Research and Simulation of Partial Discharge Phenomenon Sensing Technology for Substation Inspection Robots

Abstract

This paper thoroughly investigates the phenomenon of partial discharge in substations and proposes a set of simulation experimental apparatus to replicate various types of partial discharge defects in switchgear. By modifying the switchgear, incorporating models for different types of partial discharge, and equipping various standard partial discharge sensors, accurate simulations of phenomena such as point discharge, suspended discharge, gap discharge, and particle discharge are achieved. Through this system, the effectiveness of different detection methods, such as ultrasonic, high-frequency, and transient voltage methods, is validated for various defect models. Furthermore, utilizing an indoor inspection robot guide rail, the paper simulates the environment of partial discharge in substations, enabling the validation of the robot’s partial discharge detection performance and typical patterns under different conditions. This work is dedicated to providing situational awareness technology for partial discharge phenomenon detection for substation inspection robots, so that the inspection robot can detect various abnormal partial discharge phenomena in transformers or other substation equipment through micro sensors to promote the stable operation of the substation.