Performance of nonceramic insulators under tropical field conditions

Author

Fernando, M.A.R.M. ; Gubanski, S.M.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Power Eng., Chalmers Univ. of Technol., Goteborg, Sweden

Volume

15

Issue

1

fYear

2000

fDate

1/1/2000 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

355

Lastpage

360

Abstract

This paper presents the results of investigations on the performance of nonceramic insulators in tropical field conditions. Six different types of 33 kV insulators (silicone rubber, EPDM composite, porcelain, and RTV coated porcelain) were installed at six different test sites exposed to marine, industrial and clean environments in Sri Lanka and Tanzania. The visual scrutiny, hydrophobicity class (HC) and surface conductivity were used for the evaluation of the field performance. The silicone rubber and RTV coated insulators preserved the hydrophobic properties although some biological growth was found on them. The EPDM insulators showed distinct surface changes. At the same time, damage due to dry-band arcing appeared on the porcelain insulators exposed to marine pollution

Keywords

electric breakdown; ethylene-propylene rubber; insulator contamination; insulator testing; porcelain insulators; silicone rubber; silicone rubber insulators; 33 kV; EPDM composite; RTV coated porcelain; Sri Lanka; Tanzania; biological growth; dry-band arcing damage; hydrophobicity class; insulator breakdown testing; nonceramic insulator performance; porcelain; silicone rubber; surface conductivity; tropical field conditions; visual scrutiny; Coatings; Humidity; Plastic insulation; Pollution; Polymers; Porcelain; Rubber; Surface cleaning; Surface contamination; Temperature;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Power Delivery, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0885-8977

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/61.847273

Filename

847273