A Method For The Stud,yOf The Non-linear Behaviour
Of
H.V. Stator "WindingInsulation
Cajetan Pinto
Lenzohm Elect. Engg. Co. P. Ltd.
B. S. Devshi Road, Deonar,
Bombay - 400 088, India.
Abstract : Measurements perjormed on stator winding
insulation indicate variations in capacitance and tan delta
values with voltage even in the absence of partial discharge
activity. One of the most obvious reasons for this variation is
the presence of the non-linear field stress grading system
employed at the slot en&. Other reasons znclude znterjaczal
and space charge polarizationphenomenan, due to a varzety of
reasons including contamination of the windings.
The paper discusses a generalized approach to study the
influence of non-hear behaviour on the variations of
capacitance and losses. A method is suggested to separate solid
and partial discharge losses m the presence of paraal
discharge activiQ. Case studies are employed to illustrate the
usefulness of measurements on the stator windings in service.
INTRODUCTION
Variations in capacitance and tan delta with voltage below
discharge onset are seldom considered during the assessment of
insulation condition of h v machines using tand delta tip up.
Tan delta and capacitance variations at lower voltages are often
ignored, as generally it is only the discharge related variations
that are considered to be significant. However, tan delta and
capacitance measured at low voltage is seen to be a h c t i o n of
the state of cure of the resin, the presence of moisture or
contamination in the windings, loss of contact of the coil outer
surface with the core due to erosion of the slot discharge
prevention coating, non-linear effects of slot end stress gradmg
systems, the influence of inter-winding capacitances and losses,
besides other factors. It is therefore important that the
mechanisms that bring about these losses be identified, as a first
step in correlating the measurements with the insulation
condition Some of the polarization mechanisms and
components in the insulation system, due to, or from which the
losses could originate or be influenced, include
(a) Polarization losses in the organic component, or the binding
resin in the insulation, in most cases, due to dipolar relaxation,
(b) Losses due to interfacial polarization that may be present in
the following situations the laminated, non-homogeneous
(mica-resin-glass) nature of the main insulation, voids or
delaminationsin interfacial situations with the main insulation, at
the interface of slot discharge preventive coatings and the main
slot insulation, (particularly if the former is damaged or presents
increased surface resistivities due to loss of contact with the
I593
Dr. A. D. Mokashi
V.J.T.I.
Matunga,
-
Bombay 400 019, India.
core), in the region of conductive mastic near the conductor in
single turn alternator bars, at the interface of contaminated
endwindings and the bulk endwinding insulation, at the interface
of semiconductive grading systems at the slot ends, and the bulk
endwinding insulation.
(c) Losses due to the reversal of accumulated space charges that
could be located in the volume of the insulation near the
conductor stack or within the main groundwall insulation
adjacent to the slot discharge preventive coating or even
perhaps within the stress grading system at the location of it's
overlap with the slot discharge preventive coating
One of the practical methods of analysing and identiflmg these
losses, is with their variation with voltage, reflected by
variations in the tan delta, and due to the charge accumulated at
interfaces or in volume situations, simultaneous variations in the
capacitance For example, the manifestation of a peak in the tan
delta variations with voltage, in the absence of partial
discharges, together with a simultaneous increase in the
capacitance, is believed to be brought about by interfacial
polarization A decrease of the measured capacitance with an
increase in voltage is also observed at times, and though such
phenomena are observed in a number of ferroelectric materials,
a detailed physical explanation for the same has not been offered
in the case of machine insulation systems However, looking at
the probfem mathematicallythe following comments are offered
From the various non-linear effects described earlier, it is quite
evident that the current flowing through the stator winding
insulation is not free of harmonics. As the voltage source used
during a x measurements possesses a finite source impedence,
the voltage source will also not be without harmonics. The
effect of harmonics in the voltage source is extremely important,
as it's effect on the variation of tan delta and capacitance
variations with voltage can be significant The error may be
positive or negative, because it determined not only by the ratio
of the amplitudes of the harmonics, but by their phase
relationships as well. [4]
It is therefore important to access both the voltage across the
winding capacitance and the current flowing through it, in order
to get an indication of the time varying impedance of the
insulation, and it's effect on the capacitance and tan delta
measured
The approach to the study of the stator winding insulation
systems presented here, is aimed not at replacing tan delta and
capacitance measurements, but at supplementingthem.
 GENERQLISED APPROACH

The variation of the capacitance with voltage in the absence of tangent. Also, the out of phase components of the current
partial discharges implies general non linear behaviour of the contribute to charge storage on the endwindings presenting an
insulation. The instantaneous variation of capacitance with time increased measured capacitance.
can therefore be written as an expansion of a fourier series thus,
The analysis presented here is aimed at determining the loss
m contributions and capacitance increase due to the use of the
c(t) = a, + c
n= 1
{ a&os(nwt) + bn Sin(nwt)] (1)
stress grading system. In measurements that are performed on
single coils in the laboratory, these losses can be separated by
guarding out regions of the coil beyond the slot. However, this
is not practical on complete stator windings and the losses will
The current harmonics generated on the application of a
essentially have to be separated by measurements and analysis.
sinusoidal voltage wave is therefore given by,
The characteristic of the ideal non-linear grading as described by
Kelen [l], is one in which the material is an insulator upto a
i = C(t) + V(t) dC
dt dt threshold stress Eo, but above this value the material conducts
and has an effective dynamic resistance of zero.
The solution for the fundamental component il of the
quadrature component of the current yidds, The variation of capacitance with time per half cycle due to the
flow of charge onto the stress grading system is given as [Z]
il=oVo(a,- 32) AC(t) = d Q = C. (Vo-
2
dV 2E0
and of the real component yields,

i', = - avoh2 (4)

= cv,(1 - Coswt) 0 < ot < 1800
2 2EO
2z/m
where %= CO+ (a/%)
0
s C(t).dt (5)
and ao(l
+Cosat)
2E0
1800< ot <3600 (1 1)

where V, Comt is the applied voltage and C is the capacitance

&/a per unit length of the coil.
a;! = w/z C(t).CoQwt.dt
0
VARIATION OF AC WITH TIME FOR
IDEAL Sic STRESS GRADING SYSTEMS

b2 = s
2nlw
o/z C(t).Sin2ot.dt
0
(7)

The change in the capacitance is given by

A C = a,- -g2 - C O
2

and the ratio of the change of the loss component to the change
of capacitance 25 30 35 40 45
milliseconds
A(C tan d)/AC = - bd2 (9)
(ao - CO- a$2)
Fig. 1

Using expressions (5), (6), and (7),

NON-LINEAR STRESS GRADING SYSTEM ANALYSIS

The field stress at the slot ends is generally controlled with the
use of a stress grading system that comprises a coating o f
Silicon Carbide (Sic), a semiconductive material with a highly
non-linear resistivity. As the currents from the endwinding a2 = 0
regions flow to the ground regions of the coil through the stress
grading system, the in-phase component of the current
increases, thereby presenting increased values of measured loss

594
AC= CV, that have been assumed to be non-conducting in the theoretical
2E0 analysis [l]. The presence of odd harmonics in the current
flowing through the stress grading system, due to the finite non-
A(CtanQ)= & = m0 linear resistivity [5], also contributes to the modification of the
2 3nE0 shape of the capacitance variation curve.

A (C tan Q)lAC= - b-12 = -4 (17)

(a0 - CO - a 2 4 371: GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

Analyses performed in [l] and [2] have arrived at an identical
result as in (16) during the course of calculations for the energy
expended in a Silicon Carbide stress grading coating applied to
a coil. The analysis shown above, additionally provides an
expression for the variation of capacitance.
EXPERIMENTAL
1) Waveforms of capacitance variation with time were analysed
for newly manufactured stator windings as well as for clean
stator windings that have not been in operation for more than
two years. The phase ratios obtained varied from 0.35 to 0.5.
An example of the capacitance variation waveform and its
harmonic analysis are shown in fig-3, where measurements were
performed on a 21kV, 500MW alternator stator winding. The
Phase Ratio calculated was 0.37 at 6kV.

A verification of the above was attempted, by accessing the AC SIGNAL FOR A 500 MW STATOR WINDING
voltage across and the current flowing through a newly ATBKV
manufactured 6.6 kV coil, presuming that the non-linear Phase Ratio = 0 37
40 250
behaviour was mainly influenced by the stress grading system.
B
The current signal was then integrated using a software package
h

3 20 200 %
if?
to obtain the waveform of the stored charge. The change of
capacitance variation with time was calculated by computing at B 150 3
3 0 3
all instants of time, the ratio of the change of stored charge to loo w
W

the change of voltage. 3 0

:
W

-20 50
3
8
n C SIGNAL FOR A NEWLY MANUFACTURED COIL
AT2KV >
-40 0
Phase Ratio = 0.45 25 30 35 40 45
rmllisewnds
30
h 200 Fig. 3
20 i2
150 3 2) Measurements and analysis were performed on coils that
B lo 3
W were artificially contaminated in the endwinding regions.
3 0 100 w Computed values of the phase ratio were observed to be less
3 0
-10
aU -20 50 59 than 0.2. In all cases of endwinding contamination as well as
with clean, dry coils, the phase ratio was seen to decrease with
an increase in the test voltage. Measurements were performed
-30 4 with guards at the slot ends and the phase ratio computed was
80 85 90 95 100
generally seen to be around 0.3 with very little variation
milliseconds
observed on increasing the voltage.
Fig. 2
Measurements were also performed in cases of stator windings
The resultant waveform has been presented in fig. 2 for a newly with known cases of endwinding contamination. The phase ratio
manufactured 6.6 kV coil. The capacitance variation with time calculated was generally seen to be 0.2, with phase ratios
was then transformed to the frequency domain. The ratio of the decreasing with an increase in the test voltage.
variation of the loss component i.e. A (C tan Q ), to the
quadrature component i.e. A C, hereafter referred to as the 3) Variations of bz with voltage are related to the variations in
Phase Ratio, was evaluated. For two new coils the values the loss component or A(C Tan 6). While variations in the
obtained were 0.49 and 0.45 at 2 kV, which were seen to be capacitance and tan delta below the inception of partial
very close to the theoretically calculated value of 0.425. At discharges could help characterize the solid losses below
higher voltages, the Phase Ratio was seen to decrease, i.e. to discharge inception, A(C Tan 6) values due to solid losses have
around 0.36 at 4 kV.,and 0.3 at 6.6 kV.The deviation &om the to be extrapolated above discharge inception Computation of ba
theoretically calculated value, could be explained by the above discharge onset, and relating values of bz below discharge
non-ideal nature of the Silicon Carbide stress grading system, onset with capacitance and tan delta variations, could provide
which due to its finite resistivity causes additional surface useful information on the variation of solid losses in the
charge to be diffused onto regions of the stress grading system presence of partial discharges, as well as, possibly a method for

!595
separating out the loses due to partial discharges from the 5) Attempts were made to analyse the ratios of various
overall losses. frequency components in the capacitance variation signal (see
fig-5), particularly in the case of contaminated endwindings, by
4 400 boking at the ratio of even and odd harmonics There emerged
a general trend of increasing even to odd harmonic ratios, with
n3.6 376
voltage increase, except in the case of carbonized endwindings
Y where at times the even to odd harmonic ratios decreased with
k
.3

increase of voltage It is likely that the increase in the odd

i3.2 352 e harmonics are brought about by non-linear resistive losses
’
+

3 2.8 328
!i
&
v
However a larger amount of data is required to be analysed to
determine the sigdicance of the relationship of the magnitudes
of the odd and even harmonics, which could prove useh1 in
N
P Q
I 2.4 304 providing information on the nature of the contaminant.

2 280
2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 CONCLUSIVE REMARKS
kV
Fig. 4
For example capacitance and tan delta measurements were
performed on a coil that was contaminated with 03, carbon and
moisture in the endwinding region, and particularly at the slot
ends. The discharge onset voltage was noted to be 4 kV, and at
5 kV discharge activity was clearly audible. C-Tan delta
product, that normally represents loss variations, did not show
any significant variation above discharge onset (see fig-4)
However, computation of bz, revealed a distinct reduction of the
solid loss above discharge onset, probably due to interfacial
effects at the slot ends due to the non linear resistivity of the
contaminant. The losses due to partial discharge activity could
therefore be separated from the overall losses. The drastic
increase of partial discharge losses above 4kV was seen to
correlatewell with the excessive discharge activity observed
4) Measurements were petformed on coils, in a manner that
additional losses due to the outer graphitized conductive sheath
that generally comes in contact with the stator, are included
The calculated phase ratios showed an increase with voltage,
starting at around 0 2 at 2 kV and goin8 upto around 0.35 at 6.6
kV.Measurements performed on stator windings with known
problems of increased coil side clearancesiloose wedgedslot
discharge problems also revealed inoreasing vatues of the phase
ratio, with initial low voltage values at times being negative
HARMONICS JN THE C SIGNAL
a3 1
a [2]
0
5 06
; O4
While recognising the complex, non linear behaviour of the
insulation systems of stator windings, a method has been
proposed to study the variation of the capacitance change with
time as well it’s influence on loss changes with voltage, in a
manner that accounts for harmonics in both the voltage and the
current signals.
The method was applied to non linear stress grading systems
normally used at the slot ends The predominance of even
harmonics and computations of the “phase ratio” in the
examples studied correlated well with the theoretical analysis
The analysis used could possibly help differentiate whether
predominant non-linear behaviour is due to slot related effects
or endwinding effects It has been demonstrated that solid losses
due to non-linear effects could be separated from the overall
losses due to capacitance and tan delta variations, above
discharge inception It is also likely that information on the
nature of endwinding contaminants could be gathered using a
ratio analysis of even and odd harmonics. Research work at
present is being directed at processing the current and voltage
waveforms in real time, while accumulating and analysing
additional field data
REFERENCES
[I] KTMURA K., TSUKWl M., TANI T. and HIRGBAYASHI
S., “Suppression of Local Heating on a Silicon Carbide Layer by
means of Divided Potentials”, IEEE Trans. Elect. Insul. Vol.-E1
- 19 NO.4, August 1984. pp 294-302.
ROBERTS A., “The Calculation of the Increase in
Measured Integrated Energy and Loss Tangent Slope Values
Arising fkom the use of Non-Linear Stress Grading Materials on
the Coils of High Voltage Rotating A.€. Machines”, DMMA
C o d Proceedings, 1984, IEE Pub. No. 234, pp 263-266

-8 [3] KELEN A., “On the Theory of Non-Linear Resistive Field-

-E? 0 2 Grading Coatings on Insulating Surfaces”, Electrik, pp. 109-
122,1967.
iT1
2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 910111213141516
[4] KELEN A., “Critical Examination of the Dissipation Factor
Harmonic Number
Tip-Up as a Measure of Partial Discharge Activity”, IEEE
Trans. Elect Insul ,Vol EI-13, No 1, 1978, pp. 14
Fig. 5
596
[ 5 ] WOOD J., HINDMARCH R., HOGG W., “The use of
loaded resins for controlling the electric stress in turbogenerator
insulation”, DMMA Cod, Proceedings, 1979, IEE Pub. No.
177, pp.144.

5!97