Investigation of incipient conditions leading to the failure of distribution system apparatus

Electric power distribution circuits are complex systems. Each circuit consists of the interconnection of literally thousands of discrete components. Each member of the body (i.e., insulators, arrestors, switches, transformers, etc.) must function properly for the body to be healthy as a whole. A broken finger, or in this case, a broken insulator, causes great pain and suffering and affects the whole body. Work at Texas A&M University (TAMU) seeks to better understand the failure processes and mechanisms of distribution system equipment, with the ultimate goal of improving overall health and performance. TAMU researchers have instrumented dozens of distribution circuits as part of a long-term effort, with the intent of building a comprehensive database of high-quality measurements that represent distribution system behavior before, during, and after the failure of various components. To date, this effort has yielded a significant number of such measurements.