Space charge measurements in polymeric HV insulation materials

This paper reports on a study using the laser induced pressure propagation (LIPP) method to measure the space charge characteristics in bulk crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation under dc electric stress. Particular attention has been given to the quantitative appraisal of calibration parameters, and the resultant estimations of space charge and electric stress distributions. A method is described for analyzing the measured raw data from ramp voltage and aging tests to give an estimate of charge and stress without resorting to a complicated mathematical exercise. The consequence of stress enhancement due to the trapped charge on the life of the insulation is estimated using the empirical inverse law. Using analysis of variance and a multivariate analysis technique, the effects of treatment and type of XLPE on the space charge characteristics are also discussed.