It has been proved that that conducting DP (partial discharges) tests is effective in diagnosing high-voltage insulation state when tests are carried out in laboratory and even in situ (with the facilities to be tested out of service and in low electrical noise conditions). However, the possibility of performing effective diagnostics by performing these on-site tests with on-line facilities is currently of particular interest to  electricity sector companies. This is because it makes for a significant improvement on the ability to evaluate assets and a reduction in associated costs. The application of advanced measurement and signal processing technologies that could face inherent disadvantages to this type of tests is required in order to be able to carry out on-line tests. It is possible to overcome these disadvantages by obtaining satisfactory results when improving the operation of the electrical systems with Blue BOX technology.

“BlueBOX technology is a great advance for the effective elaboration of reliable diagnoses of the state of the dielectrics, which give rise to an improvement of high voltage electrical installations state”

• Companies dedicated to the generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy

For the companies of the sector it is of vital importance to know the state of the different assets that compose the installation, applying for it management and accurate and economic maintenance policies.

• Manufacture and installation of integrated industrial equipment in electrical networks companies

Before commissioning an electrical installation, it is necessary to detect possible insulation defects that may have been generated in both manufacturing and on site assembly stages.

• Control agencies and inspection and maintenance of electrical assets companies

Throughout their useful life, it is necessary to establish mandatory periodic inspections and effective maintenance plans by specialized and authorized companies in order to guarantee the quality standards in the installations.

• Large electricity consumers

It is of special interest that the electricity supply is guaranteed at all times so it is necessary to establish adequate maintenance policies. 

“The improvement of the operation of electrical systems is now possible by the evaluation of dielectrics using BlueBOX technology, with the advantage of being able to keep the installations in service” 

Electricity sector companies

• The R.D. 337/2014 of mandatory compliance establishes in its ITC-RAT 23 the need to check the condition of the installations insulation and its periodic revision every three years (33% of the installations have to be checked every year). This national legislation is extrapolated to international standards.
• It is expected that in the Spanish electricity sector networks will be monitored at an annual rate of 5% due to the return on investment that the state allows to perform (Order IET / 2660/2015, of 11 December).
• A cables inspection is mandatory every three years (ITC LAT 05 of R.D. 223/08) (this means testing over 100,000 km of cable per year).
• In the current management of electrical systems worldwide, based on smart grids, the monitoring of the assets state is an added value for its safety and reliability.

• It performs accurate diagnostics of the electrical insulation state when PD measurements are made on-line through the application of advanced and complementary measurement techniques, and efficient signal processing tools.
• The effectiveness in the diagnosis for on-line tests means:

• the prediction of insulation failures before they occur without electrical service interruption in the installations;
• an increase in the capacity and efficiency of evaluation of the networks and a reduction of the associated costs between 30 and 45%;
• permanent or temporary real-time monitoring of the installations in service;
• low initial inversion because the test voltage is the network itself.