Effects of Resins on Partial Discharge Activity and Lifetime of Insulation Systems Used in eDrive Motors and Automotive Industries

A question of great interest to the eDrive and automotive industries is whether resins affect the partial discharge behavior and lifetime of insulation systems. To answer this question, the role of resins on insulation system durability was investigated by testing system performance under various conditions. Twisted pairs (TPs) insulated with different materials were prepared according to appropriate standards and impregnated with resins. The partial discharge inception voltage (PDIV) (under AC and pulse voltage), capacitance and lifetime of samples with and without resin were then measured at room and high temperature. The results show that the main factors significantly affecting the PDIV of eDrive motor insulation systems are the insulation thickness of the copper wires and resin build. The findings further show that at high temperature, the PDIV and the lifetime of the TPs are also affected by the thermal behavior and chemistry of the resin.