This document provides an overview of a university lecture on basics of high voltage engineering. It introduces key concepts like electrons, protons, ionization, and electric charge. It defines important dielectric and electric material properties, including relative permittivity and how dielectrics behave under high voltages. The document also discusses different types of electrical breakdown in insulators like local and global breakdown, as well as partial breakdown phenomena like corona and streamers. Factors that influence dielectric breakdown are also introduced. Readings from two textbooks on high voltage engineering are assigned to supplement the lecture.

1. High Voltage
Engineering
(Advanced)
Arsalan A Rahim
University of Engineering & Technology
Lahore, Pakistan
Lecture # 1
Basics of High Voltage

2. Course Books
• High Voltage and Electrical Insulation Engineering
(June 2011 Edition) by Ravindra & Wolfgang (IEEE Press)
• High Voltage Engineering Fundamentals (2nd Edition) by
E.Kuffel, W.S.Zaengl, J.Kuffel
Reference Books
• Advances in High Voltage Engineering (IET) Edited by
A.Haddad & D.Warne
• High Voltage Engineering by C.L. Wadhwa
• High Voltage Engineering by M.S.Naidu (4th Edition)
All books available for Download at ep.nge.com.pk
(Course Page)

3. Why High Voltage (Engineering)?
It’s the knowledge of the behavior of dielectrics
(insulator) — electrical insulation when subjected to
high voltage
Result is to minimize the volume of the electrical
insulation requirements and trouble-free life of high
voltage apparatus.
A totally different Domain (Engineering) when High
Voltage are applied. Stray Capacitances &
Inductances come into play.
No concept of a complete Insulator – Even a good
Insulator can conduct under High Voltages

4. Basic Definitions to Start With
• Electron
• Proton
• Ion
• Ionization
• Electric Charge
• Space Charge
• Volume Charge Density ρv
• Electric Discharge
• Electric & Magnetic Field
• Electromagnetics

5. Di-Electric & Electric Material
• What the difference between these ?
• Electric Material – capable of developing
(conducting) electric charge or current
• Di-Electric Material – not capable of developing
(conducting) electric charge or current but
admits electrostatic and magnetic lines of force
• Di-Electric Material Properties– Relative
Permittivity εr , Type of Material & Amplitude of
Voltage Applied

6. Electrical Breakdown
• Failure of Electrical Insulation Properties (flow of
current) of an Insulator or Di-electric
Local Breakdown
confined locally to a
part of an Insulator
(Partial Breakdown)
Global Breakdown
complete rupture or
failure of insulator
properties
(Electrical Breakdown)

7. Corona:
• Stable Partial Breakdown (PB) in
Gaseous Di-electrics
Partial Electrical Breakdown (discharge)
Streamer:
Extension of Corona at Distance
Shower of Discharge (Streamer Corona)
• Types: Audible & Visible Corona
Example: Discharge of Cloud (Lightning)

8. Aurora:
• Luminous phenomenon consisting of streamers
or Arches of Light at Polar Regions
• Explained under “Faraday’s Glow”
• Aurora Australis (Southern Hemisphere)
• Aurora Borealis (Northern Hemisphere)
• Atoms in Ionosphere stuck by High Energy
Electrons Coming from Sun (cosmic Radiation)

9. Aurora:

10. Di-electric Property: Capacitance
• Is the field between the plates of a Capacitor
Uniform?
• Permittivity of a Di-electric is Constant ?
Stray Capacitance
• How to minimize it?

11. Electric Field
• Electric Field Intensity
• Electric Charge is considered static when there
is no movement of charge
• Field produced by Static charge or Direct
Voltage is known as Electro-static field
• Field produced by power frequency Alternating
voltage is known as quasi-stationary Electric field

12. Dielectric Breakdown
depends on
• Composition of dielectric material, presence of impurities
imperfections in the dielectric
• Pressure
• Humidity
• Temperature
• Electric field configuration (shape of the electrodes, their size and
gap distance)
• Electrode material
• Duration
• Magnitude and the waveform of the applied voltage

14. Today’s Text Covered from Chapter 1 +
Uptil Article 2.3.1 from Chapter 2
of IEEE Press Book (Ravindra Book)
and
Chapter 1 of Kuffel Book