Recognition of PD patterns in generators

This paper discusses the results of an on-going project on the application of artificial intelligence techniques for recognition of partial discharge (PD) patterns from hydrogenerators. The main purpose of the project is to classify data according to the origin of a PD source and create an early warning system for stator winding insulation. More than nine hundreds PD patterns recorded during last two years on more than thirty generators were analysed. The patterns in the form of the maximum and mean pulse height and pulse count discharge distributions were described by statistical parameters such as the skewness, kurtosis, etc., and stored in a data base as a fingerprint. Classification of unknown discharge patterns was carried out by statistical pattern recognition techniques. The results indicate that satisfactory classifications took place