Insulation

Contents:
 Introduction to Insulation
 Causes of Insulation Failure
 Properties of insulating Materials
 Types of Insulation
 Total Current in Insulation Testing
 Insulation Testing
 Types of Insulation Testing
Insulation:
 Insulation refers to something which isolate two different things from one another. It works as a border between
two things.
 Causes of Insulation Failure:
 Electrical Stress
 Mechanical Stress
 Temperature Variation
 Environmental Contamination
 Aging
Properties of Insulation Material
 Knowledge of Properties of Insulation is the most powerful tool in the selection of right insulating material for
proper use. The properties can be classified as:
 Electrical Properties
 Thermal Properties
 Chemical Properties
 Mechanical Properties
Types of Insulation
 There are three main types of insulation:
 Solid Insulation
 Gaseous Insulation
 Liquid Insulation
Solid Insulation
 Clay (ceramic)(porcelain) - This is the standard material for high voltage and RF insulators.
 Plastics - PVC, Cresyl Pthalate, DEHP and other plastics replaced rubber as an insulator for wires and other
parts. PVC and nylon are now standard in most types of wire. 
 Fiber Glass (silica, soda ash and limestone) - This material worked fine for telegraph and other low voltage
apparatus. It is still used today to some degree. 
 Paper/Cardboard - paper and cardboard are used as insulators in certain circumstances as these materials are
cheap and can work in situations without high heat or high voltages. 
 Mica - This is a good stable material shaped for electrical components . I is very important for the most common
types of capacitors. 
 Teflon (PTFE) - (polytetrafluoroethylene) - Slippery, durable and resistant to corrosion made this material used
in cable jackets.
 Tapes - Different Insulating tapes are also using in the insulation of conductor cables and at splices and
terminals.
Gaseous Insulation
 Dielectric gases are also used as electrical insulators in high voltage applications, e.g. transformers, circuit
breakers , switchgears etc.
 Most of the electrical apparatus use air as the Insulating medium.
 In a few cases other gases such nitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2), Freon (CC12F2) and Sulphur hexafluoride
(SF6) are also used.
Liquid Insulation
 Dielectric liquids are used as electrical insulators in high voltage applications, e.g. transformers, capacitors, high
voltage cables, and switchgear .
 Its function is to provide electrical insulation, suppress corona and arcing, and to serve as a coolant.
 Commonly used liquids for insulation are Mineral oil, castor oil , silicone oil , Benzene , purified water , liquid
hydrogen etc.
Insulation Testing
 A regular program of testing insulation resistance is strongly recommended to prevent electrical shocks, assure safety of
personnel and to reduce or eliminate down time.
 It helps to detect deterioration of insulation in order to schedule repair work such as: vacuum cleaning, steam cleaning, drying
and rewinding.
 It is also helpful when evaluating the quality of the repairs before the equipment is put back into operation.
Total Current in Insulation Testing
 The total current that flows through the insulation material during test is the result of three different
components:
 Capacitive Current
 Absorption Current
 Leakage Current
Cont….
Capacitive Current:
The initial burst of Current that occurs when voltage is applied to a conductor is called Capacitive current. It
typically starts out high and then drops quickly once the conductor is fully charged.

Absorption Current:
The motion of charges between the conductor and insulation due to opposite polarity in insulation is called
Absorption Current. Like capacitive current, absorption current also starts out high and then drops. However, it falls
at a much slower rate.

Leakage Current:
The small, steady current present both through and over insulation is called leakage current. An increase in leakage
current over time is usually an indication of damaged or poor insulation.
Cont….
Types of Insulation Testing
 There are two main types of insulation Tests:
 Dielectric Test
 Insulation Resistance measurement Test
Dielectric Test/Proof Test/ Hipot Test
 It is an important step in the installation of new machinery.
 High Voltages applied.
 It is pass/Fail test.
 Destructive test.
Insulation Resistance (IR) Test
 It measures the quality of the insulation Between two conductors.
 Less voltages than Dielectric test voltages are applied during test.
 Non Destructive Test.
 Routine Test.
Types of IR Test:
 Short Time/Spot Reading Measurement Test.
 Time Resistance Method Test.
 Dielectric Absorption Ratio (DAR) Test.
 Polarization Index Test.
 Dielectric Discharge (DD) Test.
 Step Voltage Test.
Short time/Spot Reading Measurement Test
 Simple and Short Time test.
 Rough guide for insulation Quality.
 Fluctuations in reading due to temperature and Humidity.
Time Resistance Method Test
 Fairly Independent of temperature.
 Take Successive readings at specific times and note the differences.
 Test would display continual increase in resistance over a period of time if insulation is good and vice versa.
Dielectric Absorption Ratio (DAR) Test
 Insulation resistance readings are taken at 30-sec and 60-sec.
 Ratio of 60-sec reading to 30-sec reading gives Dielectric absorption Ratio.

DAR =
Polarization Index Test
 In this test IR measurements are taken at one minute and 10 minute.
 The ratio of 10 minute reading to 1 minute reading gives polarization index.

PI =
Dielectric Discharge Test
 Reabsorption Test
 The dielectric discharge test measures the discharge current, 60 seconds after the insulation test is finished.
 More Reliable than DAR or PI Test.
 Mostly Applied to Multi-layer Insulation.


Mathematically , DD =
 A low DD value indicates good insulation while high DD value means contaminated or poor insulation.
Step Voltage Test
 It involves the insulation testing at two or more voltages and comparing the results.
 Good insulation will show relatively consistent resistance reading regardless of the voltage applied.
 On the other hand, contaminated or brittle insulation shows drop in resistance level as the voltage level
increases.
 If there is 25% or more difference between the IR measurement at low and high test voltages then it indicates
the poor insulation.
 Typically performed for 60 seconds for each applied test voltage.