Research infrastructure

High Voltage Laboratory

Tampere University

Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences

Electrical Engineering

Hervanta Campus

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https://www.tuni.fi/en/research/high-voltage-engineering

High Voltage Laboratory of Tampere University is the only notable independent HV laboratory in Finland offering services for both academia and industry. It is located in the Hervanta Campus of TAU. Wide range of high quality testing and diagnostics facilities enables not only electrical but also various environmental tests as well as comprehensive dielectric characterization and visualization capabilities.

Examples of the possibilities:

High voltage tests at different voltage forms (AC, DC, impulses, composite waveshapes)
Climatic testing even for very large components
Diagnostic measurements for e.g. Smart Grid power network components, insulation systems or material samples
High voltage measurements & metrology
Comprehensive state-of-the-art characterization facilities for dielectric materials and insulation systems (Special expertise & facilities for thin film insulation systems)
- Permittivity and dielectric losses
- Conductivity & resistivity
- Charging & trapping properties
- Accurate breakdown strength statistics determinations
- Ageing & long-term performance of dielectric systems
- Partial discharge diagnostics

Main high voltage testing facilities:

Large test hall approx. 10*12*9(h) m with climate room ~100 m³, DC test room, dielectric characterization laboratory, ageing test room

Figure 2 TAU High Voltage test hall — Main test hall of TAU High Voltage laboratory.

AC test systems
- Hipotronics AC test system with 50 kV, 150 kV and 300 kV test transformers
- 36 kV 3-phase test transformer
- Cable test terminations, compressed gas capacitor 300 kV
- 3000 Acont. high current transformer e.g. for heating purposes
Impulse test system
- Haefely SGSA Impulse generator, 1000 kV / 50 kJ
  Lightning and switching impulses, + modified waveforms (e.g. composite waveforms)
DC test systems & power sources
- Various power sources and test apparatus in the range of 5 kV – 150 kV, e.g. Heinzinger PNC 100 kV, Spellman SL130, set of Keithley 2290 series very low ripple DC sources

Figure 3 Impulse generator and impulse testing of air core reactor — Impulse generator and impulse testing of an air core reactor.

Figure 4 High Voltage testing of 123 kV bushing — High Voltage testing and tan d measurement for 123 kV bushing.

Partial Discharge (PD) measurement capabilities
- Omicron MPD800 PD measuring and analyzing system
  - Wide range of analysis possibilities for both AC and DC
  - 100 kV and 300 kV coupling capacitors
  - Back-ground noise level of the laboratory even below 0.1 pC (dependent on device under test)
- Power Diagnostix ICM System high-end PD detector and analysis system
  - Features include PRPDA analysis, time-based analysis, RIV measurements, cable fault location,
    3 fully independent channels
  - 100 kV and 300 kV coupling capacitors
  - Back-ground noise level of the laboratory down to 0.2 pC (dependent on device under test)
- Electro Magnetic Radiation based PD measuring system
- SDT 170 ultrasonic receiver
  - detection & location of external discharges
- On-site PD measuring systems developed at TAU for e.g. field measurements at substations
Dielectric analysis, leakage current diagnostics, loss angle (tand) measurements etc.
- e.g. dielectric analysis (permittivity/dielectric losses) of full insulation systems of e.g. power transformers or cables in laboratory or at field
  - IDA200 dielectric analyser with high voltage unit enabling e.g. water tree detection of power cables (max ±30 kVpeak)
Wide range of high-end general purpose measuring apparatus (e.g. oscilloscopes, HV probes, electrometers, DMMs, dielectric/thermal imaging devices etc.)

Main environmental test facilities:

Large climate room (flyer below)
- ~4.6 m*4.2 m*5.0 m(h)
- -65 C - +70 C, adjustable humidity, artificial rain, icing etc.
- High voltage bushing enabling HV testing inside (~170 kVAC, BIL 550 kV)
  - e.g. high/low temperature HV testing, HV tests at rain or salty rain, ice breaking tests
Small temperature chambers/ovens
- Vacuum oven (20 litres, max +200 C)
- High temperature oven (~25 litres, max 1100 C)
- temperature / ageing chambers
  - Temperature chamber ~100 litres / -40 - +90 C
  - Ageing chambers with HV bushings ( 125 l and ~200 l, max +150 C)

Large climate room flyer

Electric power networks are currently facing big challenges with the development of modern “Smart Grids” for power transmission and distribution. Smarter power grids are needed e.g. for integration of various sustainable, typically largely distributed power generation into power networks. New technologies are needed for enabling an increased level of diagnostics of HV components. Also, efficient transmission and distribution of the heavily increasing need of electrical energy requires higher voltage levels and more DC technology, both of these requiring improved insulation systems and accurate high voltage measuring systems.

TAUs research on the area of High Voltage engineering raises from the above situation. The main current research areas cover development of:

Next generation insulation systems for HVDC use (GRIDABLE, NEWGEN)
Improved high voltage metrology for the needs of future high voltage transmission and testing (HV-comm2, Future Energy)

Examples of larger research projects carried out at the High Voltage laboratory are given above (in parenthesis). In addition to the listed European Union funded projects, various industry financed projects are typically carried out.

High Voltage Engineering Research Group

NEWGEN project