Technical Glossary Dielectric dissipation factor

[Dielectric dissipation factor]

The dielectric dissipation factor is the degree of electrical energy loss in an insulator and is a standard used to evaluate its performance as an insulator.
Applying alternating voltage to an insulator causes a phenomenon called dielectric loss where a portion of the electrical energy in an insulator is changed to heat energy because particles are vibrating (a type of resistance) , and heat is produced. The dielectric loss tangent (ratio of the charged current and current lost) is used as a standard for the degree of electrical energy loss in this event. With an ideal insulator, the electrical energy loss would be 0, so having a small dielectric dissipation factor is preferred for an insulator.
In addition, this value is dependent on the applied frequency and temperature, so the individual dielectric dissipation factor is given in a test by changing the frequency.