Experimental and Simulation Study on Pressure Wave Characteristics of Oil-Arc Discharge under Pulsed Voltage
Zhou Yuanxiang1,2, Yin Junguang1, Li Yuhang2, Teng Chenyuan3, Chen Jianning2
1. School of Electrical Engineering Xinjiang University Urumqi 830017 China; 2. State Key Laboratory of Power System Operation and Control Department of Electrical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China; 3. College of Information Engineering Zhejiang University of Technology Hangzhou 310023 China
Abstract：In oil-immersed transformers, arc-induced gas expansion generates pressure waves that propagate over long distances and undergo repeated reflections, creating localized high-stress regions within the tank. To address this issue, a pulsed discharge experimental platform was established. Using the control-variable method, the effects of needle-tip radius, voltage level, and electrode gap on the time-domain characteristics of pressure waves were investigated. Based on the calculated arc energy, source conditions were defined for the numerical model, and a three-dimensional transient acoustic finite element model was constructed to analyze the attenuation, reflection, and refraction behavior of pressure waves in oil. Finally, the relationship between the discharge energy and the mechanical energy conversion efficiency of the pressure wave was examined. (1) The results show that the transient expansion of the arc channel excites a primary pressure wave, whose amplitude is strongly related to the energy accumulated within the channel. A secondary pressure wave is generated during the destabilization and collapse of the gas bubble, with a significantly lower amplitude than the primary wave. Pressure waves propagate outward in alternating forms of compression and rarefaction. The propagation process can be divided into three stages. Free propagation stage: The initial expansion of the arc channel excites a spherical wave in oil, with a propagation velocity of approximately 1 399.07 m/s. The pressure amplitude decays with distance following a power-law relationship, with a decay coefficient β = 1.23. Energy dissipation during this stage is primarily attributed to oil viscosity and thermal conduction. Wall reflection stage: When the pressure front reaches the tank boundary, reflection occurs due to acoustic impedance mismatch at the liquid-solid interface. The reflection coefficient exceeds 0.94. A majority of the energy is retained in the reflected wave, while the remainder penetrates the wall. Multi-wave superposition stage: Reflected waves interact and interfere within the oil. Constructive interference under fixed phase relationships leads to local pressure enhancement, while destructive interference under out-of-phase conditions reduces pressure amplitude and forms locally weakened zones. Although the distribution of superposition peaks is irregular, the overall amplitudes are higher than those of the initial reflected waves. (2) Experimental results under different discharge parameters show that the needle-tip radius modulates the initial discharge behavior by altering the local electric field. The electrode gap determines the spatial scale of the arc channel and the energy deposition process, while the charging voltage controls the total discharge energy. These three parameters collectively exert a significant influence on the pressure wave amplitude. (3) Energy conversion analysis indicates that total arc energy increases with rising charging voltage, while the mechanical energy conversion efficiency α of the pressure wave remains relatively stable in the range of 31%~36%. When the electrode gap increases from 2.5 mm to 15 mm, α rises from 32.24% to 40.73%, representing an overall increase of approximately 8.49 percentage points. The mechanical work of the pressure wave increases with the total discharge energy, while the conversion efficiency α remains within the range of 31%~41%.
周远翔, 殷军光, 李宇航, 滕陈源, 陈健宁. 脉冲电压作用下油中电弧放电压力波特性试验与仿真研究[J]. 电工技术学报, 2026, 41(17): 6027-6038.
Zhou Yuanxiang, Yin Junguang, Li Yuhang, Teng Chenyuan, Chen Jianning. Experimental and Simulation Study on Pressure Wave Characteristics of Oil-Arc Discharge under Pulsed Voltage. Transactions of China Electrotechnical Society, 2026, 41(17): 6027-6038.
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2026, Vol. 41 
