Insulation Resistance Test and Polarization Index Test:

Both Insulation Resistance Test (IR Value Test) and

Polarization Index Test (PI Value Test) are conducted on HV
machine to determine service condition of the insulation. In
HV machines and winding are likely to be affected by
moisture and contamination. IP test is conducted specially to
determine the dryness and cleanliness of winding insulation.
In insulation resistance test, a high DC voltage is applied
across, conductor and ground more specifically. The voltage
is applied across the insulator. Due to this applied high DC
voltage there will be a current through the electrical
insulator. By dividing the applied voltage by this current we
get the actual resistive value of the insulator.

Say the applied high voltage is V and corresponding current through the
insulator is I.
Hence as per Ohms law the value of insulation resistance is
[math] R\;=\;\frac{V}{I}[/math]
This test is generally done by means of megger.
Megger gives required direct (dc) voltage across the insulator an it also
shows the resistive value of insulator directly in M ohm range .The megger
are generally of 500 V, 2.5 KV an 5 KV.
500 V megger are used for insulation test upto 1.1 KV rated insulation. For
high voltage transformer, other HV equipment and machines, 2.5 or 5 KV
megger are used.
As all insulators are dielectric in nature they have always a capacitive
property. Due to that, during application of voltage across the electrical

insulator, initially there will be a charging current. But after some time when
the insulator is totally charged, the capacitive charging current becomes zero
and then only resistive conductive current presents in the insulator. That is
why it is always recommended to do insulation resistance test at least for 1
minute as it is proved that charging current totally becomes zero after 1
minute.
Only measuring insulation resistance by megger for 1 minute does not always
give reliable result. As the resistive value of an electrical insulator also varies
with temperature.
This difficulty is partially solved by introducing polarity index test or in short
PI value test. The philosophy behind PI test is discussed below.
Actually when a voltage is applied across an insulator there will be a leakage
current from line to ground.
Although this leakage current is very small is in milli ampere or sometimes
in micro ampere range, but it has mainly four components.
1) Capacitive component.
2) Resistive or conductive component.
3) Surface leakage component.
4) Polarization component.
Capacitive Component

When a DC voltage is applied across in insulator, because of its dielectric

nature there will be an initial high charging current through the insulator
from line to ground. Although this current decays exponentially and becomes
zero. Generally this current exists for initial 10 seconds of the test. But it
takes nearly 60 seconds to decay totally.

Resistive or Conductive Component

This current is purely conductive in nature flows through the insulator as if

the insulator is purely resistive. This is direct flow of electrons. Every
insulator should have this component of electric current. Since in practice
every material in this universe persists some sensitive nature.
The resistive or conductive component of insulator leakage current remains
constant throughout the test.
Surface Leakage Component

Due to dust, moisture and other contaminants on the surface of the

insulator, there is one small component of leakage current through the outer
surface of the insulator.
Polarization Component

Every insulator is hygroscopic in nature. Some contaminant molecules

and mainly moisture in insulator are very polar. When an electric field is
applied across insulator the polar molecules align themselves along the
direction of electric field. The energy required for this alignment of polar
molecules, comes from voltage source in form of electric current. This
current is called polarization current. It continues until all the polar
molecules allied themselves along the direction of electric field.
It takes around 10 minutes to align the polar molecules along electric field
and that is why if we take megger result for 10 minutes, there would be no
effect of polarizing in megger result.
So when we take megger value of an insulator for 1 minute, the results
reflects, the IR value which is free from effect of capacitive component of
leakage current. Again when we take megger value of an insulator for 10
minutes, the megger result shows the 12 value, free from affects of both
capacitive component and polarization component of leakage current.
Polarization index is the ratio of megger value taken for 10 minutes to the
megger value taken for 1 minute.

The significance of polarization index test.

Let I is the total initial current during polarization index test or PI test.
IC is the capacitive current.
IR is resistive or conductive current.
IS is surface leakage current.
IP is polarization current of the insulator.
[math] Hence,\;\;I\;=\;I_C\;+\;I_R\;+\;I_S\;+\;I_P[/math]
Value of insulation resistance test or IR value test, i.e. value megger reading
just after 1 minute of the test, is[math] R_1\;=\;\frac{V}{IR\;+\;IS\;+IP}[/math]
Megger value of 10 minute test, is
[math] R_{10}\;=\;\frac{V}{I_R\;+I_S}[/math]
Therefore, result of polarization index test, is
[math] \frac{R_{10}}{R_1}\;=\;\frac{\frac{V}{I_R\;+I_S}}{\frac{V}{IR\;
+\;IS\;+IP}}\;\;=\;\frac{I_R\;+I_S\;+I_P}{I_R\;+I_S}\;\;=\;1\;+\;\frac{I_P}
{I_R\;+I_S}[/math]
From the above equation it is clear that, if the value of (I R + IS) >> IP, the PI
of insulator approaches to 1. And large IR or IS or both indicate unhealthiness
of the insulation.
Th value of IP becomes high if (I R + IS) is very small compared to I P. This
equation indicates that high polarization index of an insulator implies
healthiness of insulator. For good insulator resistive leakage current IL is
very tiny.
It is always desired to have polarization index of an electrical insulator more
than 2. It is hazardous to have polarization index less than 1.5.