b'Partner News Winter 2021 25Enterpriseacross the energy industry including generation, utilities and heavy industries.The University of Manchester has recognised expertise in high voltage engineering and state-of-the-art facilities for insulation degradation testing in multi-stress analyses (temperature, humidity and pressure). It is home to the National Grid Power Systems Research Centre, and the largest high voltage research laboratory in the UK. It has facilities that can test up to 600 kV DC, 800 kV AC, and 2 MV impulse.The project aim is to explore the practical aspects of partial discharge-based condition monitoring in a controlled environment. Partial discharge can occur in gas insulated equipment due to various defects such as protrusions on high voltage conductors, floating metallic particles or poor high voltage contacts. The test and future plansTesting has been carried out at The University of Manchester High Voltage Laboratory on a full-scale gas insulated Investigating Conditiondemonstrator rated up to 550 kV with and without defects. The demonstrator has been energised and monitored continuously to evaluate partial discharge trends as they Monitoring of SF6develop into insulation breakdown. Using a combination of internal sensors and recently developed externally mounted sensors, Alternatives in thethe electromagnetic radiation generated from partial discharge activity due to the defects has been monitored in the ultra-high frequency spectrum using the HVPD Power Industry Kronos monitoring system. Further plans are to evaluate insulation performance of representative defects over a longer timescale using the full-scale demonstrator and a dissemination webinar SF6 has been widely used in gas insulatedHVPD and the University of Manchesterwhich will be held at the end of the project. switchgear across the electricity networks.have embarked on a six-month projectFor more information on theIn the UK, it is estimated that the SF6- to investigate condition monitoringproject please contact us at the filled gas-insulated substations in bothtechniques for gas-insulated switchgearfollowing email addresses:transmission and distribution networksthat use alternatives with significantly lowermalcolm.seltzer-grant@hvpd.co.ukconsists of approximately 1,500 t of SF6. environmental impact than SF6. The projectlujia.chen@manchester.ac.uk has received funding from the EngineeringOr visit hvpd.co.uk/There is a strong drive for alternatives thatand Physical Sciences Research Councilietpartnernewswinter21possess significantly lower global warming(EPSRC).potential, and several candidate gases are now being evaluated. DevelopmentHVPD provide test services and of a suitable condition monitoring systemmanufacture condition monitoring tailored for new SF6 alternatives will helpequipment for detection of partial discharge to promote the adoption of environmentallyinsulation degradation in high voltage friendly insulating gases, which willequipment that is in service. Based in accelerate the phase-out of a potentManchester with offices in UAE, China, greenhouse gas in SF6. Australia and USA, HVPD service customers'