Examination of Surface Tracking on Polyurethane Foam Insulators

Abstract

In this research, life time of foam insulation materials was tested and surface degradation of foam insulators was investigated ASTM D2303 test conditions. Surface tracking on organic solid insulators is one of the main reasons for failure in high voltage systems. Due to various factors, such as humidity, pollution, ice load, increase in local voltage, it is hard to estimate the lifetime of an insulator. To determine the model parameters, several tests are performed according to the ASTM D2303 accelerated inclined plane tracking test method by investigating the breakdown times of polyurethane foam under various external conditions generated artificially in the laboratory. Foam insulation materials have to suffer several degradation mechanisms throughout their service life under high voltage. Surface tracking is one of these severe mechanisms which can lead to a total breakdown of the insulator.