Surface Flashover Characteristics of Solid Dielectrics in Shipboard Atmospheric Conditions

Surface flashover occurring in medium to high voltage applications is a severe problem as it threatens the dielectric integrity of a system. Utilizing power-electronics-driven MVDC systems in future electric ships leads to increased risk of surface flashover because the system involves power electronics converters generating voltage stresses combined with high dv/dt and DC. Therefore, it is necessary to understand how shipboard environment conditions such as humidity and temperature affect the surface flashover phenomena. To find out the impact of these conditions on dielectric surface flashover, we conducted an experiment at elevated humidity and temperature. In this paper, we discuss the outcome of our experiments and compare them with the results obtained in a dry room temperature condition.