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Lecture 5a Insulators-Introduction PDF

An insulator is a mechanical support that maintains an air gap to separate energized conductors from the ground. Insulators resist mechanical, electrical, and environmental stresses. Early insulators included glass and various other materials, but porcelain and glass came to dominate. Modern insulators include ceramic (porcelain and glass) and non-ceramic types (fiberglass rods with polymer sheds). Insulator types vary depending on the application, such as distribution lines, transmission lines, and substations. Ceramic insulators are strong but brittle, while non-ceramic types are lighter and more flexible but require careful design of electric field stresses.

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98 views19 pages

Lecture 5a Insulators-Introduction PDF

An insulator is a mechanical support that maintains an air gap to separate energized conductors from the ground. Insulators resist mechanical, electrical, and environmental stresses. Early insulators included glass and various other materials, but porcelain and glass came to dominate. Modern insulators include ceramic (porcelain and glass) and non-ceramic types (fiberglass rods with polymer sheds). Insulator types vary depending on the application, such as distribution lines, transmission lines, and substations. Ceramic insulators are strong but brittle, while non-ceramic types are lighter and more flexible but require careful design of electric field stresses.

Uploaded by

wakolesha Tadeo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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“High Voltage Insulators ”

Section A – Introduction
What Is an Insulator?

ƒ An insulator is a “dam***” poor conductor!

And more, technically speaking!

ƒ An insulator is a mechanical support!


ƒ Primary function - support the “line” mechanically
ƒ Secondary function– electrical
ƒAir is the insulator
ƒOuter shells/surfaces are designed to increase
leakage distance and strike distance
What Does an Insulator Do?

ƒMaintains an Air Gap


ƒ Separates Line from Ground
ƒlength of air gap depends primarily on system voltage,
modified by desired safety margin, contamination, etc.
ƒ Resists Mechanical Stresses
ƒ“everyday” loads, extreme loads
ƒ Resists Electrical Stresses
ƒsystem voltage/fields, overvoltages
ƒ Resists Environmental Stresses
ƒheat, cold, UV, contamination, etc.
Where Did Insulators Come From?

¾Basically grew out of the needs of the telegraph


industry – starting in the late 1700s, early 1800s

¾Early history centers around what today we would


consider very low DC voltages

¾Gradually technical needs increased as AC


voltages grew with the development of the electric
power industry
History

¾Glass plates used to insulate telegraph line DC to


Baltimore

¾Glass insulators became the ”norm” soon


thereafter – typical collector’s items today

¾Many, many trials with different materials – wood –


cement – porcelain - beeswax soaked rag wrapped
around the wire, etc.

¾Ultimately porcelain and glass prevailed


History

¾ Wet process porcelain developed for high voltage


applications
¾ Porcelain insulator industry started

¾ Application voltages increased


¾ Insulator designs became larger, more complex
¾Ceramics (porcelain, glass) still only choices at
high voltages
History

¾ US trials of first “NCIs” – cycloaliphatic based


¾ Not successful, but others soon became interested
and a new industry started up

¾ Europeans develop “modern” style NCI – fiberglass


rod with various polymeric sheds
¾ Now considered “First generation”
History

¾ NCI insulator industry really begins in US with field


trials of insulators
¾ Since that time - new manufacturers, new designs,
new materials
¾NCIs at “generation X” – there have been so many
improvements in materials, end fitting designs, etc.
¾Change in materials have meant changes in line
design practices, maintenance practices, etc.
¾Ceramic manufacturers have not been idle either
with development of higher strength porcelains, RG
glazes, etc.
History

¾ Domestic manufacturing of insulators decreases,


shift to offshore (all types)

¾ Engineers need to develop knowledge and skills


necessary to evaluate and compare suppliers and
products from many different countries

¾An understanding of the basics of insulator


manufacturing, design and application is more
essential than ever before
Insulator Types

¾ For simplicity will discuss in terms of three broad


applications:

ƒ Distribution lines (thru 69 kV)

ƒ Transmission lines (69 kV and up)

ƒ Substations (all voltages)


Insulator Types

¾ Distribution lines

ƒ Pin type insulators -mainly porcelain, growing use


of polymeric (HDPE – high density polyethylene),
limited use of glass (in US at least)
ƒ Line post insulators – porcelain, polymeric
ƒ Dead end insulators – polymeric, porcelain, glass
ƒ Spool insulators – porcelain, polymeric
ƒ Strain insulators, polymeric, porcelain
Types of Insulators – Distribution
Insulator Types

¾ Transmission lines

ƒ Suspension insulators - new installations mainly


NCIs, porcelain and glass now used less frequently

ƒ Line post insulators – mainly NCIs for new lines


and installations, porcelain much less frequent now
Types of Insulators – Transmission
Insulator Types

¾ Substations

ƒ Post insulators – porcelain primarily, NCIs growing


in use at lower voltages (~161 kV and below)

ƒ Suspension insulators –NCIs (primarily), ceramic

ƒ Cap and Pin insulators – “legacy” type


Types of Insulators – Substation
Insulator Types - Comparisons

¾Ceramic ¾Non Ceramic


• Porcelain or toughened • Typically fiberglass rod with
glass rubber (EPDM or Silicone)
• Metal components fixed with sheath and weather sheds
cement • HDPE line insulator
• ANSI Standards C29.1 applications
through C29.10 • Cycloaliphatic (epoxies)
station applications, some
line applications
• Metal components normally
crimped
• ANSI Standards C29.11 –
C29.19
Insulator Types - Comparisons

¾Ceramic ¾Non Ceramic


• Materials very resistant to • Hydrophobic materials
UV, contaminant degradation, improve contamination
electric field degradation performance
• Strong in tension, weaker in
• Materials strong in compression
compression, weaker in
• Deflection under load can be
tension an issue
• High modulus of elasticity - • Lighter – easier to handle
stiff • Electric field stresses must
• Brittle, require more careful be considered
handling
• Heavier than NCIs
Insulator Types - Comparisons

¾Ceramic ¾Non Ceramic


• Generally designs are • “Material properties have
“mature” been improved – UV
resistance much improved
• Limited flexibility of for example
dimensions • Standardized product lines
• Process limitations on sizes now exist
and shapes • Balancing act - leakage
• Applications/handling distance/field stress – take
methods generally well advantage of hydrophobicity
understood • Application parameters still
being developed
• Line design implications
(lighter weight, improved
shock resistance)

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