ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION Lab 6

STUDY OF VOLTAGE DISTRIBUTION ALONG A NODAL OF

STRING OF SUSPENSION INSULATOR.

Introduction:
A suspension type string insulator consists of a number of porcelain discs connected in series through
metallic links. Suspension insulators or string insulators are very widely used in electrical overhead
transmission system. However, there is a significant thing to be considered in case of these string
insulators, known as string efficiency.

Theory:
Insulators for overhead lines are considered to be of basic importance to the transmission system, through
their ability to insulate the power lines as well as their function in carrying the weight of the line conductor.
For higher voltages, a string of suspension insulators is used where the number of insulator units used
depends on the voltages of the lines. The voltage is not equally shared between the units in a suspension
insulator string. The unequal distribution of the voltage is due to the presence of stray capacitance of the
hardware to earth and to line. Insulators, which are used for the suspension of overhead transmission lines,
constitute one of the most important parts of the transmission lines as flashover effects in insulators can
cause the breakdown of a transmission network. The calculation of the electric field and potential
distribution in and around high voltage insulators is a very important factor in the design of the insulators.
In addition, the knowledge of the electric field is useful for the detection of defects in insulators.

String Efficiency:
The Ratio of the voltage across the whole string to the product of numbers of discs and the voltage across
the disc nearest to the conductor is known as string efficiency.
Formula:

String efficiency is important for the overhead transmission line. The greater the string efficiency, the
more uniform is the voltage distribution in each disc insulator. In the ideal case, the value of string
efficiency will be 100%, but, in a normal case, it is impossible to achieve 100% string efficiency, yet effort
should be made to improve it as close to this value as possible.
 ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION Lab 6
Mathematical Expression:
Fig. shows the equivalent circuit for a 3-disc string. Let us suppose that self-
capacitance of each disc is C1, let us further assume that shut capacitance C1
is some fraction K of self –capacitance i.e., C1 =KC. Starting from the cross
–arm or tower, the voltage across unit is V1, V2, V3 respectively as shown.
 ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION Lab 6
Methods of Improving String Efficiency:
There are three different methods for improving string efficiency:
 Using longer cross arms:
It is clear from the above mathematical expression of sting efficiency that the value of string efficiency
depends upon the value of k lesser the value of k, the greater is the string efficiency. As the value of k
approaches to zero, the string efficiency approaches to 100%. The value of k can be decreased by
reducing the shunt capacitance. In order to decrease the shunt capacitance, the distance between the
insulator string and tower should be increased, i.e. longer-arms should be used. However, there is a
limit in increasing the length of cross-arms due to economic considerations.

Longer cross arms

 Grading of Insulator Disc:
In this method, voltage across each disc can be equalized by using discs with different capacitance.
For equalizing the voltage distribution, the top unit of the string must have minimum capacitance,
while the disc nearest to the conductor must have maximum capacitance. The insulator discs of
different dimensions are so chosen that each disc has a different capacitance. They are arranged in
such a way that the capacitance increases progressively towards the bottom. As voltage is inversely
proportional to capacitance, this method tends to equalize the voltage distribution across each disc.

 By Using a Guard or Grading Ring:

A guard ring or grading ring is basically a metal ring which is electrically connected to the conductor
surrounding the bottom unit of the string insulator. The guard ring introduces capacitance between
metal links and the line conductor which tends to cancel out the shunt capacitances. As a result, nearly
same charging current flows through each disc and, hence, improving the string efficiency. Grading
rings are sometimes similar to corona rings but they encircle insulators rather than conductor. The
ELECTRICAL POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION Lab 6
potential across each unit in a string can be equalized by using a guard ring which is a metal ring
electrically connected to the conductor and surrounding the bottom insulator as shown in the Figure
below. The guard ring introduces capacitance between metal fittings and the line conductor. The guard
ring is contoured in such a way that shunt capacitance currents i1, i2 etc. are equal to metal fitting line
capacitance currents i′1, i′2 etc. The result is that same charging current I flows through each unit of
string. Consequently, there will be uniform potential distribution across the units.

Guard or Grading Ring