TESTS ON SELF-HEALING METALLIZED POLYPROPYLENE CAPACITORS FOR POWER APPLICATIONS

Results of the research carried out at the Institute of Industrial Ele ctrical Engineering of the University of Bologna on self-healing metal lized polypropylene (MPP) capacitors are presented. Aim of the tests i s to characterize the degradation of these capacitors when employed in automatic power factor correction systems or in power electronic appl ications with special reference to the disconnection df the 'sprayed e nds' from the electrode-edges, one of the main reason for failure of M PP capacitors employed in the above systems. The research is carried o ut also in view of the definition of adequate type-test standards, pre sently not yet available for this kind of applications.