IEEE Approved Revised Version Of Standard On Evaluating Insulation Aging In AC Machinery

Piscataway, NJ — The IEEE has approved the revision of a standard on how to evaluate the aging of insulation in ac machinery due to stress. It also has begun to revise a standard for the thermal evaluation of insulating materials in ac machinery. The IEEE has revised 434™, "Guide for Functional Evaluation of Insulation Systems for AC Electric Machines Rated 2300 V and Above", by adding definitions that clarify the standard and including more specific test details. The standard gives winding manufacturers a way to evaluate and compare insulation systems used or proposed for large ac electric machines. It establishes a basis for evaluating the aging of the electrical insulation due to electrical, thermal, mechanical and environmental stresses that can irreversibly change insulation and lead to failure.

IEEE has begun to revise IEEE P117™, "Standard Test Procedure for Thermal Evaluation of Systems of Insulating Materials for Random-Wound AC Electric Machinery", which is a reference document for other IEEE, UL, IEC standards. The revision to IEEE P117 will update it to the correct IEEE format, harmonize it to other standards, and add relevant section of IEEE 1107™ as an appendix. This standard applies where thermal degradation is the dominant aging factor and compares the thermal performance of a candidate insulation system with an input voltage of up to 1000 Volts at 50/60 Hz to that of a reference.

About the IEEE Standards Association
The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA), a globally recognized standards-setting body, develops consensus standards through an open process that brings diverse parts of an industry together. These standards set specifications and procedures based on current scientific consensus. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of more than 870 completed standards and more than 400 standards in development.

About the IEEE
The IEEE has more than 375,000 members in approximately 150 countries. Through its members, the organization is a leading authority on areas ranging from aerospace, computers and telecommunications to biomedicine, electric power and consumer electronics. The IEEE produces nearly 30 percent of the world's literature in the electrical and electronics engineering, computing and control technology fields. This nonprofit organization also sponsors or cosponsors more than 300 technical conferences each year.

SOURCE: IEEE