Processing apparatus and method for detecting partial discharge pulses in the presence of noise signals

A method, the method comprising

• detecting an electromagnetic impulsive signal from a first area associated with an electrical object and generating a corresponding first electrical pulse representing a first detection event of the electromagnetic impulsive signal;
• detecting the electromagnetic impulsive signal from a second area associated with the electrical object and generating a second electrical pulse representing a second detection event of the electromagnetic impulsive signal;
• determining a time interval between the first detection event and the second detection event;
• comparing the determined time interval with a threshold value;
• determine that the electromagnetic impulsive signal is associated to a partial discharge pulses generated inside the electrical object between the first and second areas if the determined time interval is lower than the threshold value;
• or
• determine that the electromagnetic impulsive signal is associated to a noise signal if the determined time interval is equal to or greater than the threshold value.

A system, comprising:

• a cable system configured to transmitting a direct current signal, the cable system including a first cable portion, a second cable portion and a third portion coupled between the first cable portion and the second cable portion;
• a first detector coupled to the first portion of the cable system and configured to detect a first electromagnetic impulse adjacent to the first detector and generate a first detection signal based on the first electromagnetic impulse;
• a second detector coupled to the second cable portion of the cable system and configured to detect a second electromagnetic impulse adjacent to the second detector and generate a second detection signal based on the second electromagnetic impulse;
• and
• a control unit coupled to receive the first detection signal from the first detector at a first time point and receive the second detection signal from the second detector at a second time point and configured to determine that the first electromagnetic impulse and the first electromagnetic impulse are generated in the cable system within a range between the first detector and the second detector at least partially based on a time interval between the first time point and the second time point.