TY - JOUR
T1 - Modelling of propagation characteristics of acoustic pulse from partial discharge in polymeric insulating materials
AU - Samad, Abdul
AU - Siew, WH
AU - Given, Martin J.
AU - Timoshkin, Igor V.
AU - Liggat, John
PY - 2024/4/26
Y1 - 2024/4/26
N2 - The partial discharge (PD) event in high-voltage insulation releases energy, exerts mechanical pressure, and generates elastic waves. Detecting and locating these PD events through short-duration acoustic pulses is well established, particularly in gas-insulated systems and oil-insulated transformers. However, its full potential remains untapped in solid insulation systems, where the propagation capability of the acoustic pulse and the acoustic reflections pose fundamental challenges to the acoustic emission (AE) detection technique. This study investigates the influence of reflections and multiple paths on the propagating acoustic pulse in polymeric insulating materials using a finite element method (FEM) in COMSOL. It was observed that the reflections from the boundary influence the propagating pulse’s shape, peak magnitude, and arrival time. An analytical MATLAB model further quantifies the impact of multiple propagation paths on the shape, magnitude, and arrival time of the pulse travelling in a cylinder. Additionally, a Perfect Matched Layer (PML) was implemented in the COMSOL model to eliminate the reflections from the boundary, and it revealed that the acoustic pulse magnitude decreases with distance following the inverse square law. In essence, the models aid in measuring how reflections contribute to the observed signals, facilitating the precise identification of the source of the PD event in the tested system.
AB - The partial discharge (PD) event in high-voltage insulation releases energy, exerts mechanical pressure, and generates elastic waves. Detecting and locating these PD events through short-duration acoustic pulses is well established, particularly in gas-insulated systems and oil-insulated transformers. However, its full potential remains untapped in solid insulation systems, where the propagation capability of the acoustic pulse and the acoustic reflections pose fundamental challenges to the acoustic emission (AE) detection technique. This study investigates the influence of reflections and multiple paths on the propagating acoustic pulse in polymeric insulating materials using a finite element method (FEM) in COMSOL. It was observed that the reflections from the boundary influence the propagating pulse’s shape, peak magnitude, and arrival time. An analytical MATLAB model further quantifies the impact of multiple propagation paths on the shape, magnitude, and arrival time of the pulse travelling in a cylinder. Additionally, a Perfect Matched Layer (PML) was implemented in the COMSOL model to eliminate the reflections from the boundary, and it revealed that the acoustic pulse magnitude decreases with distance following the inverse square law. In essence, the models aid in measuring how reflections contribute to the observed signals, facilitating the precise identification of the source of the PD event in the tested system.
KW - acoustic emission
KW - PD detection
KW - high voltage insulation
KW - acoustic propagation
KW - acoustic reflections
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/journal/acoustics
U2 - 10.3390/acoustics6020020
DO - 10.3390/acoustics6020020
M3 - Article
SN - 2624-599X
VL - 6
SP - 374
EP - 385
JO - Acoustics
JF - Acoustics
IS - 2
ER -