Determination of Deterioration and Damage of Porcelain Insulators in Power Transmission Line Through Mechanical Analysis

Abstract

Porcelain insulators have been used for a long time in 154 kV power transmission lines. They are likely to be exposed to sudden failure because of product deterioration. This study was conducted to evaluate the quality of porcelain insulators. After stresses were applied, the damaged regions of aged insulators were investigated in terms of chemical composition, material structure, and other properties. For porcelain insulators that were in service for a long time, the mechanical failure load was 126 kN, whereas the average mechanical failure load was 167.3 kN for new products. It was also determined that corrosion occurred at the metal pin part due to the penetration of moisture into the gap between the pin and the ceramic. Statistical analyses of failure were performed to identify the portion of the insulators that were broken. Cristobalite porcelain insulators fabricated without alumina additives had a high failure rate of 54% for the porcelain component. In the case of the addition of Alumina (Al2O3) to the porcelain insulators to improve the strength of the ceramic component, a more frequent damage rate of the cap and pin of 73.3% and 27%, respectively, was observed. This study reports on the material component of SiO2 and the percentage of alumina added, with respect to the mechanical properties of porcelain insulators.