V-T Characteristics of Epoxy Mold Insulation for Sustained AC Voltage

This paper describes experiments conducted to determine the cause of epoxy mold insulation breakdown under sustained applied AC voltage. It can be readily understood that epoxy mold insulation, widely used as solid insulation in gas-insulated switchgear, is subject to breakdown under sustained applied voltage when the mold insulation contains large voids. However, epoxy mold insulation which is practically void-free also deteriorates under sustained applied voltage. It has been clarified by conducting experiments using various embedded electrode materials that the deterioration of this void-free epoxy mold insulation is primarily caused by an electric field concentration due to micro-protrusions on the embedded electrode surface and a small partial discharge which occurred at minute debonded portions around the micro-protrusions.