Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/M24691/01
Title:	FAILURE MECHANISMS IN DC POWER CAPACITORS
Principal Investigator:	Jones, Professor G R
Other Investigators:	Huang, Professor Y
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	ABB Power Grids UK Limited
Department:	Electrical Engineering and Electronics
Organisation:	University of Liverpool
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 February 1999	Ends:	31 January 2002	Value (£):	168,985
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Power Electronics
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
Since metallised polypropylene films were introduced as a capacitor dielectric in late 1970s, the performance of DC power capacitors has been significantly improved over the last two decades fuelled largely by their applications in many industrial sectors. However the traditional empirical approach has in recent years sustained an unacceptable increase in R&D cost and time due to an exponentially growing number of system parameters that need to be considered in device optimisation. In this application, a combined computational and experimental study is proposed to gain a quantitative understanding of the electrostatic, thermal, and electromagnetic processes during capacitor operation. The computational study will be based on the Transmission Line Matrix method, and the experimental programme will involve laboratory characterisation, high voltage (dc and impulse) and thermal tests, and accelerated life tests. The unique combination of numerical and experimental methods will allow for the first time a systematic assessment of effects of all major system parameter so as to identify main failure mechanisms of capacitor operation. A successful outcome of the proposed programme will provide a computerised design capability for the industrial partner to accelerate their capacitor technology development in a rapidly growing and highly competitive global market of power capacitors.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.liv.ac.uk