Simulation and testing of partial discharges in epoxy resin samples

The objective of this research lies in the creation of epoxy resin test specimens for the simulation of internal partial discharges. The first two introductory chapters address the insulating materials currently used in various electrical assets and the theory of partial discharges for predictive maintenance (what are PDs, what influences them, and how they are measured). The central part of the treatise focuses on the different methods developed for creating specimens with various geometries aimed at simulating internal partial discharges when subjected to voltages in the range of 5-20 kV. Specifically, for each specimen, the manufacturing methodology is described, along with the results obtained following testing in an HVAC cell. After the testing phase, some specimens were discarded, while others were further developed until the desired results were achieved. The final chapter shows two simulations of additional geometries which, due to time constraints, were designed through 3D CAD but not realized in epoxy resin. The simulations are carried out using a finite difference software to calculate the electrical field inside the void at given potentials.