Influence of bulk dielectric polarization upon partial discharge transients: effect of void geometry and orientation

The induced charge arising from a partial discharge consists of 2 components. One is associated with the actual space charge in the void. The other is related to changes in the polarization of the bulk dielectric. These changes are a direct consequence of the field produced by the space charge. The influence of the void geometry upon the polarization component of the induced charge is examined for a heterogeneous bulk dielectric system. It is demonstrated that, depending on the ratio of the dielectric permittivities and within which dielectric the void is located, the relative magnitude of this component may increase or decrease. The magnitude of this effect is also strongly dependent upon the prolateness/oblateness of the void geometry, and on the orientation of the void with respect to the detecting electrode.