APPLICATIONS OF

INSULATING MATERIAL
•All electrical systems require some kind of
insulation to prevent short circuits and leaking
currents.
•3 forms of insulators: solid, liquid and gaseous
•Performance of these insulators depend on the
temperature
•Classification according to their temperature
rating:
• Temperature Classification for Insulating Materials
• Application of Insulating Materials in electrical apparatus:
 In Power Transformer
 In Rotating Machines
 In Circuit Breaker
 In Power Capacitors
 In High Voltage bushing
 In Small Machines
• Insulating material must be able to withstand electrical
stresses, in addition to it should be able to withstand certain
other stress namely during manufacture, storage and
operation.

•The performance of the insulation depends on its operating

temperature. The higher temperature, the higher will be the
rate of its chemical deterioration.
The insulating materials are grouped into different classes
with temperature limit :
APPLICATIONS IN POWER
TRANSFORMER
 There are four principal areas where insulation
must be applied

(a) conductor or turn-to-turn insulation,

(b) coil-to-coil insulation,

(c) low voltage coil-to-earth insulation,

(d) high voltage coil-to-low voltage coil

insulation, and

(e) high voltage coil-to-ground

insulation.
APPLICATIONS IN POWER TRANSFORMERS

The Transformer insulation is divided into:

a) Conductor or turn to turn insulation;
•using directly organic enamel on conductor for smaller
rating.
•Using paper or glass type wrapped on the rectangular
conductors.
b) Coil to coil insulation,
•Kraft paper is used in smaller transformer
•Pressboard, glass fabric, or porcelain are used in the
case of higher rating transformer.
c) Low voltage coil to earth insulation,
Normally consist of solid tubes combined with liquid or
gas filled spaces.
The liquid or gas in the spaces help to remove the heat
from the core and coil structure and also help to improve
the insulation strengths
d) Low voltage coil to low voltage coil insulation,
Generally of the insulation system used in oil-filled
transformers consist of oil impregnated pressboard.
e) High voltage coil to ground insulation,
Same at c.
 Transformer Oil
•provides the required dielectric strength and insulation
•cools the transformer by circulating itself through the core and the coil
structure.
•should be in the liquid state over the complete operating range of temperatures
between -40°C and+50°C.
•The oil gets oxidized when exposed to oxygen at high temperatures
•formation of peroxides, water, organic acids and sludge, which cause
chemical deterioration of the paper insulation and the metal parts of the
transformer.
•sludge being heavy, reduces the heat transfer capabilities of the oil, and
also forms as a heat insulating layer on the
•coil structure, the core and the tank walls.
•the effects of oxidation are minimized by designing them such that access to
oxygen itself is limited.
•sealed transformers
•filling with nitrogen gas,
•providing oxygen absorbers like activated clay or alumina
13
•arc discharge inside a transformer decomposes the oil and causes explosions
APPLICATIONS IN ROTATING
MACHINES
•2 types of rotating machine:
•low voltage machines: up to 6,600 V , class E or F insulation
•high voltage machines: 6,600 V and up, Class F insulation
•machines above 22 kV rating are not built except under special
conditions.
• Insulation that has been used for machines are mica.
•Mica available in the form of very thin splitting.
•The selection of the right material depends on the power rating and the
conditions under which it operates.
•Polyester film with or without impregnation being used for slot insulation.
•A Particularly important of the machines are the insulation of rotors and
stators.
•The main insulation of the stators have always been mica based.
•For the support between the winding bars, slots and the core
lamination , glass fiber reinforced epoxy is used.
APPLICATIONS IN CIRCUIT
BREAKER
•A circuit breaker: a switch which automatically opens the circuit when a
critical current or voltage rating is exceeded.
•AC currents are considerably easier to interrupt than DC currents.
•AC current interruption sequence:
1) an arc for part of the metallic circuit
2) its deionization when the current goes through zero, so that the arc
will not form again.

•Circuit breakers categories: the low voltage and high voltage types.

•Low voltage breakers

use synthetic resin moldings to carry the metallic parts.
for higher temperatures ceramic parts are used.
if the arc is likely to come into contact with molded parts, melanine or
some special kind of alkyd resins are used because of their greater arc
resistance.
•High voltage breakers: air circuit breakers and oil circuit breakers.
many insulating fluids are suitable for arc extinction
the choice depends on the rating and type of the circuit breaker.
commonly used insulating fluids:
-- atmospheric air,
-- compressed air,
-- high vacuum,
-- SF6 and
-- oil (transformer oil) (interrupts the arc)
-- Askarels produce large quantities of toxic and corrosive
products.

•The circuit breaker bushings of lower voltage ratings may consist of

solid cylinders of porcelain and shellac or resin treated paper wrapped
on the current carrying electrode.
•High voltage bushings of voltages of 66 kV and above are filled with
oil.
APPLICATIONS IN CABLES
•Synthetic rubbers and plastics are used as cable
insulation.
•The insulator should have
good elongation and tensile strength and toughness to
withstand handling during installation and
service.
low dielectric constant and power factor
high dielectric strength and insulation resistance.
excellent resistance to ageing at high temperatures.
resistance to long exposure to sunlight and various
chemicals.
•High voltage cables also give rise to ozone and the
insulation will deteriorate in its presence. This is particularly
severe for the insulation near the conductors.
•Underwater applications require very low water absorption
for the insulator.
•At low temperature the insulation should not become stiff
and brittle.
•The partial discharges in the cable insulation should also
be kept as low as possible.
The main type of insulations used in the cable industries
are paper, rubber, plastic and compressed gas.
Paper insulated lead sheathed cables are still used
because of the reliability, high dielectric strength, low
dielectric loss, and long life.
Low and medium voltage (up to 3.3 kv), polyvinylchloride
(PVC), Polyethylene and cross-linked Polyethylene (XLPE)
is most used.
PVC is not suitable for high voltage because High dielectric
constant and high loss
Polyethylene has low dielectric constant and low loss but
high dielectric strength.
The best material for high voltage and high temperature is
teflon (PTFE) which can be employed up to 250 0C
3.6/6 ~ 18/30kV XLPE/DSTA/PVC Power Cable

1-Conductor
2-Conductor shielding
( Semi-conducting layer )
3-Insulation
4-Insulation shielding
( Semi-conducting layer )
5-Metallic shielding
6-Fillers
7-Binder tape
8-Separation sheath
9-Steel tape armour
10-Outer sheath
PVC INSULATED CABLES