ATEC carries partial discharge testers, corona test sets, corona cameras and more partial discharge test equipment from leading manufacturers like Omicron, Hipotronics and Megger. ATEC’s inventory of PD analysis instruments includes partial discharge test units for both long and short-term rentals, which can be paired with other industrial electrical test equipment for insulation testing, dielectric testing and ground testing.
Partial discharge is a major factor in insulation failure and the failure of electrical equipment like power transformers, HV cables, switchgear, motors and generators. PD measurement allows operators to perform effective and reliable insulation testing of these high voltage devices in applications like factory acceptance testing, on-site commissioning and routine electrical maintenance. PD analysis techniques must adhere to IEC 60270, the international standard for the measurement of electrical discharges in insulation.
Partial discharge testing, or PD testing, detects the presence of partial discharges in high voltage equipment. A partial discharge (PD) is a small spark within electrical insulation caused by insulation breakdown. PDs occur when an electrical insulation system experiences HV stress; a dielectric breakdown of a small portion of the insulation generates electrical discharges, which bridge the gap between two conducting electrodes. These dielectric breakdowns manifest across the surface of insulation material, in pockets found in solid insulation, within gas bubbles in liquid forms of insulation and proximal to electrodes in gases. As aging HV equipment continues to operate at high levels all around us, PD testing is more critical than ever to diagnose insulation failure before electrical stress shuts systems down and incurs expensive maintenance.