Lessons to Learn from Post-Installation Pollution Levels Assessment of Some Distribution Insulators

Abstract

Among the main causes of outdoor insulation failures is their poor specifications in terms of leakage distances. This happens when the selected criteria are unable to cope with all the stresses imposed by the changes in environmental pollutions. Therefore, it is important for utilities to fully understand the actual pollution characteristics of the service environment in which the insulators are operating. In this paper, the pollution severity and performance of some 13.2 kV ceramic insulators, sampled in different areas of a Canadian aluminum factory, are assessed. The investigations were performed taking into account the influence of air humidity. Various characteristics were investigated to assess the pollution levels of the insulators, such as equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD) and non-soluble deposit density (NSDD), surface resistance, and leakage current characteristics (density, 3rd harmonic amplitude, and phase). It was witnessed that the insulators, collected around the factory, were much more polluted in comparison to the initial expectation. The pollution level should not be considered static due to the environmental parameters’ dynamics. Lessons to learn: the reliability of an electrical grid is dependent on components whose own reliability is strongly affected by external factors, of which there is often a poor awareness. If care is not taken to re-evaluate the post-installation pollution levels of the insulators, the light may simply turn out!

Leakage current characteristics in estimating insulator reliability: experimental investigation and analysis

“…This improves the grid's performance and reduces the likelihood of a malfunction. The scientific community considers the study of the qualities of outdoor insulators and their long-term efficiency to be a relevant topic [12][13][14][15] .…”

Polymeric Insulator Conditions Estimation by Using Leakage Current Characteristics Based on Simulation and Experimental Investigation

“…Therefore, monitoring the condition of insulators has a significant effect on the power system stability [9,10]. The assessment of outdoor insulator properties and long-term efficiency is thus an important area of research in the science establishment [11][12][13][14].…”

Insulator Contamination Perception Based on Feature Fusion of Infrared Image and Meteorological Parameters

“…Functioning as electrical insulation and mechanical support, outdoor insulators play an important role in power systems (He et al, 2006). However, with the increasing pollution caused by gas emissions from factories and cars, bad weather like fog-haze, rain and snow conditions, the insulators are contaminated more severe and are more easily and frequently to flashover (Fofana et al, 2020;3, 2020;Dong et al, 2014;Liu et al, 2020), which can seriously endanger the safe and stable operation of power grids, and even cause huge economic losses. Therefore, it is necessary to perceive the pollution level of insulators and take measures in time.…”