The research reported in this paper deals with the potential of detecting non-simultaneous operation in on-load tap-changer (OLTC) using an acoustic emission method. Tests conducted under laboratory conditions were carried out using an OLTC model. Three transducers with different characteristics were used: WD 17 AH, D9241A, and R15α, alongside oscillography as the reference method. The use of two new descriptors in the time domain was proposed. The feasibility of detecting the defect with different piezoelectric transducers was investigated. As a result of the analysis of the results, it was found that each piezoelectric transducer can identify nonsimultaneous operation of the switch. The most significant changes in descriptor values occurred in the time domain, and the most effective transducer turned out to be R15α.

In vibration control with piezoceramics, a high coupling of the piezoelement with the structure is desired. A high coupling improves the damping performance of passive techniques like shunt damping. The coupling can be influenced by a the material properties of the piezoceramics, but also by the placement within the structure and the size of the transducer. Detailed knowlegde about the vibration behavior of the structure is required for this. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the optimal shape of piezoelectric elements. General results for one-dimensional, but inhomogeneos strain distribution are provided. These results are applied to the case of a longitudinal transducer and a bending bimorph. It is obtained that for maximum coupling, only a certain fracture of the volume should be made of piezoelectric material&

The purpose of this work is to present a theoretical analysis of top orthogonal to bottom arrays of conducting electrodes of infinitesimal thickness (conducting strips) residing on the opposite surfaces of piezoelectric slab. The components of electric field are expanded into double periodic Bloch series with corresponding amplitudes represented by Legendre polynomials, in the proposed semi-analytical model of the considered two-dimensional (2D) array of strips. The boundary and edge conditions are satisfied directly by field representation, as a result. The method results in a small system of linear equations for unknown expansion coefficients to be solved numerically. A simple numerical example is given to illustrate the method. Also a test transducer was designed and a pilot experiment was carried out to illustrate the acoustic-wave generating capabilities of the proposed arrangement of top orthogonal to bottom arrays of conducting strips.