Patterns of pollution on insulators: clustering by seasonal variation and exposure period

Pollution on insulators is considered the second major cause of power system outages in Mexico. For this reason, a research program was undertaken to study the problem. The authors present an analysis of field data. This approach can be used to analyze the problems found in testing sites, as well as to develop an experimentation procedure for designing future transmission and distribution installations operating in polluted ambients. As a result of the analysis, a clustering of testing sites was obtained. Each group is characterized by patterns which define the process of accumulation of contaminants on insulators. The exposure periods necessary to carry out a reliable assessment of pollution severity are given