VLF Test Generator

• US 20110062967A1
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mohaupt High Voltage GmbH
• Original Assignee: Mohaupt High Voltage GmbH
• Inventors: Mohaupt, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,542,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/652
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/1272 of cable, line or wire insulation, e.g. using partial discharge measurements locating faults in cables G01R31/083
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/14 Circuits therefor , e.g. for generating test voltages, sensing circuits G01R31/1209 - G01R31/1227 take precedence; for testing switches G01R31/327

Abstract

Disclosed is a very low frequency test generator for generating a high voltage having a low frequency in order to test the insulation of capacitive loads, in particular power cables. Said VLF test generator comprises two oscillators, the frequencies of which differ from one another by twice said low frequency, a resonance circuit which is fed in an interfering manner by the oscillators, is adjusted to the oscillator frequencies and causes a voltage rise of the interfering oscillator frequencies, and a demodulator for disconnecting the low-frequency high voltage generated by the interference from the resonance circuit and applying the same to the load.

Claims

1. VLF test generator for generating a high voltage with a low frequency to test the insulation of capacitive loads comprising two oscillators, the oscillator frequencies of which differ from one another by twice said low frequency, a resonant circuit which is fed in an interfering manner by the oscillators and is tuned to the oscillator frequencies for voltage superelevation of the interfering oscillator frequencies, and a demodulator for decoupling the low-frequency high voltage generated by the interference from the resonant circuit and applying same to the load.

2. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the oscillator frequencies lie in the range of about 100 Hz to 10 kHz.

3. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the low frequency lies below 1 hertz.

4. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the quality of the resonant circuit amounts to about 10 to 100.

5. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the interference of the oscillator frequencies is a voltage interference.

6. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein each oscillator is formed by a controllable semiconductor inverter.

7. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the oscillators feed the resonant circuit via at least one transformer.

8. VLF test generator according to claim 7, wherein the transformer steps up the oscillator voltages.

9. VLF test generator according to claim 7, wherein each oscillator has its own primary winding of a common transformer which is connected to the resonant circuit.

10. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the oscillator frequency of one oscillator is derived from the oscillator frequency of the other oscillator.

11. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the oscillator frequencies of the oscillators are derived from a common clock generator.

12. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the demodulator also uses the capacitive load and reverses this by means of a rectifier in the cycle of the low frequency.

13. VLF test generator according to claim 12, wherein the rectifier can be switched over in its transmitting direction and switches over upon each half wave of the low frequency.

14. VLF test generator according to claim 13, wherein the rectifier has two antiparallel diode branches provided with switches.

15. VLF test generator according to claim 14, wherein each diode branch is formed by a chain of diodes and interposed semiconductor switches.

16. VLF test generator according to claim 14, wherein the switches are, during switchover, simultaneously closed with a brief overlap.

17. VLF test generator according to claim 1, further comprising a discharging resistor for the capacitive load, which connects back to the output of the resonant circuit, is connected in parallel to the demodulator.

18. VLF test generator according to claim 17, further comprising a control means is provided for the oscillators, which reduces the amplitude of their output voltages at the end of each second quarter of the period of the low frequency in order to support the discharge of the load via the discharging resistor.

19. VLF test generator according to claim 12, wherein a discharging resistor for the capacitive load, which connects back to the output of the resonant circuit, is connected in parallel to the demodulator and further wherein the discharging resistor is connected in parallel to the rectifier.

20. VLF test generator according to claim 19,

wherein the rectifier can be switched over in its transmitting direction and switches over upon each half wave of the low frequency;

wherein the rectifier has two antiparallel diode branches provided with switches;

wherein each diode branch is formed by a chain of diodes and interposed semiconductor switches; and

wherein a single resistor is connected in parallel to each diode and each semiconductor switch which single resistors jointly form said discharging resistor.

21. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the oscillator frequencies lie in the range of about 500 Hz to 5 kHz.

22. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the oscillator frequencies are about 1 kHz.

23. VLF test generator according to claim 1, wherein the low frequency lies at about 0.1 hertz.