Glasgow Caledonian University
PhD Research Project Opportunity
Project Reference number
2013EBE002
School/Institute/Research Group
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Research Discipline areas
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Research Theme
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Diagnostic Systems and Sensors
Project Title
The Effect of Non-Standard Transmission Voltage Waveforms on High Voltage
Insulation Degradation in the Developing Smart Grid
Research Project Area
The project concerns maintaining the integrity of the UK electricity
distribution network by developing new diagnostic methods that meet the
needs of an evolving, complex Smart Grid.
The UK Government's Department of Energy and Climate Change has stated
that approximately 30 % of the UK’s electricity will have to come from
renewable sources by 2020. Connection and switching of multiple distributed
generation sources on the existing grid poses an increased risk of failure to
electrical insulation systems such as power transformers and cables due to
harmonic frequency content and impulsive voltage signals.
Existing diagnostic knowledge has been acquired almost exclusively with the
assumption of an ideal 50 Hz supply voltage. The response, failure modes,
discharge characteristics, diagnostic knowledge rules and lifetime prediction
of electrical insulation subjected to non-standard waveforms (DC voltage,
switching or harmonics) are areas that have, to date, remained largely
uninvestigated, but where significant research is needed. Many sub-sea high
voltage DC cables are, for example, being installed or are planned in the UK.
The required diagnostic techniques for such equipment will be different to
those already established over the past decades for AC transmission, with
almost no research having been undertaken in this area.
The project will therefore address a real and immediate need by re-creating
faults under various supply voltage conditions on test samples in the High
Voltage Laboratory, quantifying their characteristics using various
measurement techniques. Results will contribute to the ability of network
operators to detect a potential fault in its incipient stages, before a
catastrophic failure occurs. The applicability of existing monitoring techniques
and knowledge rules will be analysed and new diagnostic solutions proposed.
Supervisory Team
Dr. Alistair Reid (Director of Studies)
Dr. Donald Hepburn (Second Supervisor)
Staff Contact
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Dr. Alistair Reid; Alistair.Reid@gcu.ac.uk