Why online PD monitoring
Detect Developing Insulation Problems Before Failure
Partial discharge can be an early indication of insulation deterioration in electrical equipment. However, PD activity can be intermittent and may change with operating and environmental conditions.
Online PD monitoring allows critical assets to be observed continuously while remaining in service, helping maintenance and reliability teams identify changes in PD activity, investigate abnormal behaviour and plan corrective action before an unexpected failure.
Applications
Assets We Monitor
Anywhere insulation is under continuous electrical stress, partial discharge is the earliest measurable symptom of its decline.
How it works
Detect, Locate, Trend, Act
Four stages run continuously on assets that remain in normal service.
How PD can develop
How PD Activity Evolves
Insulation problems tend to develop through recognisable stages rather than appearing suddenly. The sequence below shows how a defect can progress, and why observing change over time is central to condition monitoring.
PD magnitude and progression vary according to the equipment, insulation system, defect type and operating conditions. Trending changes over time is often more useful than relying on a single PD value.
What PD can tell you
What Can Partial Discharge Monitoring Help Identify?
PD measurements should be interpreted in the context of the asset, installation and operating environment. Reviewed by an engineer, PD activity can point towards conditions including the following.
Why UHF
Why UHF for Online PD Monitoring?
UHF detection is particularly suitable for metal-enclosed electrical equipment because partial discharge produces fast electromagnetic signals that can be detected using appropriately positioned UHF sensors.
Online vs offline
Online PD Monitoring vs Periodic PD Testing
| Online monitoring | Offline testing |
|---|
Online monitoring does not replace detailed offline diagnostic testing where required. The two approaches can complement each other as part of an asset condition monitoring strategy.
Technology stack
The Four Parts of the System
Sensor, analyser, display, software. Each part does one job, and together they take a discharge inside a sealed compartment and turn it into a decision an engineer can defend.
Detailed performance figures, capacities and communication protocols are confirmed against the manufacturer documentation for the equipment supplied on each project.
Key features
System Capabilities
Optional add-on
Fibre Optic Thermal Monitoring
PD monitoring provides information about insulation condition. Temperature monitoring provides information about connections and loading. Running both on one platform gives maintenance teams a fuller view of asset condition, and helps separate a thermal problem at a joint from an insulation problem inside the enclosure.
Because fibre optic sensing is not affected by electromagnetic interference, probes can be applied at locations where conventional temperature sensors would be unsuitable.
Petrozone service
More Than Monitoring — Engineering Support
Petrozone International provides online PD monitoring support from site assessment and sensor installation through monitoring, data interpretation and engineering recommendations.
Who is it for
Who Uses Online PD Monitoring?
KSA coverage
Online PD Monitoring Across Saudi Arabia
Petrozone International provides online partial discharge monitoring and electrical condition monitoring support across Saudi Arabia, with engineering support from our Eastern Province base.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Links
Contact Us
- 4th Floor, Al-Rakah District Tariq Bin Zayed Street, Al-Wafa Towers, Suite-29.
© 2023 Petrozone International. All Rights Reserved.