements, measurements of optical emission spectroscopy (OES), laser diode absorption spectroscopy (DLAS) and phase resolved optical emission spectroscopy (PROES). These diagnostics allowed us to investigate the phenomena of ignition, extinction, instability and failure mechanisms of the microplasma devices. This thesis work allowed testing the performance and technological limitations of the silicon based microdischarge arrays. Particular attention was paid to their life time.

The objective of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of various physical phenomena related to microplasmas/microdischarges. For this purpose, arrays of microreactors on silicon were studied. Different array configurations were fabricated to analyse the influence of each parameter on the physical operation of these devices. The present work focuses on the development and characterisation of micro-discharge devices based on silicon. In this thesis, direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) regimes are studied using different discharge configurations. For the fabrication of these reactors, Silicon wafers are structured and processed in a cleanroom. Fabrication technology used is compatible with the CMOS technology. The microreactors are fabricated with nickel and silicon electrodes, separated by a dielectric layer of SiO2 with a thickness of 6 μm. The thickness of the dielectric is much lower here than the microreactors studied so far. The devices consist of cavities with 25 to 150 μm in diameter. Experiments of the microdischarges are performed in inert gases at a pressure between 100 and 1000 Torr. We first studied the phenomena of ignition and extinction for the microdevices based on alumina. Then, we studied the microreactors based on silicon containing 1 to 1024 cavities under DC and AC regimes. Characteristics of microdischarges were studied by electrical measurements, measurements of optical emission spectroscopy (OES), laser diode absorption spectroscopy (DLAS) and phase resolved optical emission spectroscopy (PROES). These diagnostics allowed us to investigate the phenomena of ignition, extinction, instability and failure mechanisms of the microplasma devices. This thesis work allowed testing the performance and technological limitations of the silicon based microdischarge arrays. Particular attention was paid to their life time.

This thesis concerns with the study of X-ray binaries which are gravitationally bound systems consisting of a compact object (either a neutron star or a black hole) and usually a non degenerate companion star, both rotating around the common centre of mass. The compact star shines brightly in the X-ray regime. Emission from these systems are powered by accretion which is the most radioactively efficient mechanism known in the universe by the release of gravitational potential energy when matter from the companion star falls on the compact object. Accretion onto high magnetic field neutron stars are special as the magnetic field plays a crucial role in governing the dynamics of gas flow and the flow of the matter close to the compact object. The radiation emitted from these systems are anisotropic and for a distant observer, the intensity is modulated at the spin period of the neutron star, hence these objects are called accretion powered pulsars. The angular pattern of the emitted radiation is also highly anisotropic and depends on the mass accreted and hence the luminosity. The beaming pattern commonly known as the pulse profiles exhibit a wide variety in the pulse shape and pulse fraction and vary with energy as well as intensity. They also exhibit cyclotron absorption features in their energy spectrum which are a direct probe to the magnetic field geometry of these systems. This thesis is dedicated to the study of the magnetic field and emission geometry of accretion powered pulsars through the pulse phase resolved studies of the cyclotron absorption features which are a direct probe of the magnetized plasma. In order to study these features in detail broadband continuum modeling of the energy spectrum is done, taking care of all other factors which may smear the pulse phase dependence. Another prerequisite for detailed continuum modeling is accounting for the low absorption dips in the pulse profiles of many these sources. The dips are presumably formed by phase locked accretion stream causing partial covering absorption when the stream is along our line of sight towards the emission region. Studying the pulse phase dependence of this partial covering absorber also provides us with important clues on the local environment of the neutron star and the structure of the accretion stream. All of these studies are performed with data from the broadband and most sensitive instruments onboard the Japanese satellite Suzuki. Lastly we provide estimates of the polarization expected to be detected from these sources by a Thomson scattering polarimeter being developed to observe the polarization of X-rays in the energy range of 5--30 keV. Along with the X-ray pulsars, we also make an estimate of the likelihood of detection of X-ray polarization from black hole X-ray binaries in different spectral states. This is a particularly interesting topic as it will play a crucial role in providing additional handles on the magnetic field geometry in accretion powered pulsars as well as constrain the fundamental parameters of a black hole like its spin.