3-DSimulation andModelling ofAcoustic Signals fromPartial Discharge Activity

Thispaperpresents a3-Dsimulation study ofthebasicpropagation ofpartial discharge (PD) Acoustic emission (AE)signals fromstructures akinto highvoltage equipment suchasswitchgear. Partial differential equations (PDE)describing thesignals have beendeveloped andsolvedusingFinite Element Analysis (FEA)rather thanFinite Difference Time Domain(FDTD)whichhasbeenusedbydifferent authors. Thestudydescribed inthispaperhelps to investigate thepropagation behaviour oftheAE waves attheinterface oftwodifferent medianamely oiland steel. Reflection, refraction andscattering ofthePD shock wavesaresimulated anddisplayed in3-Dmodel. Theresults showthat thesignals canalter significantly based onthelocation ofthePD andalso theproperties oftheoilandsteel, particularly temperature. Thisisa newresult andparticularly important inrelation tothe interpretation and understanding of practically measured AE PD signals. Theworkpresented herewill therefore assist in PD diagnosis and aidin understanding better theproperties andcharacteristic of acoustic PDactivity. IndexTerms-- Acoustic emission, Finite Element Analysis Method, Modelling Partial Discharges, Partial differential equations, Switchgear.