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What is Corona?
Corona discharge is a luminous partial discharge from conductors and insulators due to ionization of the air, where the electrical field exceeds a critical value. A high local electric field ionizes the air and causes a discharge. This process is accompanied by excitation of Nitrogen molecules, leading to emission of UV radiation. Buildup of ionization occurs only if electron is going fast enough, i.e. if electric field exceeds a critical value.

Thus a problem or defect in a component creating a local high electric field will show corona activity. Some molecules are not ionized but excited emitting photons on relaxation. Corona Creates Corrosive Materials: Ozone, Nitrogen oxides which in presence of water vapor yield Nitric acid. Utilities are typically made aware of corona by complaints of faulty radio or television signals. Because corona are invisible in daylight with the naked eye, maintenance crews will investigate by aiming devices such a corona camera or radio antenna at suspected areas, and track corona. Corona has the following damaging and environmental disturbing effects:

Generation of corrosive materials, like ozone and nitrogen oxides that yields nitric acid under conditions of high humidity. These corrosive materials shorten the life span of high voltage lines and substations components. Corona causes damage to HV insulators, especially non-ceramic ( NCI) insulators. Radio interference (RI/ RFI) mainly to AM transmissions. Audio noise. Radio interference and audio noise may raise customer complaints.

Corona generates only little heat and therefore is not detected with thermovision cameras. Corona Light Emission The corona discharge emits radiation in the 240nm-405nm spectral range, mostly in the ultraviolet (UV) and therefore is invisible to the human eye, though relatively weak emission at about 400 nm might be observed at night under conditions of absolute darkness. The corona emission in the 240nm-405nm spectral range can not be detected during daytime due to the highly disturbing background of the solar radiation. The DayCor corona camera is a bi-spectral Solar Blind UV-Visible imager, designed to detect these very faint UV emissions in the solar blind UV band, with high signal to background ratio.

What is Partial Discharge? Partial discharge is an electrical discharge that does not bridge the entire space between the two electrodes.

Corona is a concern because...

The issue of corona is mainly a maintenance issue. The reasons to locate corona:

Corona causes damage to insulators, especially to polymer insulators Corona generates corrosive materials (ozone and nitric acid under conditions of high humidity) that shorten the life span of various components of lines and substations Corona, if not always a problem by itself, is often an indicator of a fault Corona generates audio noise and radio interference (RI) leading to complaints by people living near the lines. These complaints must be handled by the utility even if the corona is not a problem to the utility On new installations, like new lines and new substations, corona may indicate faulty installation Corona is an indication of contamination, like salt, on insulators. In some cases it can indicate imminent tripping After washing of a line or substation the level of corona is an indicator of the effectiveness of the washing procedure

The level of corona discharge may change from time to time according to humidity (increasing at higher humidity) and air temperature. However, corona problems are not problems that sort themselves out on their own. They always become worse with time. The first step to care about corona is to locate it and this is done with minimum effort and cost by making a UV inspection by using a corona camera. When exposed to a high humidity environment, salt polluted insulators develop a conductive layer, which reduces the insulating properties of the insulator. In extreme cases flash over will occur when the insulator can no longer cope with the voltage of the line. In most cases these line tripping will occur before dawn or early in the morning when humidity is at its peak value. As a preventive step utilities wash the lines, usually with water. Inspection for corona can tell if the washing was effective. EPRI developed Guides for Corona and Arcing on Overhead Transmission Lines and in substations. The guides mention conditions of porcelain insulators, polymer insulators and conductors that will generate corona.

IR and UV - complementary inspection technologies

InfraRed
T - Hot Spots Not Corona!(Internal Phenomenon) Current Dependent (Heavy Line Loading) Solar Radiation and Hot environment set a problem Detection Usually at Progressive Stage of Degradation

UltraViolet Detects Corona, Partial Discharge & Arcing(External Phenomenon) Voltage Dependent Only (No Line Loading) All Lighting & Weather Conditions (humidity is an advantage) Detection at Earlier of Degradation (i.e. Commissioning)

No corona ring - no hot spot

No corona ring - corona observed

No corona ring - no hot spot

No corona ring - corona observed

Here are some facts...

Infra Red (IR) thermography detects hot spots and indicates temperature difference The IR technology does not locate corona Some severe corona and arcing activity cases in transmission may generate enough heat so it can be located with IR equipment but these may be revealed in advanced stages of degradation where corrective action may be too late In distribution usually heavy line loading is requested which makes it inconvenient and sometimes even impractical procedure for inspection of distribution lines Corona and arcing occur by stress of the electric field and is not current dependent and therefore can be revealed by UV inspection and not by thermographic equipment In cases where severe corona or arcing evolves temperature gradient lighting and weather conditions may set limitation to the inspection Bright light and humid or foggy conditions may obscure the visibility of the thermal gradient Partial discharges in motor and dry transformer coils and windings will be located by UV inspection and not by the IR camera. Internal defects in the transmission and distribution cables, components and insulators will be mainly exhibited as hot spots and thermal gradients and will not be revealed by UV inspection. Strong arcing emits both UV and IR. Corona is a blinking flickering event and to capture it a video camera is a must. IR can do with stills camera.

therefore...

The IR thermographic technology and the UV inspection technology are complementary and both are therefore required in a well established predictive maintenance procedure in transmission distribution and substations and in commissioning stages of new installations

UV and Ultrasonic inspection methods

Considerations when choosing corona inpection technologies and devices Ultrasonic and UV

1. Distance of detection 2. Pinpointing corona sources 3. Disturbances 4. Detection capability from helicopter

5. Price

1.

Ultrasonic equipments are sensitive corona detectors but for short distances. The detection capability of those equipment deteriorates drastically as the distance from the corona source increases. Ultrasound technology is safe and satisfying for very intense coronas. Tthe DayCor corona camera, on the other hand, detects corona easily even from distances of 150m and more. The exact location of corona discharge indicates severity of damages and the actions to be taken by maintenance teams. Ultrasonic equipment does not pinpoint corona sources though it directs experienced operators towards suspicious defective insulators of high voltage pylon. With a corona camera, on the other hand, pinpointing corona on insulators, conductors or any other substation component is straightforward and immediate. Whether a discharge is on an arcing horn, on a corona ring, on an end fitting of a polymer insulator or on the cap of a porcelain insulator etc can easily be revealed by an optical device like a corona camera. Ultrasonic detector has an advantage when there is no direct line of sight to the corona source. As any other type of camera, Corona cameras require line of sight to the target.

2.

3.

Noisy environments, as in urban locations, distract ultrasonic devices yet do not affect corona cameras. Corona cameras, on the other hand are disturbed by UV emission from non-corona sources such as welding arcs and fires. Corona, however, is characteristically a recurring flickering event and thereby is clearly distinctive from surrounding noise. Camera operators with only little experience easily distinguish between UV noise and real corona signals. Due to noise ultrasound detectors cannot be used from helicopters. Corona cameras, on the other hand, fit airborne inspections and become popular throughout transmission and distribution sectors of utilities. Ultrasonic equipment is cheaper to buy than a corona camera but the tradeoff is in saving labor cost. Inspection team using a corona camera spend less time finding problems.

4.

5.

Corona on conductors

Corroded conductors

Cracked insulator

Corona on cracked insulator Cracked insulator

EPRI guide - page sample

Corona and arcing detection in high voltage transmission lines

The use of DayCor systems to inspect high voltage transmission lines and grid componenets has proven to be reliable, accurate and very effective. Worldwide electric utilities are using Ofil's DayCor corona and arcing inspection equipment for cases such as:

Degradation of Polymer insulators Contamination - coastal salt; industrial vapors and dusts; cement dust; highway road-salt; tire dust and car emissions; agricultural dusts and fertilizers Cracked porcelain insulators Rusted cement and metal caps & pins on porcelain insulators. RFI, TVI and audio noise sources lead to customer complaints Wrong design and improper installation, that may lead to mechanical and electrical failure, of: hardware such as corona ring, conductors ADSS etc Shorted bells Loose hardware such as: spacers, slices, clamps etc.

Why UV Inspection? The ability to easily detect corona and arcing sources and pinpoint their locations can save utilities considerable amount of money: The information obtained by UV inspection leads to:

Prioritizing maintenance tasks Avoiding unnecessary line washings Concentraing on the faulty hardware Avoiding redundant testing and replacement of line elements not directly involved with corona generation

Inspection methods

DayCorSuperb - for foot patrol DayCorRom - for airborne inspection DayCorRanger - for driven inspection

Corona Cameras DayCor Range of Products

Designates potential dammage Contributes to utilities reliablity Tests critical components' condition Reduces maintenance tasks cost Guaranteed top quality products

PdM solutions - DayCor corona and arcing detection systems provide electric utilities with a wide range of maintenance and predictive maintenance (PdM) solutions at various stages of their operations Detect faults in UVc - DayCor innovative technology deploys the UVc spectral band pass to detect faults and electric discharge in electric grids, substations, transmission lines, distribution, generation etc Various maintenance applications - DayCor systems are used by maintenance teams, and service companies and by contractors for applications such as: commissioning, finding sources of audio noise, solving radio frequency (RF) & TV interferences, during insulators washing and for locating critical faulty components. DayCor systems are also used by the petrochemical industry to detect H2 fire. Pinpoint sources of surface partial discharge - DayCor corona cameras and UV detection systems pinpoint sources of surface partial discharge, corona and arcing in full daylight and at almost any weather condition. Proprietary technology - DayCor imagers are manufactured with exclusive proprietary UV filters and optics, and are absolutely solar blind. Top qaulity - Renown for their top quality and highest sensitivity, DayCor systems are used worldwide by prominent public and private electric organization, eclectic utilities, high voltage research institutes and laboratories and services providers. Customer support - DayCor users benefit from heartily support and professional customer service and are invited to participate in bi-annual meetings UGM, where they are exposed to latest technological innovations. Worldwide distritutors - DayCor are sold through a net of distributors all over the world. To find a representative in your area click here >>find

Corona on broken strand

Corona on spacers

Bird dropping 500kV

Corona due to brittle fracture

Corona and arcing detection in overhead power distribution lines

UV inspection of distribution lines is an important procedure to ensure utilities reliability and detect detrimental faults DayCor technology can easily detect and locate cases of:

o o o o o o o o

Contamination - coastal salt, industrial vapors and dusts, cement dust, highway road-salt, tire dust and car emissions, agricultural dusts and fertilizers Improper attachment of conductors to insulators (tie wire) Cracked insulators Improper grounding or bonding lead to wooden poles fires and are safety hazards Eroded cement of pin insulators Defective terminations Rusted hardware RFI, TVI and audio noise sources lead to customer complaints

Why UV Inspection? Straightforward and immediate location of corona and arcing sources saves utilities considerable amount of money, since it eliminates the need to test "blindly" a bulk of insulators and redundant replacements of grid elements. Can Corona occur in low voltage? Corona will appear when the local electric field exceeds a critical value E critical = 24-30 kV/cm. Since corona phenomenon depends on the electrical field value, it may occur in low voltages as well. Inspection methods 9. Foot patrol by using the UVoll. 10. Driven inspection by using the DayCorRanger.

Bad connection

22kV insulator

22kV cracked insulator

Solving Radio Intereference for FAA - Federal Aviation Administration

Corona due to a loose tie wire that disturbed radio communication of the control tower of an airport, was immediately located by the DayCor camera Air traffic control tower at the Rochester New York airport complained in Sep 2003 having radio interferences. The local electric distribution company RGE Rochester Gas and Electric, was asked to solve this problem. The duration of the interferences was 1 to 20 minutes, mostly happened during wet weather. Using: Directional Radio Equipment, Ultrasound Equipment and Infrared Camera sporadic sources at 8 multiple locations were indicated. The exact sources and locations of the interferences were pinpointed, however, only by the DayCor camera. Line crew replaced only the hardware that was found to be defective using the DayCor II Corona Camera.

It took 20 minutes for the line crews to arrive and 30 minutes to replace the defective hardware replacement causing the radio interference, saving time, money and a quick resolution of the radio interference problem... D.S.

replacing origin of radio interference by RGE technicians

Coroded tie wire causing corona and RFI

DayCor Database Reporting and Analyzing Software

For easy and straightforward maintenance management with storing, sorting, analyzing and automatic report generation capabilities. The DayCor cameras come standard with Ofil's Database and Analyzing software, a complete suite of powerful analysis, management and reporting tools. The intuitive software is easy to use and offers flexibility for generating and customizing professional reports.

Ofils DayCor Database Software (ODDS) tool allows creating a database without having any special knowledge or skills. ODDB can easily maintain a database with information about: specific grid components, locations, inspection dates, findings, photo and video clip etc. With ODDB, you can create a database that works with many different types of data.

ODDS provides these main functions: 1. 2. 3. Managing all observed findings (cases) sorted by segments with its multimedia resources in a joint database with all database functionality Performing trend analysis and other analysis on the utility UV inspection database Easily and automatically generate HTML reports embedding the relevant media & files

Zahi Benejama Rocamora DayCor Inspection Report 26/10/2003 By OFIL

Copyright 1993; All rights reserved to OFIL
Table of Content

line Benejama-Rocamora Tower 2 All Phase (06/11/2003) line Benejama-Rocamora Tower156 (06/11/2003) line Benejama-Rocamora Tower 157 (06/11/2003) Summery

line Benejama-Rocamora Tower 2 All Phase (06/11/2003)

Findings The Intense corona on the end fitting of the live end corona seems to be in contact with the rubber in the end fitting. Analysis The reason for this problem could be a damaged end fitting or could be that the corona ring size is not sufficient for this specific configuration, and it attacked the end fitting . It seems that corona rings (280 mm) on the Sediver insulators are too small, the 280 mm diameter used corona ring seems to be not suitable for this configuration (horizontal). Please note that the CeramTec AG insulators are longer and have a larger corona ring (350 mm diameter rather than 280 mm). Effect on reliability If the end fitting of the polimeric insulator is exposed to a prolong corona activity it might be damaged. If the rod is exposed or is overheated, an electrical or mechanical failure of the rod is impending. If the end fitting is damaged a flash over or line drop might occur Reccommendations Remove one of the insulators or some of them and check the insulator for damage (mechanical damage, cracks in the polymer, burning of the end fitting sealing etc.) if there is a signed for damage then Priority replacement Action Taken

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line Benejama-Rocamora Tower 156

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(06/11/2003)
Findings Contamination on the wire Analysis No action is required if the Contamination on the conductor only Effect on reliability No action is required unless there is an RI/TVI/AN compliant Reccommendations Action Taken NO

line Benejama-Rocamora Tower 157 (06/11/2003)

Please see similar case

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Findings Contamination on the wire Analysis See Tower 156 Effect on reliability Reccommendations Action Taken NO
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