Increasing the permittivity of the propagation medium inside a hollow tube lowers its cut-off frequency, allowing it to transmit a wider range of signal frequencies. This principle is applied to the design of dielectric windows that can be used to facilitate partial discharge (PD) detection at ultra high frequency (UHF) in a HV metalclad plant such as gas-insulated substation (GIS), power transformers and circuit breakers. External UHF couplers mounted on such windows can be removed or replaced without compromising the integrity of the insulation system. By increasing the signal power level incident on a window-mounted external UHF coupler, higher sensitivity to PD can be achieved. The problem is analyzed using waveguide theory and, using GIS as an example, improvements of andap;6 dB are demonstrated by means of coupler sensitivity measurements and experiments using PD sources

A defect such as a free metallic particle or stress-raising edge on an electrode could lead to breakdown in a gas insulated substation (GIs), but may be detected by the partial discharges it generates. Of the various detection means available, most success has been achieved with either acoustic transducers to detect sound waves from the discharge, or electrical couplers to pick up the ultra-high-frequency (UHF) signals generated inside the GIS chambers. All new GIs in the UK are fitted with internal couplers for UHF monitoring, and two examples of continuous monitoring schemes on 400 kV GIS at nuclear power stations are described. Further developments, which are already well advanced, include specifying and measuring the coupler characteristics, making use of expert systems to interpret the UHF discharge data, and extending the monitoring system to include the performance of circuit breakers and other equipment.

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The paper, prepared by CIGRE WG D1.03 (TF 09), presents the guidelines for risk assessment procedure on defects in GIS based on PD diagnostics. The procedure, described in detail in CIGRE Technical Brochure 525, starts with sensitive PD measurement to detect the critical defects and follows with identification of the type of the defect and its location inside the GIS. This information taken together with other essential data from laboratory measurements, manufacturer's experience, design aspects and trend analysis of the PD activity, are the base for the estimation of the criticality of the defects. Finally, the risk assessment is performed based on the estimated dielectric failure probability and failure consequences that can be different in case of on-site testing or in service activity.Index Terms -Gas insulated substation, defects, partial discharge measurements, diagnostics and risk assessment.

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