About the validity of lifetime models of polymers under electrical discharge in aeronautical environment

Abstract

Recent aircraft designs increasingly use electrical systems with higher voltages. This can lead to the occurrence of partial discharges. Tests for these phenomena are relatively poorly documented in comparison with other standardized tests available for aerospace components. After having investigated the effect of temperature, pressure, and moisture on the behaviour of the energy dissipated by the discharges and on polyimide film endurance during ageing under partial discharge. A complementary study is presented in this article where the applicability of the lifetime models presented in the literature in the case of an aging under electrical discharge in aeronautical environment is analysed and discussed. It has been demonstrated that one of these models can be used for the deduction of the lifetime of the polyimide aged under partial discharge in a combined variation of temperature and pressure.