In this paper, the different types of discharge in transformer was simulated based on the establishment of the real transformer fault model. The optical partial discharge detection system was established based on optical sensors which was capture partial discharge accompanied by optical effects. In this research, surface discharge and suspended discharge defect model was pressurized to generate partial discharge signal. The results showed that: OPDS is able to detect the emergence and development of transformer internal partial discharge, it is able to assess discharge level also. When the discharge phenomenon stabilized, OPDS detects the phase of surface discharge mainly between 60°~150°and 240°~330°, the phase of suspended discharge mainly between 260°~320°. according to the phase characteristic of discharge pattern, the creeping discharge and suspended discharge phenomenon of transformer can be distinguished. It laid the foundation for the application of transformer optical partial discharge detection technology.