MVP2-22 Conference Proceedings of ISEIM2011

A Study of Defective Characteristics on HVAC

Insulators for 33 kV Distribution System

Supakorn Nookuea1*, Supakit Chotigo2, Boonnua Pungsiri3

1,2,3
King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi
126 Pracha Uthit Rd., Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok
*E-mail : supakorn.noo@gmail.com

Abstract- This research compared the electrical

characteristics of insulators for 33 kV distribution system of
Provincial Electricity Authority of Thailand. The insulator
used in this present work is suspension type, class 52-1. The
breakdown voltage of defective insulators in dry and
uncontaminated condition under AC voltage is compared.
The insulators were arranged into 3 main formats: (1) three
good insulators and one broken insulator (2) two good
insulators and two broken insulators (3) one good insulator
and three broken insulators. The 1st and 3rd formats were
subdivided into four arrangements while the 2nd format was
subdivided into 6 formats depending upon the position of
good and broken insulators. Test results showed that the Fig. 1 Good insulator
value of breakdown voltage depended upon the position of
good and broken insulators. Also, the breakdown voltage of
the 2nd format with the 5th subdivision, good insulators were
at 1st (top) and 3rd positions while broken insulators were at
2nd and 4th positions, was highest. The insulator installation
for testing and its atmospheric correction factor followed
ANSI C29.1-1988.

Keyword: AC insulator, Breakdown Voltage, Defective

Insulator, HVAC
I. INTRODUCTION

At present, requirement for electrical energy tends to Fig. 2 Defective insulator

increase. Most of distribution systems in Thailand are
overhead line so insulators are needed for supporting lines
with high voltage compared to ground. Also, these insulators
were used to separate each line to be far enough from others B. Test set up and Experiment Circuit
to protect the system from breakdown or short circuit. Test circuit consists of 220 V/ 300 kV transformer, 300
kV capacitive voltage divider , 8.5 MΩ water resistance and
Therefore, in this research, the insulators used in 33 kV of
Tektronix TDS340 oscilloscope.
Provincial Electricity Authority of Thailand(PEA) were used
to investigate its defective characteristics.

II. EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

A. Test Objects
Three sets of suspension porcelain insulators class 52-1
following TIS 354-2523 were used in this present work.
Each set had 4 insulators from three different manufacturers
named as A, B and C. The good and broken insulators were
shown in Figs. 1-2 respectively. The parameters of these
insulators are shown in Table I.

Fig. 3 Test circuit

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TABLE I. PARAMETERS OF INSULATOR

Type 52-1

Company Company A Company B Company C

Configuration
height 180 182 180
h(mm)
Leakage distance
185 200 204
l(mm)

Fig.5 Insulator subdivision of the 1st format

Fig.4 Actual test circuit

1) Transformer 300 kV, 2) Voltage Divider, 3) Test Object,
4) Sphere Gap
C. Test Procedures
The insulators were arranged into 3 main formats: (1) three
good insulators and one broken insulator (2) two good Fig.6 Insulator subdivision of the 2nd format
insulators and two broken insulators (3) one good insulator
and three broken insulators. The 1st and 3rd arrangements had
4 subdivisions while the 2nd format was subdivided into six
arrangements depending upon the position of good and
broken insulators as shown in Figs.5-7. Fig.5 shows four
subdivisions of three good insulators(1st format) and one
broken insulator while figs. 6 show six subdivisions of two
good insulators and two broken insulators(2nd format) and
figs. 7 show four subdivisions of one good insulator and
three broken insulators(3rd format) respectively. In testing,
the top position of each subdivision was connected to the
ground while the bottom one was connected to HV. The
breakdown voltage U50 in this present work was measured by
successive discharge test following IEEE 4-1995[4]. It is also
corrected to the atmospheric factor following ANSI C29.1-
1988 [3].

Fig.7 Insulator subdivision of the 3rd format

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A. Results
R
III. RESULTS AND
A ANALY
YSIS
1. The 1st insulator
i formmat
Each subbdivision had different breeakdown voltaages
as shownn in Fig.8. It found that thhe 3rd subdivission
had the highest breaakdown voltaage and the 4th
subdivisiion had the loowest breakdoown voltage. This
T
result aggrees for all 3 m
manufacturerss.
2. The 2nd insulator forrmat
Each subbdivision hadd different breeakdown voltaages
as shownn in Fig.9. It found that thhe 5th subdivission
had the highest breaakdown voltaage and the 2nd
subdivision had the loowest breakdo own voltage. This
T
result aggrees for all 3 m
manufacturers.
3. The 3rd insulator
i format
In this format, the breakdown voltage of each e
subdivision is quite ssimilar as shoown in Fig.100. It
can be seen that the 2nd and 3rd su ubdivisions haad a
bit higheer breakdownn than that off the 1st and 4th
Figg. 8 Breakdow o the 1st insulator
wn voltage of subdivisions of subdivisions. Again, this result agrees
a for alll 3
forrmat manufaccturers.

B. Analysis
A

Fig. 9 Breakkdown voltagge of subdivisiions of the 2ndd

insulatoor format
g.11 The electtric field distriibution of as th
Fig he 5th subform
mat
nd
of the 2 arrrangement

Fig. 10 Breaakdown voltagge of subdivisiions of the 3rdd t

insulatoor format

Fig he 6th subform

g.12 The electtric field distriibution of as th mat
nd
of the 2 arrrangement

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From experimental results, it can indicate that the

insulator format plays an important role for the breakdown
voltage as the breakdown voltage of the insulator which has
good and broken insulators placed alternately is higher than
that of other cases. This may be explained by its more
uniform voltage distribution as can be seen from Figs.11-12.
It shows that when the broken insulator is placed near the HV
side such as the 5th subformat of the 2nd arrangement give
the electric field more uniform than that when the good
insulator is near the HV side, as the 6th subformat of the 2nd
arrangement. With more uniform electric field, the
breakdown voltage is higher.

IV. CONCLUSION

1. The breakdown voltage of defective insulators

depends upon the number of good and broken
insulators and the positions of its good and broken
insulators.
2. The 3rd subformat of the 1st arrangement and The
5th subformat of the 2nd arrangement has more
uniform field distribution than others so it has the
highest breakdown voltage while in all subformats
of the 3rd arrangement which has only one good
insulator, the breakdown voltage is almost the same.
3. From, the results, it can be said that the electric field
distribution plays an important role for the breakdown
voltage.

V. REFERENCES
[1] I. A. Yanaguizawa, L. R. P. Leite, A. H. Shinohara, Memher,
IEEE, G. J. V. Xavier and D. A. MacielStudy of Electrical
Breakdown Voltage in a Partially Damaged Glass Insulators
Chain with Polycarbonate ProtectorsI. IEEUPES Transmission &
Distribution Conference & Exposition: Latin America, pp. 1-4,
2004.
[2] L. R. P. Leite(1), J. A. Yanaguizawa(1), A. H. Shinohara(1), E.
G. Costa(2), G. J. V. Xavier(3) and D.A. Maciel (3)
Experimental Study of Electrical Breakdown Voltage of a Glass
Insulator Strings with Different.
[3] ESMOL Subcommittee 15.07, “Minimum number of good
(healthy)porcelain or glass insulator units in a string for live
work”, IEEETransl. on Power Delivery, vol. 17, pp. 809-814,
July 2002.Numbers of Broken Units, pp. 291-294, 2008.
[4] ANSI Standard C29.1-1988 , American National Standard for
test method for electrical power insulator.
[5] IEEE Standard Techniques for High-Voltage Testing, IEEE
Std.-4,1995.
[6] IEC 60052, 2002, Voltage measurement by means of standard air
gaps, Thai Industrial Standards Institute, Ministry of Industry.

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