Heating cables, widely used in office buildings, factories, streets and railways, deteriorate in electrical insulation during operation. The insulation deterioration of heating cables leads to electric discharges that can cause electrical fires. With this background, this paper dealt with a condition monitoring technique for heating cables by the analysis of discharge signals to prevent electrical fires. Insulation deterioration was simulated using an arc generator specified in UL1699 under AC operation, and the characteristic and propagation of discharge signals were analyzed on a 100 meter-long heating cable. Discharge signals produced by insulation deterioration were detected as a voltage pulse because they are as small as a few mV and they are attenuated through propagation path.The frequency spectrum of discharge signals mainly existed in the range from 70 kHz to 110 kHz, and the maximum attenuation of the signal was 84.8% at 100 meters away from the discharge point. Based on the experimental results, a monitoring device, which is composed of a high pass filter with the cut-off frequency of 70 kHz, a comparator, a wave shaper and a microprocessor, was designed and fabricated. Also, an algorithm was designed to discriminate the discharge signal in the presence of noise, compared with the pulse repetition period and the number of pulse counts per 100ms. In the experiment, the result showed that the prototype monitoring device could detect and discriminate the discharge signals produced at every discharge point on a heating cable.

Metal oxide varistors (MOVs) protect circuits and devices from transient overvoltages in electric power systems. However, a MOV continuously deteriorates owing to manufacturing defects or repetitive protective operations from transient overvoltages. A deteriorated MOV may result in a short circuit or a line-ground accident. Previous studies focused on the analysis of deterioration mechanisms and condition diagnosis techniques for MOVs owing to their recent growth of use. An accelerated deterioration experiment under the same conditions in which a MOV operates is essential. In this study, we designed and fabricated a surge generator that can apply a surge current to a MOV connected to AC mains. The coupling network operates at a low impedance against the surge current from the surge generator and transfers the surge current to the MOV under test. It also acts as a high impedance against AC mains for the AC voltage not to be applied to the surge generator. The decoupling network operates at a high impedance against the surge current and blocks the surge current from AC mains. It also acts as a low impedance against AC mains for the AC voltage to be applied to the MOV under test. The prototype surge generator can apply the 8/20 us up to 15 kA on AC voltages in the approximate range of 110~450 V, and it fully operates on a LabVIEW-based program.

As a ZnO varistor is subjected to electrical and environmental stresses, it degrades gradually, which may result in power interruption by short circuit. This study investigates changes in the electrical characteristics of ZnO varistors due to deterioration owing to energy absorption, and determines the optimal parameters for on-line diagnosis of the varistor. Two types of varistors were used for an accelerated aging experiment involving the application of the 8/20 μs standard lightning impulse current. The electrical characteristics in terms of the reference voltage, total leakage current, resistive leakage current, and third-harmonic component of the total leakage current were measured, and their change rates were analyzed. The results revealed that the total leakage current increased slightly with an increase in the varistor absorbed energy, while the resistive leakage current and the third-harmonic component increased apparently. Therefore, the third-harmonic component of the total leakage current was proposed as the optimal parameter for on-line monitoring of ZnO varistor conditions.

Coil specimens were prepared by continuous coating on a copper wire with flexible PAI (polyamideimide) and PAI/nanosilica (5 wt%) varnish and thermally aged at 150, 200 and 250℃ for 5, 10 and 15 days, respectively. AC insulation breakdown voltage was investigated under inverter surge condition at 60 Hz and 1,000 Hz and insulation breakdown voltage decreased with increasing aging temperature and aging time at each 60 and 1,000 Hz.

This paper dealt with the deterioration characteristics and an on-line diagnosis equipment for SPDs (surge protective devices). An accelerated aging test was carried out using a 8/20 μs standard lightning impulse current to analyze the changes of electrical characteristics and to propose the diagnostic parameters and the criterion for deterioration of ZnO varistor which is the core component of SPDs. Based on the experimental results, an on-line diagnosis equipment for SPD was fabricated, which can measure the total leakage current, reference and clamping voltage. The leakage current measurement circuit was designed using a low-noise amplifier and a clamp type ZCT. A linear controller, the leakage current measurement part and a HVDC were used in the measurement of reference voltage. The measurement circuit of clamping voltage consisted of a surge generator and a coupling circuit. In a calibration process, measurement error of the prototype equipment was less than 3%.

The relay used is gradually increased. Because it is possible to easily control the high voltageand current. Bounce phenomenon is generated in contact during operation relay. As the result, arc isgenerated at the contact, thereby shortening the contact lifetime. In this study, we analyzed the bouncingphenomenon due to deterioration. It can be seen from the experimental results, and it is minimized atabout 100,000 times. Bouncing phenomenon to increase again after the minimization. Consequently, thebouncing related to contact weight and shape of contact surface.

Recently, the demand of ceramic metal halide lamp has been expanded. Therefore, the lamp with high efficiency and long lifetime are increasing and the evaluation of reliability is needed. In this paper, the degradation phenomena of ceramic metal halide lamp was studied. The lamp was tested for 3000 on/off cycles with each cycle having a duration of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off based on the accelerated aging experiment based on "Reliability Standards RS C 0085". As result, the corrosion of arc tube and leak was appeared from reaction between inner wall of PCA and chemical elements, and distortion of electrode was resulted from difference of thermal expansion between arc tube of PCA and electrode. Also, the efficiency of lamp was decreased by the change of inner pressure, operation temperature, and driving voltage from wall blackening.