Assessing the risk of failure due to particle contamination of GIS using the UHF technique

The ultra high frequency (UHF) technique has been used to study the partial discharges produced by free conducting particles in gas insulated substations (GIS) with a view to predicting the probability of particle-triggered breakdown. Statistical techniques have been developed to describe the motion of a single particle. It is possible to identify whether the particle is capable of crossing to the busbar, which is a necessary condition for particle-triggered breakdown. In addition, the technique can be used to assess the size of the particle, which is useful for making a qualitative assessment of the breakdown risk. The implications for the continuous discharge monitoring of GIS are discussed