The effect of industrial environmental conditions on the performance of conventional and polymeric insulators

This paper introduces the characteristics of outdoor conventional and polymeric insulators subjected to natural pollution conditions near industrial areas in Egypt. The wetting property, flashover characteristics, as well as the insulators´ hydrophobicity are thoroughly investigated for porcelain and silicone rubber insulators exposed to fertilizer pollution for about two years. Test results show that silicone rubber insulators keep the pollution layer longer than porcelain insulators. Moreover. Noticeable reduction in the contact angle is noticed for silicone rubber insulators. The electrical performance of the polluted insulators was affected by exposure to fertilizer pollution. However, after washing, silicone rubber insulators still have superior performance in flashover voltage compared to porcelain insulators