Laboratory simulation of naturally polluted high-voltage transmission line insulators

This study represents experimental techniques for testing the high-voltage polluted insulators under conditions simulating the natural environment. International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) fog method is used for testing the insulators of type π-φ-E4.5, but it does not simulate the desert pollution environments. For that reason, other two suggested techniques are added to explain the performance of the polluted insulators under dew and under simultaneous fog and dew, respectively. The leakage current bursts are recorded in each test type. Also the effect of the wetting method of the insulators under testing on the flashover voltage is investigated. The results of the three types of tests are compared with each other, under different surface layer conductivities. It is concluded that the analysis of leakage current bursts can be used to monitor the severity of pollution on the electrical network. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2014.