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• The packaging insulation material is exposed to extreme operating conditions with rapid voltage rise rate. • The voltage rise time appeared to be the most important parameter influencing the early failure of insulating materials. • A strong local vibration of the surrounding molecules to produce phonons in addition to the normal thermal vibration. • With assistance of phonons, a portion of charges is excited to high-energy states, thereby leading to insulation deterioration. Due to the extreme operating conditions of high voltage rising rate, silicone gel materials used in the encapsulation insulation of power electronic devices are prone to insulation failure. In this paper, we proposed a mechanism of insulation degradation under the ultra-fast pulsed electric field by considering the synergistic effect of molecular vibrations and charge behaviors. With the quantum dynamic simulation, it is found that the motion of space charge will induce a strong local vibration of the surrounding molecules to produce phonons in addition to the normal thermal vibration. The steeper the edge time, the higher the amplitude of vibration. With assistance of phonons, a portion of charge is excited to a high-energy state, resulting in an increased probability of induced charge trapping and detrapping. This image well microcosmically confirms the phenomenon of molecular vibration and intensified electric tree formation under ultra-fast pulsed electric fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important piece of equipment of ultrahigh-voltage direct current, the valve side of a converter transformer contains a large dc component prone to partial discharge (PD) under the action of a slightly uneven electric field, which can be simulated using a wedge electrode. To study the PD characteristics of oil–paper insulation under a wedge-shaped electrode, a 2-D axisymmetric simulation model was established based on the bipolar-charge transport theory and the fluid dynamics drift-diffusion theory. The microscopic discharge images at nanosecond scale under different dc voltage polarities were calculated, and the change process of the space charge and electric field intensity distribution was obtained. The effects of the voltage amplitude, polarity, and dielectric constant on PD characteristics are discussed. The simulation results show that the discharge pattern and velocity exhibit a notable polarity effect. This polarity effect is related to the adsorption of the cellulose hydroxyl group to negative charge, which leads to the amplitude of the homopolar charge accumulated in negative polarity being greater than that accumulated in positive polarity under the same applied voltage intensity so that the homopolar charge has a greater barrier to the discharge. This type of adsorption is positively correlated with the difference of dielectric constant between the paperboard and insulating oil. The results of this study are of great theoretical significance for elucidating the dc discharge mechanism under wedge electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The space charge dynamic behavior and accumulation are important contributions to the formation of electrical trees, as recognized by cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cable insulation under alternating current electric stress. In this article, in order to investigate the reasons for the charge accumulation phenomenon revealed by experiments under ac stress, a bipolar space charge transport model with symmetrical and asymmetrical parameters is built under ac stress. The charge accumulation mechanism is analyzed based on the variation of space charge density with different voltage application time and voltage phase. The effects of each major physical parameter are simulated and analyzed, respectively. The results show that there is no obvious space charge accumulation with the transport model under symmetrical physical parameters. However, asymmetrical parameters in the transport model result in different motions between positive and negative charges, which greatly enhances the charge accumulation. Each main parameter has an influence on charge accumulation in different perspectives and extents. The applicability of the simulation model with asymmetrical parameters is evaluated by comparing experiment and simulation results. This study contributes to the understanding of space charge generation mechanism under ac voltage and serves as a basis for improving the stability of XLPE electric power cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite insulators, which use high temperature vulcanized (HTV) silicone rubber as shed material, are widely applied in transmission lines. Ice accumulation on their surfaces may inflict flashover accident and even massive power outage. In this study, a superhydrophobic (SH) coating on HTV silicone rubber was fabricated by the sol–gel process combined with the plasma jet treatment method. It was found that the as-prepared SH coating exhibited prominent superhydrophobicity and an excellent self-cleaning property with a water contact angle of 160.15°, a contact angle hysteresis of 0.60°, a sliding angle of 1.8°, and a surface free energy of 0.1421 mN/m. The anti-icing behavior of water droplets on the as-prepared SH coating surface was investigated at a low temperature of −30 °C and compared with that of the HTV silicone rubber surface. The results indicated that the freezing time on the SH coating was postponed obviously and was as long as 150 s. The SH coating surface exhibited about 5.6 times delay in freezing at −30 °C compared with the HTV silicone rubber surface. Furthermore, heterogeneous nucleation theory and heat transfer theory were introduced to explain the difference in freezing time between the as-prepared SH coating and HTV silicone rubber. It could be concluded that the SH coating had a large nucleation free energy barrier and a low heat transfer rate between the droplet and the surface and, thus, was able to effectively delay the freezing time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stabilization of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables is crucial to the safe working of power systems. In order to investigate the aging characteristics of cable insulation in the process of operation, 10 kV XLPE cables were electrically-thermally aged at an AC voltage of 26.1 kV and three temperatures: 103°C, 114°C, and 135°C. Cable samples at five aging stages were cut into slices and tested to determine their mechanical, physicochemical properties and dielectric strength. The changes in these properties were analyzed in terms of aging time. The mechanical strength and oxidation induction time have the same changing trend of decrease, because the chemical bonds of the cable insulation material are fractured when the XLPE cable is aged. The AC space charge presented a trend of gradual accumulation with aging time. The breakdown field strength after AC voltage application decreases monotonically with aging time, which could be a characteristic index to evaluate the degradation degree of the cable insulation. This research contributes to the comprehension of degradation mechanism and discovery of aging assessment criteria, which is of great significance in assessments of insulation properties and fault detection on power cables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effect of semiconductive (SC) material on space charge accumulation in cable accessories, an accelerated aging of cable samples with cable accessories was carried out in the laboratory. The experimental results show accumulation of space charge in the cable insulation covered by a stress cone, whereas the space charge was negligible in the region wrapped by the accessory-reinforced insulation as well as regions not in contact with the accessory. With increased aging time, the space charge density gradually increased, and the axial distribution gradually extended. A comparative experiment on cable insulation slices was carried out using silicone rubber and EVA SC material as the upper electrodes to determine the cause of the space charge accumulation. The results showed that a large quantity of heteropolar charges accumulated near the silicone rubber SC upper electrode, whereas the charges near the EVA SC electrode were negligible. It was concluded that due to the weak charge conducting ability of the silicone rubber SC material used as the electrode, space charges cannot escape from the stress cone and thus accumulate on the outside of the cable insulation at the stress cone position. This paper shows that the SC material used in cable accessories plays an important role in space charge accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The space charge features of cable insulation peelings are investigated under ac stress as a function of electrical aging imposed previously on cable sections. The investigated samples are 230-?m-thick peelings of crosslinked polyethylene cable insulation. The space charge profiles are resolved into 32 symmetric phase angles under 50 Hz ac stress. The space charge density in the phase angle of maximum applied field is the largest, as expected, but does not change visibly as a function of aging time. A method that involves averaging space charge in all phases is proposed. The all-phase averaged space charge, which appears in essence as stationary charge, exhibits an obvious increasing trend with stressing time. The aging characteristics of space charge formed under ac stress are investigated considering the all-phase averaged profiles, and the mechanical properties and degree of crosslinking are characterized as complementary methods. The change in the accumulation of space charge under ac stress follows opposite trends unlike the degree of crosslinking, which means that space charge under ac stress has a close relationship with defect concentration in cable insulation. This research contributes to the understanding of space charge features under ac conditions and the understanding of the ac aging principle of cable insulation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The organic electron flashing ratchet experiment describes the phenomenon in which an electric current can be detected, even in the absence of a net potential bias. To understand the experimental mechanism at the quantum level, we utilize the quantum nonadiabatic method to simulate the electron dynamics in an organic polymer chain with the flashing ratchet potential. It is found that electrons exhibit directional migration with a velocity, which depends on both the asymmetry and the flashing frequency of the ratchet potential. In addition, the flashing ratchet, which describes the non-uniform and time-varying electric field, increases the velocity by 58.6% compared to the uniform electric field. The flashing ratchet effect exists intrinsically in actual organic photovoltaics (OPVs), due to the naturally uneven and time-varying inherent electric field caused by various inevitable factors in bulk heterojunctions (BHJ). Moreover, the ratchet potential can be artificially constructed by designing the morphology of the BHJ, which opens a promising avenue for driving electrons to accelerate directional migration, and improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of OPVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pulsed electro-acoustic equipment system was devised to measure the space charge of a power cable under 50 Hz AC stress and a high temperature gradient by adopting a new phase-matching method. Space charge profiles were recorded on a 10 kV cable with cross-linked polyethylene insulation. The AC period was resolved in 32 phase angles, while the cable underwent electrical-thermal aging for 16 days. Two types of space charge were discovered, termed periodic charge and stationary charge according to whether they change with AC phases. The periodic charge was not determined to develop over time, while the stationary charge increased gradually as the cable aged. A method called the all-phase average was employed to clearly recognize the stationary charge. An interesting phenomenon was discovered upon attempting to regenerate space charge in the cable after the charge was eliminated. The stationary charge regeneration speed was found to depend strongly on temperature and electrical field. This paper provides a theoretical interpretation for the generation of periodic charge and stationary charge, as well as the dependence of charge regeneration on temperature and electrical field. A new model is raised to account for the generation of stationary charge, explaining how residual charge in one sine period undergoes different charge migration processes around a tip defect between negative and positive periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Palladium-MXenes Aerogel Decorated by Alkyne Functionalized Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) was firstly prepared for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution (HER). • The presence of alkyne-PVA can effectively reinforce the MXenes framework and prevent Pd migrating during the pyrolysis process, leading to the universal distribution of Pd NPs. • Pd NPs/Ti 3 C 2 T x @C exhibits excellent HER performance in acidic condition with a low overpotential of 44 mV at 10 mA cm-2, which is comparable to the commercial Pt/C catalyst. A novel alkyne functionalized polyvinyl alcohol (alkyne-PVA) encapsulated palladium-MXenes aerogel was fabricated in two steps, and the structure was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transition electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The as-prepared aerogel is regarded as an efficient electrocatalyst toward hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) after pyrolysis. Indeed, it shows a very efficient catalytic activity with a low overpotential of 44 mV (at 10 mA cm−2) for HER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel strategy is presented for hydrogen sensing. • The composite has an excellent hydrogen sensing performance. • Ti 3 C 2 T x based materials for hydrogen detection has been barely reported. Safety use of hydrogen leads to the development of highly sensitive materials for hydrogen sensing. Herein, Pd(II)@alkyne-PVA/ d -Ti 3 C 2 T x composite was prepared by spin-coating Pd(II)@alkyne-PVA solution onto the filter membrane supported with delaminated Ti 3 C 2 T x (d -Ti 3 C 2 T x). The properties of the composite were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results demonstrate that the composite shows high sensitivity and stability for hydrogen sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The bipolar charge transport and hydrodynamic drift-diffusion models were used. • The PD waveforms under the assessed conditions were unimodal. • Pressboard surface charge can form a shield layer that hinders streamer evolution. • The streamers have voltage-dependent shapes. • The time relationships between PD pulse and streamer evolution were found. A better understanding of the complicated characteristics and interrelationships between the charge distributions and partial discharge (PD) pulse waveforms occurring in oil-pressboard insulation can be used to characterise the PD mechanism as a basis for the optimisation of the insulation structure to minimise PD activity. These characteristics were studied by using a non-inductive resistor to measure the PD pulse waveforms produced in oil-pressboard insulation by a needle-plate at positive DC voltage and through additional simulations based on bipolar charge transport and hydrodynamic drift-diffusion models. It was found that the PD pulse waveforms are unimodal, and with increased applied voltage, their rising and falling edges and equivalent times decrease, and their apparent charge amplitudes and equivalent frequencies increase. These parameters have a saturation state at high voltages (>45 kV) and the oil streamers have voltage-dependent shapes and evolution velocities (v s); the higher the voltages, the higher the values of v s , and the wider are the streamer bodies. Accumulated charge can form a shield layer that hinders streamer evolution. Analysis of the PD mechanism in terms of the relationships between charge distribution and PD pulse waveform reveal that the rising and falling edges of a PD pulse correspond to streamer propagation in the oil gap and charge accumulation at the pressboard surface (i.e., the charging process in the pressboard), respectively. The peak value of the PD pulse waveform is shown to be related to the conduction current in the coupling loop as reflected by the current density at the streamer head. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • First, based on the general form of Maxwell's equations, the field source is transformed into an equivalent form with a constraint source, and a full-current PEEC model with a surface charge component element is established. • Second, a fast and accurate calculation of the inductance parameters of SCSR components involving multiple integrals is carried out using the geometric mean distance and complex component division. • Third, the equivalent structure and circuit equations for the SCSR internal windings are given, and the variation of winding resistance and inductance parameters with VFTO frequency is analyzed. Abstract Stepped Controlled Shunt Reactors (SCSRs) have advantages of flexible control and reliable compensation and are likely to become widely used in Ultra-High-Voltage/Extra-High-Voltage (UHV/EHV) transmission systems. Very fast transients that occur in such systems will generate a Very Fast Transient Overvoltage (VFTO) in the SCSR. This may cause damage to the SCSR and lead to system losses. In this paper, the electric field strength and magnetic induction intensity are taken as the basic physical variables when these transients occur. Maxwell's equations are used to separate the constraint sources, such as the conduction current, magnetization current, and polarization current, from the field source. Then, an all-current Partial Element Equivalent Circuit (PEEC) model for these component elements that considers the surface charge is established. Fast and accurate calculations of the inductance parameters, which involve multiple integrals, are performed using geometrical mean distances and a complex component segmentation method. The equivalent structures and circuit equations of the SCSR windings are presented, and the voltage distribution of the SCSR windings under VFTOs of different frequencies is obtained. The results show that, the voltage waveform in the SCSR windings more rapidly attenuates as the VFTO frequency increases. The peak value of the oscillating voltage in the high-voltage winding of the SCSR is higher than that in the low-voltage winding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a single-phase-to-ground fault occurs in a power system, a secondary arc will normally be generated at the fault position after the fault phase has been interrupted. A detailed investigation of multiple-reignition features of secondary arcs on extra-high-voltage/ultra-high-voltage transmission lines is, therefore, very important. In this paper, an experimental setup for generating a secondary arc across a transmission-line insulator string is presented, and both the discharge waveforms and images are synchronously recorded. According to the properties of the discharge waveforms, the discharge process is divided into two stages and each stage is analyzed. The evolution of the volt–ampere characteristic and the resistance–current curve of the secondary arc is found to exhibit hysteresis during the discharge process. Multiple-reignition images of the secondary arcs are converted into binary images using image threshold processing. The arc length and breakdown voltage are discussed in association with the discharge images. Morphological changes in the secondary arc during a single discharge process are analyzed in terms of self-magnetic compression theory, and the extinction mechanism of the arc discharge is discussed on the basis of two theoretical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The DC voltage related partial discharge (PD) classification in solid dielectrics under a uniform electric field has been studied, but it is more complicated in liquid-solid composite insulation under a highly non-uniform electric field. Therefore, PD pulse waveforms and PD channel shapes in oil-pressboard insulation were investigated by simulating a needle-plate model with a positive DC voltage via pulse current method. The elements of PD can be classified in order of ionizing intensity strength as corona, tree-like PD, single-streamer PD, or multi-streamer PD according to the discharge channel shape. The corona pulses are sharply oscillating, whereas the other types of PD can generate unimodal pulses with no over-zero oscillation. A finite element analysis reveals the PD types are related to the charge quantity at the oil-pressboard interface, which influences the streamer evolution by distorting the space electric field. This study uncovers the physical process during PD in oil-pressboard insulation and provides basis for explaining the PD mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the single-phase grounding fault is removed due to interruptions in circuit breakers, a secondary arc emerges and continues to burn, which weakens the continuity and stability of electrical power supplies. Therefore, analyses of the influencing factors of the arcing time are necessary to find suppression technologies for secondary arcs. Scatter plots of the arcing time as a function of the relevant parameters for each experiment are plotted to determine the distribution rule for the scattered points. In addition, the correlation coefficients between the arcing time and the relevant parameters are calculated through statistical correlation algorithm processing. Finally, multivariate fitting is performed between the arcing time and the relevant parameters, and a function is obtained from the fitting for testing. The results show that the arc length and secondary current are significantly positively correlated with the arcing time, while the maximum recovery voltage is significantly negatively correlated. However, the arc area and diameter have little correlation with the arcing time. The proposed method not only provides theoretical support and suppression measures for secondary arcs but can also be applied as an effective means to improve the continuity and security of electrical power supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The converter transformer is the most important piece of equipment in ultrahigh voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission systems. The rectifying valve side of the converter transformer is dealing with composite voltages, containing both ac and dc components. Therefore, the characteristics of the partial discharge (PD) in oil–paper insulation of such rectifying valves are different from those of rectifying valves subjected to pure ac or dc voltage. In this study, theories of hydrodynamic drift-diffusion and bipolar charge transfer were used to build the needle-plate electrode model with a paperboard depression, and experiments were used to verify the feasibility of the simulation method. The electric field and net charge distribution that can reflect the PD were analyzed. Besides, the effects of instantaneous voltage, the proportion of ac–dc components, and depression parameters on the development characteristics of PD were also discussed. Simulation results show that applied voltage, interface charge density, and model parameters can all affect the electric field strength, which in turn influences the development of PD in the depression. This research reveals the process and influencing factors of PD during the electrical aging process, which not only helps to optimize the oil–paper insulation at the rectifying valve side of the converter transformer but also provides a basis for further explaining the PD mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• According to the principle of series compensation and stepped controlled shunt reactors under a very fast transient overvoltage, a simplified model of an HRPC device is established. • Based on the generation mechanism of TGPR and the theory of transmission lines, the equivalent simulation circuit of GIS in a substation is designed under the occurrence of TGPR. • Simulation experiments comparing the characteristics of TGPR with and without HRPC are conducted to explore the factors that influence TGPR. • The TGPR phenomenon can be jointly affected by the height of the GIS enclosure, the inductance of the earth line, the number of grounding positions, the input capacitance of the SCSR, etc. The application of hybrid reactive power compensation (HRPC) in ultra-high-voltage substations has a nonnegligible impact on the characteristics of transient ground potential rise (TGPR) in the gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) enclosure. In this paper, according to the principle of series compensation and stepped controlled shunt reactors under a very fast transient overvoltage, a simplified model of an HRPC device is established. Based on the generation mechanism of TGPR and the theory of transmission lines, the equivalent simulation circuit of GIS in a substation is designed under the occurrence of TGPR. Simulation experiments comparing the characteristics of TGPR with and without HRPC are conducted to explore the factors that influence TGPR. This paper proposes specific methods of reducing TGPR, and provides a theoretical basis for the construction of GIS protection devices for ultra-high-voltage substations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]