Astm D877-87
Astm D877-87
Astm D877-87
i
# D 877
suitable external series resistor or by the designed reactance 7. Adjustment and Care of Electrodes and Test Cup
of the transformer. 7.1 Electrode Spacing— The spacing of the electrodes
4.2 Circuit-Interrupting Equipment—The test transformer during tests shall be 2.5 mm or 0.100 in. This shall be
primary circuit shall be protected by an automatic circuit- determined with a standard round gage of 2.5 ± 0.01 mm or
breaking device capable of opening in 3 cycles or less on the 0.100 ± 0.0005 in., or flat steel “go” and “no-go” gages
current produced by breakdown of the test specimen. A having thicknesses of 2.49 and 2.51 mm or 0.0995 and
5-cyde breaker may be used if the short-circuit current as
described in 4.1 does not exceed 0.2 A. The current-sensing 0.1005 in., respectively. The spacing shall be rechecked
element that trips the circuit breaker should operate when following any polishing, wiping, or cleaning operation in
the specimen-circuit current is in the range of 2 to 20 mA. A which the cup is disassembled or the electrodes disturbed,
prolonged flow of current at the time of breakdown causes and at the beginning of each day’s testing.
carbonization of the liquid and pitting and heating of the 7.2 Cleaning—The electrodes and the cup shall be wiped
electrodes, and thereby increases the electrode and test cup clean with dry, lint-free tissue paper or a clean dry chamois.
maintenance and time of testing. It is important to avoid touching the electrodes or the
—
4.3 Voltage-Control Equipment The rate of voltage rise
shall be 3 kV/s ± 20 %. Voltage control may be secured by a
cleaned gage with the fingers or with portions of the tissue
paper or chamois that have been in contact with the hands.
motor-driven variable-ratio-autotransformer. Preference After adjustment of the gap spacing, the cup shall be rinsed
should be given to equipment having an approximately with a dry hydrocarbon solvent, such as kerosine or Stoddard
straight-line voltage-time curve over the desired operating solvent.5 A low-boiling solvent should not be used as its
range. Motor drive is preferred to manual drive because of rapid evaporation may cool the cup, causing moisture
the difficulty of maintaining a reasonably uniform rate- condensation. If this occurs, the cup should be warmed
of-voltage rise with the latter. The rate-of-voltage rise may be slightly to evaporate the moisture before using it. Care shall
calculated from measurements of the time required to raise be taken to avoid touching the electrodes or the inside of the
the voltage between two prescribed values. When motor- cup after cleaning. After thorough cleaning, the cup shall be
driven equipment is used, the speed control rheostat should
be calibrated in terms of rate-of-voltage rise for the test flushed with new, dry, filtered liquid of the type being tested,
(preferably degassed oil if the cup is being used for testing
transformer used.
—
4.4 Voltmeter The voltage shall be measured by a
method that fulfills the requirements of IEEE Standard No.
4, giving rms values, preferably by means of:
oils). A voltage breakdown test shall be made on a sample of
this liquid in the manner specified in this method. If the
breakdown voltage is in the proper range for liquid in this
4.4.1 A voltmeter connected to the secondary of a sepa¬ good condition, the test cup shall be considered as properly
rate potential transformer, or prepared for testing other samples. If a lower value is
'
4.4.2 A voltmeter connected to a well-designed tertiary obtained, the cup shall again be thoroughly cleaned and the
coil in the test transformer, or test repeated with a clean dry liquid.
4.4.3 A voltmeter connected to the low-voltage side of the
testing transformer if the measurement error can be main¬ —
7.3 Daily Use At the beginning of each day’s testing, the
electrodes shall be examined for pitting and contamination.
tained within the limit specified in 4.5. They should be repolished if pitting is severe. Carbon or dirt
—
4.5 Accuracy The combined accuracy of the voltmeter
and voltage divider circuit should be such that measurement
should be wiped off, and the gap setting checked. The cup
shall be flushed, and tested with a clean dry liquid as
error does not exceed 5 % at the rate-of-voltage rise specified described in 7.2.
in 4.3.
5, Electrodes
—
7.4 Polishing of Electrodes When examination of elec¬
trodes shows minor scratching or pitting, the electrodes
should be removed from the test cup and polished by buffing
5.1 The electrodes shall be polished brass disks 25 mm or with jeweler’s rouge using a soft cloth or soft buffing wheel.
1 in. in diameter, and at least 3 mm or ‘/s in. thick, with (Resurfacing may be necessary in order to remove deep pit
square edges. marks or edge damage.) Care must be taken in resurfacing or
in polishing to ensure that the electrode faces remain
6. Test Cup perpendicular to the axis and that the edges do not become
6.1 A test cup having rigidly mounted electrodes with rounded. All residue fiom the buffing must be removed
parallel faces and axes in a coincident horizontal line shall be before the electrodes are reinstalled in the test cup. This can
used. The cup shall be constructed so that no part of it is less be accomplished by repeated wiping with lint-free tissue
than 13 mm or V2 in. from any part of the test electrode disk. paper saturated with a suitable solvent (such as petroleum
The total leakage and charging current of the cup, when ether), followed by solvent rinsing or ultrasonic cleaning.
filled with a good grade of oil, shall be less than 200 pA at 20 After the electrodes have been reinstalled in the test cup,
kV, 60 Hz. It shall be made of a material of high dielectric
clean and adjust spacing in accordance with 7.1 and 7.2.
strength, and shall not be attacked by any of the cleaning or
test liquids. It shall not absorb moisture or the cleaning and
test liquids. The top of the cup should be at least 25 mm or 1
—
7.5 Storage of Test Cup When not in use, the cup, if
used for referee tests, shall be stored filled with a new, dry,
in. above the top of the electrodes. The cup shall be designed
to permit easy removal of the electrodes for cleaning and 5 See ASTM Specification D 484, for Hydrocarbon Drycleaning Solvents,
polishing, and to permit easy adjustment of the gap spacing. Annual Book of ASTSt Standards, Vol 05.01.
2
D 877
filtered liquid of the type being tested, and tightly covered. consistency as specified in 1 1.3. If the five values meet this
criterion, their average shall be reported as the dielectric
8. Sampling breakdown voltage of the sample. If they do not meet this
8.1 A sample of the liquid to be tested shall be obtained criterion, one breakdown on each of five additional cup
with the sampling apparatus applicable to the type of liquid fillings shall be made, and the average of the ten breakdowns
as specified in accordance with Methods D 923. The sample shall be reported as the dielectric breakdown voltage of the
shall be taken in a dry, clean bottle that shall be tightly sealed sample. No breakdown shall be discarded.
and shielded from light until ready to be tested (Note 1). 11.2 Routine Testing— When it is desired to deter¬
Prior to starting the test, the sample shall be inspected for the mine the dielectric breakdown voltage of a liquid on a
presence of moisture, sludge, metallic particles, or other routine basis, five breakdowns may be made on one cup
foreign matter. If the sample shows evidence of free water, filling with 1-min intervals between breakdowns. The av¬
the dielectric breakdown test may be w'aived, and the sample erage of the five breakdowns shall be considered the dielec¬
shall be reported as unsatisfactory. tric breakdown voltage of the sample, provided the break¬
—
NOTE 1 It is suggested that 2 L of sample be made available when
referee tests are to be made, and 1 L of sample be made available when
routine tests are to be made.
down values meet the criterion for statistical consistency as
specified in 1 1.3. If the breakdown voltages do not meet this
criterion, the contents of the cup shall be discarded, the
8.2 The dielectric breakdown voltage of liquids may be sample container again gently inverted and swirled, the cup
seriously impaired by the migration of impurities through again filled, and five breakdowns made on this second cup
the liquid. In order that a representative test specimen filling. The average of the 10 breakdowns shall be considered
containing the impurities may be obtained, the sample as the dielectric breakdown voltage of the sample. No
container shall be gently inverted and swirled several times
before filling the test cup. Rapid agitation is undesirable,
since an excessive amount of air may be introduced into the
liquid. Immediately after agitation, a small portion of the
breakdown shall be discarded.
1 1 .3 Criterion for Statistical Consistency
—
1 1.3.1 Calculate the mean and standard deviation of the
five breakdowns as follows:
sample shall be used to rinse the test cup. The cup shall then 5
be filled slowly with the liquid to be tested in a manner that x=Vs 2 xi and s
will avoid entrapment of air. It should be filled to a level not where: /«*! 7-1 '
less than 20 mm or 0.8 in. above the top of the electrodes. In
order to permit the escape of air, the liquid shall be allowed
to stand in the cup for not less than 2 min and not more than
3 min before voltage is applied.
xf
s
—
x = mean of the five individual values,
/th breakdown voltage, and
= standard deviation.
If the ratio s/x exceeds 0.1, it is probable that the standard
NOTE 2— It is impractical to handle liquids having viscosities ranging deviation of the five breakdowns is excessive, and therefore
between 10 and 22 cSt (mmJ/s) (60 and 100 SUS) at 100’C (212*F) in that the probable error of their average is also excessive.
the manner outlined in 8.2. When testing high-viscosity liquids in this
range, the sample should be allowed to stand until it reaches room
temperature, which should not be less than 20‘C (68*F). The sample
—
11.3.2 Alternative Criterion Calculate the range of the
five breakdowns (maximum breakdown voltage minus min¬
container should not be swirled as prescribed in 8.2, but should be imum breakdown voltage), and multiply this range by three.
inverted for at least 30 min before the test, and then reinverted and If the value so obtained is greater than the next to the lowest
opened just prior to filling the test cup. breakdown voltage, it is probable that the standard deviation
of the five breakdowns is excessive, and therefore the
9. Test Temperature probable error of their average is also excessive.
9. 1 The temperature of the specimen when tested shall be
the same as that of the room, but the room temperature shall
in no case be less than 20°C (68*F). Testing liquids at 12. Report
temperatures lower than that of the room will give variable 12.1 The report shall include the following:
and unsatisfactory results. 12.1.1 ASTM designation of the test method used
(D 877),
10. Rate of Rise of Voltage 12.1.2 Procedure used, that is, referee test or routine test.
10.1 Voltage shall be applied and increased from zero at 12.1.3 Approximate viscosity of the liquid tested,
the rate of 3 kV/s ±20% until breakdown occurs as 1 2. 1 .4 Temperature of the liquid and the room at time of
indicated by operation of the circuit-interrupting equipment, test, and
and the value recorded. Occasional momentary discharges 12.1.5 Individual breakdown values and the average
may occur which do not result in operation of the inter¬ breakdown value in any of the following ways that may
rupting equipment, and shall be disregarded. apply:
12.1.5.1 Five breakdowns, one on each of five cup fillings
11. Procedure that meet the criterion of statistical consistency,
11.1 Referee Testing — When it is desired to determine the
dielectric breakdown voltage of a new liquid for referee
purposes, one breakdown shall be made on each of five
12.1.5.2 Ten breakdowns, one on each of ten cup fillings
when the first five breakdowns do not meet the criterion for
statistical consistency,
successive fillings of the test cup. The breakdown voltage 12.1.5.3 In routine testing, five breakdowns on one cup
thus obtained shall be subjected to the criterion for statistical filling that meet the criterion of statistical consistency, or
3
© D 877
12.1.5.4 When the routine test is employed, five break¬ 13. Precision and Biss
downs on each of two cup fillings when the breakdowns on 13.1 The precision of this test method has not been
the first cup filling do not meet the criterion of statistical determined. No statement can be made about the bias of this
consistency.
test method because a standard reference material is not
12.1.6 If the sample was observed to contain free water or available.
other contaminants, the report should so indicate, with a
statement that the test was not made.
APPENDIX
(Nonmandatory Information)
XI. OTHER FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE DIELECTRIC BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE OF INSULATING
LIQUIDS AT COMMERCIAL POWER FREQUENCIES
XI.l The dielectric breakdown voltage of a liquid at dielectric strength of the liquid can have an accentuated
commercial power frequencies is also affected by the degree effect on the electric creepage strength of solid insulating
of uniformity of the electric field, the area of the electrodes or materials immersed in the liquid.
volume of the liquid under maximum stress, the length of X1.2 Because of the separate, cumulative, and in some
time for which the liquid is under stress, the temperature of cases, interacting effects of the influences listed above, the
the liquid (especially insofar as it affects the relative satura¬
average breakdown voltage of a liquid as determined by this
test method cannot be used for desip purposes. Alternative
tion level of moisture in solution), gassing tendencies of the
test procedures that may yield more meaningful indications
liquid under the influence of electric stress, concentration of of the functional dielectric strength of a liquid are under
dissolved gases (especially if saturation levels are exceeded as consideration (for example, a step-by-step method of ap¬
a result of sudden cooling or decrease in pressure, which may plying voltage, and using the lowest rather than the average
cause the formation of gas bubbles), incompatibility with value of breakdown voltage obtained in the prescribed
materials of construction, and velocity of flow. A decrease in number of tests).
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with any Item mentioned In this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such
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If not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments eve Invited either for revision of this standard or for additionalstandards
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