Partial Discharge Detection in Power Cable Using Acoustic Sensors: A Review

Partial discharge (PD) is one of the earliest indicators of degradation in the insulation systems of high-voltage power cables. Detection and localization of PD events accurately is crucial for implementation of condition-based maintenance strategies and preventing total breakdown. While traditional electrical and electromagnetic methods have dominated PD diagnostics, acoustic-based techniques are gaining more attention due to their robustness, immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and compatibility with online monitoring systems. This review presents a comprehensive examination of acoustic sensing techniques for PD detection in power cables. It explores the underlying types of PD, the characteristics of acoustic emissions and the development of piezoelectric, MEMS and fiber-optic sensors. Additionally, the paper also mentions about the integration of signal processing and artificial intelligence in acoustic diagnostics and outlines the challenges, recent field deployments, and future research directions necessary to advance the field.