Influence of Nonlinear Stress Grading Material on Dielectric Frequency Response of Stator Insulation

Aging of high voltage generators and motors lead to changes in the dielectric properties of the stator winding insulation system. Research on the relation between aging and dielectric response has been going on for decades. A particular challenge is that the coil insulation consists of several materials: two that strongly affect the dielectric response are the ground-wall insulation and the stress grading shield (end-corona protection, ECP), which exhibit quite different properties. The influence of the ECP on the overall dielectric response of the insulation system might dwarf the condition change of the ground-wall insulation. In this paper, we introduce a test system that can measure the dielectric response in both time and frequency domain from low to rated voltage. Measurement results of two types of custom-designed, commercial standard stator winding coils are presented, and the influence of the ECP can be observed. The validity of time-frequency domain transformation of this nonlinear system is discussed. This paper acts as a basis for the application of dielectric diagnostic testing in the field.