Bruce S. Bernstein

Recent progress in understanding water treeing phenomena

Several areas where recent progress has occurred in understanding water treeing are reviewed; propagation rate evaluations, distinguishing between initiation and propagation, the influence of antioxidant and voltage stabilizers, and evaluating clustered water. The necessity for distinguishing between initiation (which encompasses the induction period) and prop gation events is emphasized. Some commonalities in pre-partial discharge events for both electrical and water treeing are suggested, along with a definition of tree initiation. Potential roles of antioxidant and water on tree initiation are reviewed. The possibility of antioxidant clusters serving as pro-oxidants rather than anti-oxidants are also discussed.

Assessment of self-healing polymer technology for utility overhead applications

Recent studies in the polymer and polymer-composite literature have focused on technology to facilitate self-healing of epoxy polymers that crack on aging, for which no outside intervention is necessary. The self-healing process is referred to as autonomic healing. The concept of self-healing is not new, but healing without the necessity of outside action to facilitate the process is novel. The state of the technology as of the time of this study is reviewed, and the suitability for utility applications is the focus of this paper.

Tribute to Professor John Tanaka

John Tanaka retired as Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine in December 2001 and now holds the title of Editor Emeritus. John had been Editor-in-Chief since 1987. As President of the DEIS when EI was first published, John has to be considered the father of EI. A brief review of his accomplishments and several individual tributes from past society officers are given.

Advances in Transmission and Distribution Technology

Efforts are being made to improve every aspect of equipment and operating system designs, to develop new and greater advances in transmission and distribution technology.

ASTM procedures for measurement of water vapor transmission through polymer films

Two ASTM procedures for estimating the transmission of water vapor through polymer films are compared: ASTM Standard D-1653, Standard Test Methods for Water Vapor Transmission of Organic Coating Films, and ASTM Standard E-96, Standard Test Methods for Water Vapor Transmission of Materials. Both have been identified as recognized methods for estimating performance. The objective is to ascertain whether the results yielded by the two methods should be comparable to one another.<<ETX>>