Design of Modified UWB Microstrip Antenna for UHF Partial Discharge Sensor

The development of printable ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) antennas as partial discharge (PD) sensors for high-voltage equipment has been extensively studied. However, achieving ultrawideband (UWB) UHF PD sensors frequently requires larger sizes, unsuitable for certain applications requiring compact sensors for dielectric windows in HV equipment. This research objective is to obtain PD sensors with a wider bandwidth (0.3–3 GHz) and a compact size fitting a less-than-100mm-length gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) dielectric window. A circular patch microstrip antenna (CPMA) was chosen for its small size and potential for UWB performance. This paper discusses the design modification of the CPMA to obtain a wider bandwidth for PD detection in GIS. Simulations and lab-scale experimental verifications were conducted to evaluate the optimized sensor. The modified sensor, with a size of 60 × 73 mm², achieved a bandwidth of 3.08–3.14 GHz, a reflection coefficient of -44 dB, and several resonant frequencies of 0.3–2.3 GHz. This is a seven-time wider bandwidth compared to earlier bowtie antennas while keeping a dimension of less than 100 mm². These properties allow for efficient PD detection in GIS and other insulating media. Experimental results indicate the sensor's capacity to reliably detect and analyze PD signals while responding appropriately to variations in voltage. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-05-03 Full Text: PDF