Insulating material tests

Salt fog chamber

Weather ageing tests

Implementation of weather aging test
Implementation of weather aging test

In order to perform long-term tests on insulators or arresters the High-Voltage Laboratories feature two salt fog chambers up to 100 kV AC. These provide the opportunities to undergo weather aging tests for insulators and surge arresters.

Salt fog chamber with 58 m³ and 0…130 kV AC.

The salt fog chambers offer the following opportunities:

  • 1000 h – tests
  • Monitoring of max. 6 channels
  • Volume between 14,8 m³ und 58 m³
  • 0…100 kV AC

Inclined Plane Test

Fixed and Step voltage for the investigation of creepage distances according to IEC 60587, VDE 0303 T.10 and ASTM 2303-97

Parallel testing of up to five specimen

Modified Rotating Wheel Test

For execution of accelerated surface aeging of insulating materials e.g. as per IEEE Std C62.11.

0…100 kV AC

Other dielectric tests

Determination of breakdown strength

Determination of breakdown strength of solid insulating materials according to IEC 60243-1, IEC 60243-2 and IEC 60243-3 with voltages up to 100 kV (AC, DC, Impuls). Additionally, it is possible to use different electrode configurations that are mentioned in IEC 60243.

In addition to solid insulating materials, liquids can also be tested in accordance with IEC 60156.

Determination of surface and volume resistivity

The volume resistivity of solid materials can be measured with accordance to IEC 62631 for values up to 1E18 Ohm*cm. For this purpose a High resistance Electrometer from Keysight (B2985A) is used to detect currents down to 1 fA. For semi condtive rubbers it is possible to measure in accordance with ISO 1853. All measuremnts can be carried out at different temperatures and humidities in a climatic chamber.

Determination of permittivity and dielectric loss factor

In accordance with DIN VDE 0303-4 for a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz for different temperatures up to 200 °C.

The dielectric properties of liquid and solid insulating materials can be analyzed by means of a Spectano 100 material analyzer in a frequency range from 5µHz to 5 kHz by PDC (Polarization current method) and FDS (Frequency domain spectroscopy).

Aging devices

Aging of different materials in heating chambers (BINDER FED 115) with temperatures up to 200 °C with or without voltage stress up to 10 kV.