Analysis of Surface Flashover of 33kV Pin Type Insulators due to Saline Pollution

Contamination-driven insulator failure is a problem that incessantly plagues distribution systems. Contamination levels can continue to grow unless abated by natural cleaning or if not taken measures to wash insulators at the distribution level in a preventative maintenance mode. In order to assess the pollution behavior, 33kV pin type insulator was selected as a sample insulator and been subjected for natural pollution at three selected localities (zone 1, 2 and 3) for considerable period. The naturally polluted insulators have been subjected for conductivity test and by which the equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD) is calculated. Subsequently, artificially contaminated insulators of different pollution severities were tested for power frequency and impulse test in the High Voltage Laboratory of University of Moratuwa. Finally, it is recommended that insulators in Zone 1 have to be treated after 8 months from the date of last treatment and those in Zone 2 & 3 to be treated after 18 months under preventive maintenance to get away from flashover. It is also recommended to review the required specific creepage distance (SCD) of insulators installed in non-polluted areas due to the fact that the current practice of insulators placement in most of the places are with SCD of 25mm/kV which is recommended for high polluted zones as per IEC regulation.