Partial discharge detection on power equipment using a magneto-resistive sensor

Partial discharges (PD) detection is an effective diagnostic method to assess the insulation condition of electrical power equipment in the high-voltage laboratory or field tests. This paper presents a non-contacting PD detection method for power equipment. The method is based on an extra high-sensitivity adapted giant magneto-resistive (xMR) sensor that measures the magnetic field produced by the PD currents. Firstly, this paper describes the sensor’s relevant principle and signal conditioning circuit. Next, the sensor’s typical performance, including the frequency response and time-domain response to calibrator PD pulses, is measured and compared with our previous work. The results indicate that the xMR system’s bandwidth is improved to the MHz range. Finally, PD experiments are carried out and compared with measurements using a commercially available high-frequency current transformer (HFCT), which allows for verification of the coherence of the results concerning the PD pulses and phase-resolved PD (PRPD) patterns. The results show that PD in a cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cable or a gas-insulated system (GIS) with artificial discharging defects is successfully measured, demonstrating the sensitivity and performance of the xMR system for PD detection.