Effect of Capacitor-Switching Surges on Insulation Aging and Incipient-Fault Breakdown of Distribution Cables and Accessories

This paper summarizes the finding related to the experimental evaluation of the effect of ringing switching surges on insulation aging and incipient-fault breakdown of distribution cables and accessories (CEA contract 092 D 234). The main emphasis in the present study was to reproduce test conditions as close as possible to the stresses observed in real distribution systems. This was done by first conducting extensive field recordings of capacitor-switching transients. The data obtained was used to define the characteristics of the test voltage to be reproduced in laboratory tests.