UltraTEV Locator investigates and records Partial Discharge activity in live MV and HV assets

(06/07/2010)

EA Technology has launched the UltraTEV Locator™, which is presented as the world’s most powerful and versatile portable system for investigating and recording Partial Discharge (PD) activity in live MV and HV assets.

The dual probe instrument features six different sensor technologies to detect and gather information about PD activity, which EA Technology says is a factor in 85% of disruptive substation failures.

EA Technology International director Neil Davies said: “The UltraTEV Locator™ is much more than a PD fault location tool. In common with our other new third generation PD products, it’s a multi-functional system which delivers a highly detailed assessment of the condition of live assets, so operators can optimise maintenance and prevent faults developing into failures.”

Both of the UltraTEV Locator™’s probes use ultrasonic and Transient Earth Voltage (TEV) sensors to locate and measure PD activity on the surface of assets and internally. In addition, the system measures environmental conditions which affect PD, in the form of temperature, relative humidity and air pressure. PD activity in cables is measured using a plug-in Radio Frequency Current Transfer (RFCT) sensor, displaying results as pC (pico Coulomb) numerical values or in graphical form.

In one-shot survey mode, a single probe is used to detect and measure the presence of PD activity. Switching to location mode, both probes are deployed, using time of flight measurement to calculate the site of PD activity to an accuracy of 2ns (nanosecond), equivalent to 60cm. In comparative measurement mode, operators can measure surface PD activity in the form of decibel readings in the ultrasonic range and compare results with those taken from other assets.

All measurements taken by the system, including heterodyne sound recordings, can be saved to the UltraTEV Locator™’s internal memory and recalled on the touch-screen display.

The battery-powered UltraTEV Locator™ is supplied in its own carry-case and is compatible with a range of accessories, including the UltraDish™ directional microphone and additional contact probes, to further increase its versatility.

Mr Davis added: “First generation PD instruments established the effectiveness of assessing PD activity using TEV measurement, but were relatively large and expensive. The second generation, starting with the UltraTEV Detector™ in 2003, saw the introduction of multi-sensor hand held instruments. These have dramatically increased the adoption of PD measurement as an asset management technique.

“Third generation products, including the UltraTEV Locator™ and UltraTEV Monitor™, are truly multi-functional systems which provide PD-related condition data and analysis in unprecedented detail.”

Related categories:  Medium voltage equipment   Test and measurement