Impact of Insulator Thickness and Material on Partial Discharge in High-Frequency OBC Transformers in EV Applications

Abstract:
Effective mitigation of partial discharge (PD) is crucial for reliable transformer operation. This study examines the influence of insulation material and thickness on PD in Litz wire. Electrostatic simulations using ANSYS Maxwell analyzed capacitance between wires, maximum electric field in air, and displacement factor for four different insulation configurations. Three transformers were built and tested, confirming the simulation findings. Results indicate that careful insulation selection can significantly reduce PD. The paper also discusses other parameters affecting PD and offers recommendations for transformer construction to achieve a balance between cost and PD performance.