LOVELY PROFESSIONAL

UNIVERSITY

ANKUSH KAITH
B.TECH(EEE)5TH SEM.
ROLL NO. RM6803B38
REGD
NO.10804447(LIT)

TERM PAPER
Topic : ” Types of line insulators ”

Submitted to: Mr. Krishan Arora

D.O.S: 11 Nov. 2010

INTRODUCTION
This chapter describes the different
types of overhead line and substation
insulators, their design
What Is an Insulator?
 An insulator is a “dam***”
poor conductor!
And more, technically speaking!

 An insulator is a mechanical
support!

 Primary function -
support the “line”
mechanically

 Secondary function–
electrical

 Air is the insulator

characteristics and their application.
Conductors are attached to  Outer shells / surfaces
their support by means of an insulator are designed to increase
unit. For overhead lines up to 33 kV leakage distance and
and for outdoor substation equipment,
the insulator is typically of the post strike distance
insulator type. For overhead lines
above 33 kV and substation aerial
What Does an Insulator Do?
conductor busbars, suspension or  Maintains an Air Gap
tension cap and pin or long rod
insulator units are employed.  Separates Line from
Insulators must be capable of Ground
supporting the conductor under the
most onerous loading conditions. - length of air gap depends
In addition, voltage flashover primarily on system voltage,
must be prevented under the worst
weather and pollution situations with modified by desired safety
leakage currents kept to negligible margin, contamination, etc.
proportions.
  Resists Mechanical
Stresses
- “everyday” loads, extreme
loads
 Resists Electrical
Stresses
- system voltage/fields,
overvoltages
 Resists Environmental
Stresses
- heat, cold, UV, contamination,
etc.
Where Did Insulators Come
From?
*Basically grew out of the needs of
the telegraph industry – starting in
the late 1700s, early 1800s
*Early history centers around what
today we would consider very low DC
voltages
*Gradually technical needs increased
as AC voltages grew with the
development of the electric power
industry
Insulator Types
For simplicity will discuss in
terms of three broad
applications:
1. Distribution lines (thru 69
kV)
2. Transmission lines (69 kV
and up)
3. Substations (all voltages)
1. Distribution lines
*Pin type insulators -mainly
porcelain, growing use of polymeric
(HDPE – high density polyethylene),
limited use of glass (in US at least)
*Line post insulators – porcelain,
polymeric
*Dead end insulators – polymeric,
porcelain, glass
*Spool insulators – porcelain,
polymeric
*Strain insulators, polymeric,
porcelain
Types of Insulators – Distribution
 2. Transmission lines
*Suspension insulators - new
installations mainly NCIs,
porcelain and glass now used
less frequently
*Line post insulators – mainly
NCIs for new lines and
installations, porcelain much
less frequent now
Types of Insulators – Transmission

3. Substations

* Post insulators – porcelain

primarily, NCIs growing in use
at lower voltages (~161 kV and
below)
*Suspension insulators –NCIs
(primarily), ceramic
*Cap and Pin insulators –
“legacy” type
Types of Insulators – Substation

Line insulators
Line insulator is a material that very
poor conductor of electricity. The
insulating material is usually a
ceramic or fiberglass when used in
the transmission line and is designed
to support a conductor physically and
to separate it electrically from other
conductors and supporting material.

Design and manufacturing care is

taken to ensure smooth electrical
stress loading and mechanical
integrity of line insulators:

1. Insulation materials may only

be drilled or cored parallel
sided, and may only be hot-
punched at forging
temperatures
2. Sharp radii of curvature shall
be avoided to reduce electrical
stress. In practice, this also
means that porcelain insulators
will be glazed and free from
rough particles and unevenness
. Glass insulators will be free
from internal bubbles .
that allow partial discharge
and put the insulator at risk of
explosion and failure.
porcelain, glass, plastic, polymer, or
wood that is formed into a shape that
will isolate a wire from a physical
support (or "pin") on a telegraph,
utility pole or other structure, provide
a means to hold the insulator to the
pin, and provide a means to secure
the conductor to the insulator. By
contrast to a strain insulator, the pin
insulator is directly connected to the
supporting pole. Pin insulators
continue in production with
manufacturers worldwide.
The pin insulator is designed to
secure the conductor to itself. The
most common way to do this is to use
a wire to tie the conductor to the
insulator. Another method is to design
the insulator with self-typing features
such as complex slots and grooves
formed into the insulator. Finally, for
heavy conductors, gravity can be used
to hold the conductor in place.
Pin insulators are almost always
deployed in the open air, so isolation
when wet is a major consideration.
To combat this problem, pin
insulators feature extra skirts or wide
shells to increase the surface distance
between the conductor and the pin.

2. Suspension type
insulator
Single Suspension insulator:
The suspension insulator, as its name
implies, is suspended from the
crossarm and has the line conductor
fastened to the lower end. It is
designed for ease of linking units
together. Linking of these insulators
gives you the versatility of ordering
one insulator to be used with varying
voltages
Inner Diagram of Suspension
insulator
3. Strain type Insulator
The strain insulator looks exactly like
the suspension insulator but is
designed to hold much heavier
physical loads. Strain insulators are
used when a pull must be carried as
well as insulation provided.Such
places occur whenever a line is dead-
ended, at comers, at sharp curves, at
extra long spans, at river crossings,
or in mountainous country. In such
places the insulator must not only be
a good insulator electricallybut it
also must have sufficient mechanical
strength to counterbalance the forces
due to tension of the line conductors.
Use of strain insulator:
Strain insulators are typically used
outdoors in overhead wiring. In this
environment they are exposed to rain
and in urban settings, pollution. As a
practical matter, the shape of the
insulator becomes critically
important, since a wetted path from
one cable to the other can create a
low-resistance electrical path.
Strain insulators intended for
horizontal mounting therefore
incorporate flanges to shed water,
and strain insulators
4. Egg or stay insulater
Effects:
What is Corona?
Corona, also known as partial
discharge, is a type of localized
emission resulting from transient
gaseous ionization in an insulation
system when the voltage stress, i.e.,
voltage gradient, exceeds a critical
value. The ionization is usually
localized over only a portion of the
distance between the electrodes of the
system. Corona can occur within
voids in insulators as well as at the
conductor/insulator interface.
Corona Effects
The presence of corona can reduce
the reliability of a system by
degrading insulation. While corona is
a low energy process, over long
periods of time, it can substantially
degrade insulators, causing a system
to fail due to dielectric breakdown.
The effects of corona are cumulative
and permanent, and failure can occur
without warning. Corona causes:
1. Light
2. Ultraviolet radiation
3. Sound (hissing, or cracking as
caused by explosive gas
expansions)
4. Ozone
5. Nitric and various other acids
6. Salts, sometimes seen as white
powder deposits
 7. Other chemicals, depending on
the insulator material
8. Mechanical erosion of surfaces
by ion bombardment
9. Heat (although generally very
little, and primarily in the
insulator)
10. Carbon deposits, thereby
creating a path for severe
arcing.
Advantages of line insulator
1. Energy Efficiency
Unlike conductors, insulators are
poor transmitters of heat. This
characteristic explains why wall
insulators are energy-efficient.
They slow down the rate of heat
transfer and restrain heat within
the house as long as possible;
hence, there is less of a need to
use energy to achieve and
maintain a comfortable room
temperature, especially during
winter. Since wall insulators
prevent heat loss, they save on
energy costs. Wall insulators also
prevent the penetration of too
much heat from the external
environment, which is especially
useful during summer.
2.Friendly to the Environment
Wall insulation is normally made up
of air barriers, vapor retarders and
thermal bridges--all of which
contribute to preventing heat from
escaping through the walls of homes.
By reducing heat loss, as well as cool
air that is lost during the summer,
wall insulation reduces emissions to
the environment by reducing the use
of heaters and air conditioners, which
helps to reduce electricity
consumption. As the majority of
power plants that produce electricity
also produce carbon dioxide,
lowering energy consumption can
reduce pollution. According to Green
Street, "Wall insulation can reduce
heat loss by up to 40% through cavity
walls and up to 60% through solid
walls. It is therefore one of the most
important energy-saving measures to
consider."
3.Noise Reduction
Insulating walls also reduce noise.
Insulators between walls act as
absorbers and barriers to decrease
noise being carried to adjoining
rooms.
Disadvantages of line insulator
1. Rain Penetration
According to the Building Research
Establishment, cavity wall insulation
does not totally prevent rainwater
from penetrating the "outer leaf of
masonry." The rainwater creates
moisture which then causes
"dampness on internal finishes."
 2. Health Risks Refrances
*Bullers of Milton Sue Taylor,
Some materials used for wall
Churnet Valley Books.
insulation pose health risks. Asbestos,
for example, has been known to cause
mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer, *Grigsby, Leonard L. (2001). The
and gastrointestinal tract cancers. Electric Power Engineering
Fiberglass, a commonly used Handbook
material for insulation, can cause
skin allergies due to the chemicals
used to bind the fibers together. *Bernhard, Frank (1921). EMF
Electrical Year Book
In addition, styrene, a foam insulator, ---------------------------
can cause health risks---ranging from
eye and respiratory irritation to
possible effects on the liver and the
reproductive system.

Conclusion:
* Polymeric insulators have proved
itself in many locations through the
worlds as very good insulator against
contamination

*Silicone rubber insulating material

is considered through laboratory
evaluation and field experience as the
most suitable for HV application in
harsh environment

*The construction of the polymeric

insulator, type of shed material, end
fitting, fiber glass rod and
manufacturing process are decisive
factors in the overall insulator
performance