Assessment of Insulation Deterioration in Stator Windings of High Voltage Motor

Abstract

-To assess the insulation deterioration of stator windings, diagnostic and AC breakdown tests were performed on the eleven high voltage (HV) motors rated at 6kV. After completing the diagnostic tests, the AC overvoltage test was performed by gradually increasing the voltage applied to the stator windings until electrical insulation failure occurred, to obtain the breakdown voltage. Stator winding of motors 1, 3, and 8 failed at above rated voltage at 14 kV, 13.8kV, and 16.4kV, respectively. The breakdown voltage of three motors was higher than expected for good quality windings in 6kV motors. Based on deterioration evaluation criteria, the stator winding insulation of eleven HV motors are confirmed to be in good condition. The turning point of the current, Pi2, in the AC current vs. voltage characteristics occurred between 5kV and 6kV, and the breakdown voltage was low between 13.8kV and 16.4kV. There was a strong correlation between the breakdown voltage and various electrical characteristics in diagnostic tests including Pi2.