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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/M74238/01
Title: ELECTRICAL FAILURE MECHANISM IN DC POWER CAPACITORS
Principal Investigator: Fothergill, Professor J C
Other Investigators:
Dissado, Professor LA Stevens, Professor GC
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
ABB Power Grids UK Limited
Department: Engineering
Organisation: University of Leicester
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 October 1999 Ends: 30 September 2002 Value (£): 208,213
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Power Electronics Power Systems Plant
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The programme aims to understand the electrical failure mechanisms in DC power capacitors and identify the key factors controlling such failure.Through an optimisation of the design of the fusible bridge and the geometry of the segmented electrodes, the damage through local dielectric failure will be limited. After laboratory analysis and testing, new designs of electrodes will be tested by the manufacturer using actual power capacitors. Following this there will be a thorough investigation seeking to understand the electical ageing and breakdown mechanisms in these structures. The programme will use newly-developed microscopic and nano-scopic characterisation techniques and recent improvements in the measurement and understanding of space charge to achieve this.Finally, capacitors will be artificially aged by the manufacturer and their failure mechanisms identified using the test methods established in the project.
Key Findings
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.le.ac.uk