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INSULATORS REPORT OUTLINE

01 INTRODUCTION
PRESENTED BY:
02 DIFINITION OF AN INSULATORS
Junaid S. Manupac 03 BRIEF HISTORY
04 TYPES OF INSULATOR

INTRODUCTION WHAT IS AN INSULATORS?

The overhead line conductors should be supported on the poles or towers
in such a way that currents from conductors do not flow to earth through
supports i.e., line conductors must be properly insulated from supports.
This is achieved by securing line conductors to supports with the help of
insulators.
The insulators provide necessary insulation between line conductors and
supports and thus prevent any leakage current from conductors to earth.
An electrical insulator is a material whose
internal electric charges do not flow freely; very
little electric current will flow through it under
the influence of an electric field. This contrasts
with other materials, semiconductors and
conductors, which conduct electric current more
easily. The property that distinguishes an
insulator is its resistivity; insulators have higher
resistivity than semiconductors or conductors.

WHAT IS AN INSULATORS? WHAT DOES INSULATORS DO?

 Maintains an Air Gap
 Separates Line from Ground
technically speaking!  length of air gap depends primarily on system voltage,
modified by desired safety margin, contamination,
etc.

 An insulator is a mechanical support!  Resists Mechanical Stresses

 “everyday” loads, extreme loads
 Primary function - support the “line” mechanically
 Secondary function– electrical  Resists Electrical Stresses
 system voltage/fields, overvoltages
 Air is the insulator
 Outer shells/surfaces are designed to increase leakage  Resists Environmental Stresses
distance and strike distance  heat, cold, UV, contamination, etc.

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HISTORY INSULATOR TYPES

• For simplicity will discuss in terms of three
• Basically grew out of the needs of the telegraph
industry – starting in the late 1700s, early 1800s
broad applications:

 Distribution lines (thru 69 kV)

• Early history centers around what today we would
consider very low DC voltages  Transmission lines (69 kV and up)

• Gradually technical needs increased as AC voltages  Substations (all voltages)

grew with the development of the electric power
industry

DISTRIBUTION LINES DISTRIBUTION LINES

• 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

DISTRIBUTION LINES TRNASMISSION LINES

• 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

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SUBSTATIONS SUBSTATIONS

• 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

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