Field-dependent pollution model under polluted environments for outdoor polymeric insulators

Abstract

In-depth understanding of the pollution problems such as dry bands and the polymeric aging process requires better determination of electric field strength and its distribution over the polymeric surface. To determine the electric field distribution over the insulator surface, this research proposes utilizing a novel approach model based on nonlinear electrical characteristics derived from experimental results for polluted polymer insulators. A case study was carried out for a typical 11 kV polymeric insulator to underline the merits of this new modeling approach. The developments of the proposed pollution model and the subsequent computational works are described in detail. The study is divided into two main stages; laboratory measurements and computer simulations. In the first stage, layer conductance tests were carried out to develop nonlinear field-dependent conductivity for the pollution modeling. In the second part, equipotential and electric field distributions along the leakage were computed using the finite element method (FEM). Comparative field studies showed that the simulation using the proposed dynamic pollution model results in more detailed and realistic field profiles around insulators. This may be useful to predict the formation of dry bands and the initiation of electrical discharges on the polymeric surface.