Optical monitor for contamination on HV insulator surfaces

Author

Mahmoud, Fadi ; Azzam, R.M.A.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., New Orleans Univ., LA, USA

Volume

4

Issue

1

fYear

1997

fDate

2/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

33

Lastpage

38

Abstract

Ellipsometry is used to monitor naturally deposited contamination films on HV electrical power insulators that are used in overhead transmission lines and substations. Good correlation is found between the conventional ESDD (equivalent salt deposit density) method of measuring contamination and an ellipsometrically determined optical thickness of that contamination. The technique relies completely on the state of polarization of light reflected from the surface of a ZnSe witness piece which is placed on or close to the power insulator. Such a technique results in the thickness and refractive index of the deposited contaminant. The severity of contamination is then known by the value of the measured film thickness. Three patches of witness pieces were placed in the Labarre substation in New Orleans, LA. Comparison between conventional ESDD and ellipsometric measurements showed good agreement

Keywords

ellipsometry; insulation testing; insulator contamination; substation insulation; surface contamination; ESDD measurement; HV electrical power insulator; Labarre substation; ZnSe; ZnSe witness piece; ellipsometry; equivalent salt deposit density; film thickness; optical monitoring; overhead transmission line; reflected light polarization; refractive index; surface contamination; Ellipsometry; Insulation; Monitoring; Optical films; Optical refraction; Optical variables control; Pollution measurement; Substations; Surface contamination; Thickness measurement;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1070-9878

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/94.590863

Filename

590863