Enhancement of electrical insulation performance in power equipment based on dielectric material techniques

Research and development results of enhancement techniques of electrical insulation performance for higher electric field application in power transmission/substation equipment such as transformers, switchgears and cables are described, especially based on the view point of dielectric materials. Firstly, the electric field analysis and field measurement techniques are introduced to discuss higher electric field equipment. Secondly, material techniques including gas, liquid, solid, vacuum and their composite systems, are discussed to clarify power equipment, with higher performance, lower losses, lower environmental impact and higher reliability. In the process of the development, a highly sophisticated new approach to clarify the physical mechanisms of the partial discharges was developed and applied. By the introduction and applications of the above mentioned new electrical insulation techniques based on dielectric materials, concepts of future power equipment with a higher electric field are proposed.