Comparison of DC Pollution Flashover Performances of Various Types of Porcelain, Glass, and Composite Insulators

Based on the artificial pollution tests, the flashover performance of various types of DC porcelain and glass suspension insulators as well as composite long-rod insulators were analyzed and compared. The test results show that there is a nearly linear relation between the pollution flashover voltage and the disc-type insulator string length. The flashover voltage gradients of the insulators are affected by their materials and shed shapes. The antipollution performances of glass insulators are superior to those of porcelain insulators with the same profile. The flashover voltage gradients of composite insulators are higher than those of porcelain or glass ones. The exponent characterizing the influence of salt deposit density on the pollution flashover voltage is dependent on the profile and the material of insulators, and the values of the composite insulators' exponents are smaller than those of porcelain or glass insulators, namely, the influence of the pollution on the composite insulators is relatively less. The effectiveness of leakage distances of porcelain or glass insulators is less than 0.9 while that of composite insulators is higher than 0.9.