BVRIT HYDERABAD College of Engineering for Women

Bachupally, Hyderabad – 500090

Department Of Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Subject: Power Systems-II

INSULATORS

-Mr. G. Sandeep
 Topics that are covered:

• What is an Insulator
• Desirable Characterstics
• Insulator Materials
• Types of Insulators
• String Efficiency
• Methods to improve String Efficiency
• Conclusion
• Web Resources, Text Books
 What is an INSULATOR
• A material whose internal electric charges do not flow freely, and which
therefore does not conduct an electric current, under the influence of an
electric field.
• The insulators for overhead lines provide insulation to the power conductor
from ground.
• The insulators are connected to the cross arm of the tower and the power
conductor passes through the clamp of the insulator.
 Desirable Characteristics Of Insulator
1)High mechanical strength in order to withstand the load due to the weight of
the conductors.
2)High relative permittivity in order to give high dielectric strength.
3)High insulation resistance in order to avoid leakage of currents to earth.
4)High ratio of rupture strength to flash-over voltage.
5)The insulator material should not be non-porous, free from impurities and
cracks otherwise permittivity will be lowered.
 Insulator Materials
Porcelain,
Glass,
Steatite and special composition materials are also used.
 Types Of Insulators:
There are several types of insulators but the most commonly used are

1) Pin Insulator
2) Suspension Insulator
3) Strain Insulator and
4) Shackle Insulator
 TYPES OF INSULATORS
1) PIN TYPE INSULATORS
Pin type insulator consists of a single or a multiple units and connected to the
cross arm of the pole.
Pin type insulator can be used only up to 33kv. Beyond operating voltage of
33kv, the pin type insulator become too bulky and hence uneconomical.
2) SUSPENSION TYPE INSULATORS:
 Suspension insulator consists of porcelain disc units mounted one above
each other. Each disc is provided with a meta cap at the top and a metal
pin under.
 The conductor is suspended below the point of support by means of
insulator string.
 Each unit or disc is designed for low voltage, say 11 kV.
 The number of discs in series would obviously depend upon the working
voltage.
 For instance, if the working voltage is 66 kV, then six discs in series will be
provided on the string
3) STRAIN INSULATORS:

 These are special mechanical strong suspension insulators.

 A strain insulator is an electrical insulator that is designed to work in
mechanical tension (strain), to withstand the pull of a suspended electrical
wire or cable.(relieve the line of excessive tension ,When there is a dead
end of the line or there is corner or sharp curve) They are used in overhead
electrical wiring, to support radio antennas and overhead power lines.
 They are used to take the tension of the conductors at the line terminals, at
angle towers and at road crossings.
4.) Shackle Insulator
 In early days, the shackle insulators were used as strain insulators. But now
a days, they are used for low voltage distribution lines.
 Such insulators can either be used in horizontal or vertical position. They
can directly be fixed to the pole with a bolt or to the cross arm.
 STRING EFFICIENCY

Cs: capacitance of each insulator

mCs: capacitance to ground
V1,V2,V3: the voltage across each unit
V= V1+V2+V3
At point A:
I2= I1+ i1
wC.V2= wC.V1+ wmC.V1
V2= (1+m).V1
At point B:
I3= I2+ i2
wC.V3= wmC.(V1+V2) + wC.V1
V3= (1+3m+m2).V1
For m<1 V3>V2>V1

Voltage across the string

String Efficiency = n* (voltage across disc nearest
to conductor)
METHODS TO IMPROVE STRING EFFICIENCY

• 1) By using longer cross arm: The value of string efficiency

depends upon m (Ce/Cs). The lesser the value of m, greater the
string efficiency. The value of m can be decreased by reducing
Cs. In order to reduce Cs, longer cross arm should be used.

• 2) By grading the insulators: Insulators of different dimension

having different capacitance are chosen. They are assembled in
a way that the top unit has minimum capacitance and the unit
nearest to conductor has maximum capacitance. This method
tends to equalize the potential distribution across the units of
each string.
3) By using a guard ring:

• The 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 of insulator.
• The guard ring introduces
capacitance between metal
fittings and the line conductor,
resulting in same charging current I flowing through each
unit of string.
 CONCLUSION

• Thus, a brief idea about the types of insulator used in overhead

transmission line has been obtained. Each type of insulator is
having its own area of application.
• For the equal potential distribution across the strings of
insulator, the string efficiency and the methods of improving
the string efficiency has been concluded.
• Web Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ1XetIvM
Qs
https://www.electrical4u.com/types-of-
electrical-insulator-overhead-insulator/

• Text Books: Power Systems- CL Wadhwa