Partial discharge diagnostics on a HV superconducting model cable

In order to investigate the possibility of using superconducting cables in power transmission lines, a problem to be solved is that of the diagnostics to be performed to assure the safe operation of the whole system. Partial discharge diagnostics is a valuable tool in order to assess the reliability of HV apparatus. In this work AC partial discharge characterisation has been carried out on an experimental set-up for testing an HV superconducting model cable, including HV bushing and the impregnated paper insulation system. Special care has been dedicated to the characterisation of the discharges and to the organisation of experimental data in order to assess the validity of fingerprints as a diagnostic tool for the recognition and location of defects and study their role on the breakdown and aging of the device.