Generalized Energy Model and Simulation Method for the Evolution of Micro-Nano Dust Cluster Dispersion in DC GIS/GIL
Li Xuan1, Yin Yichun1, Yang Ning1, Wang Yuan2, Wang Jian1, Li Qingmin1
1. State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources North China Electric Power University Beijing 102206 China; 2. State Grid Beijing Changping Electric Power Supply Company Beijing 102200 China
Abstract：Gas-insulated switchgears (GIS) and gas-insulated lines (GIL) serve as critical infrastructure in the construction of modern high-voltage energy systems, particularly in the integration of long-distance power transmission and distributed renewable sources. Despite their sealed design and strict insulation requirements, frequent partial discharge and breakdown incidents are reported in service, often in the absence of visible corrosion or material defects. Recent evidence highlights that microscale and nanoscale dust particles — generated by internal friction of enclosures or other components — account for over 60% of latent discharge failures. These dust particles, under the influence of complex multi-physics coupling, undergo stochastic migration, aggregation, adsorption, and explosion dispersion behaviors, posing a serious threat to the safety and reliability of GIS/GIL systems. However, current methods fail to accurately characterize the energy transformation and explosion behavior of these fine-scale contaminants. To address this challenge, this study proposes a multi-scale simulation framework based on generalized functional energy analysis to investigate the dynamic dispersion and explosion mechanism of micro/nanoparticles within GIS/GIL. Boundary conditions were defined by quantifying multiscale forces on micro/nano particles and their adsorption correlation with the insulator. A regularized energy-driven evolution equation is derived, incorporating the effects of electric, thermal, fluidic, and mechanical fields, as well as concentration gradients. The proposed model captures the complete progression of dust behavior—from electrostatic lift-off and surface adsorption to explosive dispersion—under a unified variational principle that minimizes the system's free energy. A Cahn-Hilliard-type nonlinear evolution equation is employed to construct an additional functional criterion for dispersive explosion, enabling a quantitative mathematical description of the concentration gradient-energy evolution-induced explosion process of micro/nano dust under multiphysics coupling. Our simulations reveal that tri-post insulator waists are prone to large-scale adsorption and explosion due to negative charge accumulation, while the convex surface of basin-type insulators facilitates dust concentration under van der Waals and electrostatic attraction, forming high-risk explosive clusters. Micro/nano particles near the surface of insulator adjacent to conductor experience the strongest dynamic and potential energy, where energy and concentration accumulation reach critical thresholds. The energy pathway follows a transition from potential-driven adsorption to thermal accumulation and concentration-gradient-induced explosions. Notably, dust velocity and stress increase by 63.2% and 40.3%, respectively, with peak energy reaching 900 J at triple-point junctions, leading to a 370% increase in specific surface area—the key indicators for surface discharge inducement. These factors collectively contribute to the energy release process during pre-discharge dispersive explosion and significantly aggravate contamination-induced short-circuit severity. Experimental verification further confirms that dust dispersion and adsorption lead to ionized streamer development and discharge breakdown. Localized surface energy fields trigger high-energy particle adhesion, enhance charge injection, and promote the formation of opposite-polarity charge domains, facilitating trap ion escape and spatial ionization. A new discharge criterion is proposed based on enhanced flow ionization under concentration fields, indicating that nano dust with high specific energy and aggregation tendencies significantly lowers the insulation breakdown threshold. The proposed modeling approach and energy evolution mechanism provide a novel theoretical and numerical reference for the study of micro/nanoparticle behavior and contaminant discharge risks in complex GIS/GIL systems, filling a crucial gap in current metal dust insulation failure diagnostics.
李玄, 尹奕淳, 杨宁, 王媛, 王健, 李庆民. 直流GIS/GIL中微纳粉尘集群弥散运动的广义能量模型与演化过程模拟方法[J]. 电工技术学报, 2026, 41(17): 6008-6026.
Li Xuan, Yin Yichun, Yang Ning, Wang Yuan, Wang Jian, Li Qingmin. Generalized Energy Model and Simulation Method for the Evolution of Micro-Nano Dust Cluster Dispersion in DC GIS/GIL. Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society, 2026, 41(17): 6008-6026.
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