IEC TS 61934:2024 PDF

Overview - IEC TS 61934:2024 (Partial Discharge Measurement for Short Rise-Time, Repetitive Impulses)

IEC TS 61934:2024 provides guidance for off-line electrical measurement of partial discharges (PD) that occur in electrical insulation systems (EISs) when stressed by short rise-time, repetitive voltage impulses typical of power‑electronics-driven equipment. It addresses PD phenomena generated by modern switching devices - including wide band gap semiconductors - and defines measurement approaches, test objects, and reporting practices for impulse-induced PD in apparatus such as motors, inductive reactors, wind‑turbine generators and power‑electronics modules.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope & exclusions
  • Applicable to off-line PD measurement under repetitive short rise‑time impulses from power electronics.
  • Excludes optical/ultrasonic PD detection methods and PDs from non‑repetitive impulses (e.g., lightning or switchgear switching impulses).
• Voltage impulse generators and waveforms
  • Updated guidance on impulse generator parameter values to reflect fast switching and wide band gap device behavior (see Table 1 in the TS for example parameter sets).
• PD detection methods
  • Electrical detection techniques described include coupling capacitors with multipole filters, HFCT (high-frequency current transformers) with filters, and electromagnetic couplers / UHF antennas.
  • Note: charge‑based measurements and source‑controlled gating for noise suppression are not covered in this edition.
• Test objects
  • Guidance for different test object types: inductive, capacitive, and distributed‑impedance EIS configurations.
• Measurement quality & procedures
  • Measurement quantities, frequency considerations, sensitivity checks, background noise assessment, and stepwise voltage increase/decrease procedures are specified.
  • Requirements for test reports and sensitivity documentation to ensure reproducibility and comparability.
• Environmental and ageing effects
  • Consideration of environmental factors (e.g., humidity) and ageing on PD responses and repeatability.

Applications - practical use and benefits

• Design validation of insulation systems for motors, inverters, wind turbine generators and power‑electronics modules subjected to PWM and fast switching transients.
• Type testing and R&D to characterize PD inception under realistic repetitive impulse stress from power electronics.
• Quality assurance and condition assessment to detect insulation vulnerabilities caused by fast, repetitive transients.
• Laboratory testing to compare PD behavior under impulse stress with power‑frequency PD performance.

Who should use this TS

• Test laboratories and certification bodies performing PD measurements for product qualification.
• Manufacturers of motors, generators, drives, inverters and power‑electronics modules.
• R&D and reliability engineers assessing insulation design against fast repetitive impulse stress.
• OEMs and utilities concerned with insulation degradation due to power‑electronics switching.

Related standards

• Use IEC TS 61934:2024 alongside other IEC standards covering electrical insulation testing, safety and product‑specific type tests. Product‑specific procedures may be required in addition to this Technical Specification.

Keywords: IEC TS 61934:2024, partial discharge measurement, PD under short rise time, repetitive voltage impulses, power electronics, wide band gap semiconductors, HFCT, coupling capacitor, UHF antenna, electrical insulating materials.