Distribution of Partial Arc Propagation Path on Insulator and Its Discrimination Method

Abstract

Pollution flashover is one of the major insulation accidents that can occur in modern power systems. If the local arc is not sufficiently elongated by the creepage distance, the flashover performance of the insulator will decrease. The insulator structure and equivalent salt deposition density (ESDD) are the main factors affecting the arc path and length. To investigate the forms of arc paths under different insulator structures and their influence on flashover characteristics, a platform for recording arc paths is established. This study presents a method to identify the pattern and distribution of insulator arc paths based on the effect of initial arc on electric field distribution. The results show that there are two main types of local arc paths between umbrellas — the cling-surface arc and the air-jump arc. Moreover, the air-jump arc includes two types — the bridging arc and the gap arc. With the increase in umbrella spacing and ESDD, the probability of arc propagation along the surface increases. The use of the creepage distance can be improved by changing the creepage coefficient to increase the distance between umbrellas. This method has over 90% accuracy. This study is of great significance for improving insulator structure and reducing pollution flashover accidents.