Voltage Endurance Tests of Insulating Materials Under Corona Conditions

A systematic study shows how the failure times of insulating materials exposed to corona discharges are influenced by various factors, including conductor edge surface discharge conditions, test frequency, void depth, humidity, temperature, material thickness, and average electric stress. Accelerated higher frequency tests permit testing at low-voltage stresses used continuously in applications. These yield results equivalent to 60-cps (cycles per second) tests, in cycles to failure, if both tests are run at low humidity with limited dielectric heating.