Correlation among ESDD, NSDD and leakage current in distribution insulators

G. Montoya, I. Ramirez and J.I. Montoya Abstract: The maintenance of distribution networks is more effective if the insulation contamination levels are known. The selection of measuring methods of pollution levels is then crucial. The relationship between several evaluation methods of pollution levels and the operating behaviour of several insulator proles in a polluted zone is described. Laboratory tests were carried out to reproduce pollution levels found in the eld. The quantity of non-soluble materials deposited over the insulators surface affect the magnitude of the leakage current generated over a contaminated insulator. The relationship that denes leakage current with respect to the equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD) level for a specic non-soluble material level is almost linear, from which it is possible to develop a relationship between them for each insulator.

Introduction

Since 1980, investigations on improving the design of overhead lines in polluted zones have been carried out in Mexico. As a result of these investigations, there are available maps of the areas with high contamination levels, and guides for line design and insulator selection [1]. At present, insulators with new proles and materials are under evaluation in polluted areas to avoid or diminish the insulator maintenance programmes. However, a selective maintenance program is required for installed electric lines to achieve the optimum use of resources. This is why it is crucial to know the pollution levels in the electric network. There are several measuring methods to evaluate the contamination levels on external insulation. In this work, three methods were used to evaluate the installed insulation; supercial resistance SR [2], ESDD and leakage current peaks measuring (LC) [3]. Simultaneously, measurement methods on non-soluble materials (non-soluble deposit density-NSDD) were also developed. ESDD is a globally used, ofine method, which is used for comparison criteria with other methodologies. The preliminary comparison between the diverse range of insulators monitored was established based on eld data. Laboratory tests have also been developed to reproduce pollution levels found in the eld, as well as to verify the relationship between ESDD and LC. During the observation period, meteorological factors were also measured. 2 Test bank

the coast of the Gulf of Mexico Veracruz City. To measure direct effects from storms, the bank was located 500 meters from the beach on the North coast of the port. The contamination level registered in this bank agrees with the standard IEC 60815 [5] very heavy contamination classication. A wind speed faster than 40 km/h registered in the Gulf of Mexico, with a duration of more than 24 hours is designated as a storm called a North. A North generates an abrupt change in the pollution level of the external insulation in distribution networks. The North can be accompanied by rain (humid North) or it can be dry (dry North). Due to this, the level of pollution associated with a North is very variable. Based on reported rainfall, the months of the year with the heaviest pollution problems are from January to April. During this period dry North storms were detected regularly accompanied by stronger wind speeds (80 km/h) and ghost winds; the breeze coming from the sea encrusted the insulators. Due to the capacity of the measuring systems, not all the insulation was monitored. Nevertheless, all the insulators were installed at the same time and energised to a nominal voltage (13 kV). 3 Comparison of the insulators used

Field data has been obtained from the Playa Norte test bank; the bank was constructed by the Mexican utility CFE ! Federal de Electricidad) [4]. It is located in on (Comision
r IEE, 2004 IEE Proceedings online no. 20040225 doi:10.1049/ip-gtd:20040225 Paper received 23rd December 2002 and in revised form 8th October 2003 ! ctricas, G. Montoya and I. Ramirez are with the Instituto de Investigaciones Ele Reforma 113, Col. Palmira CP 62490, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico ! J.I. Montoya is with the Escuela de Ingenier! a y arquitectura, Tecnologico de ! rdenas #2000, San Antonio Monterrey campus, Toluca, Eduardo Monroy Ca Buenavista, CP 50110 Toluca, Edomex, Mexico

The insulators used in the project are the typical proles installed by CFE in its electric distribution network in polluted areas and are shown in Fig. 1. Their can be classied into three types: ceramic insulators with great creepage distance and cover surface, semiconductor insulators and hybrid insulators.

3.1 Ceramic insulators with great creepage distance and cover surface
There are two types of ceramic insulators: 13PC and 13AC (see Fig. 1). Their main feature is that the internal surface (covered surface) has a great creepage distance. These particular types of proles are less contaminated than other insulators without the covered surface. Also, it is not easy to wet its covered surface, causing its SR to be greater than other proles, especially in the the 13AC insulator.
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Fig. 1 Insulators used. From left to right 13PH, 13AAF, 13AAC, 13PC, 13AC, 13RG

The disadvantage of the 13PC insulator is that it has a high LC activity, as shown in Fig. 2, which does not occur with the 13AC insulator. On the other hand, the disadvantage of the 13AC insulator is its poor performance under lightning storms. This problem can be eliminated if isolated pins are used, as in polymeric concrete pins (PCP).

Fig. 3 13RG Insulator

similar prole of insulator will be quicker. In Veracruz City, there is an urban circuit tted with this type of insulator, which has not been washed for 3 years. Other proles must be washed several times each year.

3.3

Hybrid insulators

The third insulator type is represented by the 13PH, shown in (Fig. 4). It is conformed by a core of porcelain and shed

Fig. 2

PC type insulator

There are similar proles for the 13PC insulator at 22 kv and 33 kV, which belong to 22PC and 33PC. They have the same problem as the 13PC insulators.

3.2

Semiconductor insulators

The 13RG insulator shown in Fig. 3 represents the second type of insulator. The main characteristic is a graduate resistance layer, which permits the generation of a continuous LC over the insulator surface. The LC heats up the surface, drying the contaminated layer, which avoids the ashover on the insulator. This characteristic makes it competitive with other proles for pollution. The 13RG insulator develops high LC levels, especially in the period of greater contamination. It shows that the prole of this insulator is not well adapted to the contamination, which permits the accumulation of contaminants over its surface; however a natural washing of a
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Fig. 4 13PH insulator

335

of silicon rubber. The LC eld measurements from 13PH are lower than the measurements in the 13PC insulator. In Veracruz City, there are two circuits with this type of insulation, which have not been washed since for years. Porcelain insulators with isolated pins (polymeric concrete pins-PCP) can be considered in the group of hybrid insulators. Diverse applications of PCP together with pintype insulators are used, such as metallic-oxide surge arrester with polymeric concrete housing, creepage distance increment and puncture distance increment (see Fig. 5). The insulators with PCP tested in the laboratory had a smaller LC than the 13PC insulators.

10,000 13PC 13RG 13AC 22PC 33PC

resistance, ( 10 )

1,000

100

10
98 l9 au 8 g se 98 p 9 oc 8 t9 no 8 v 9 de 8 c 9 ja 8 n 99 fe b 9 m 9 ar 9 ap 9 r9 m 9 ay 9 ju 9 n 99 ju l9 au 9 g 99 ju
13PC 13RG 13AC 22PC 33PC

Fig. 6 SR minimum level

insulator humidication and its pollution level (see Fig. 6). If the average values of the month are considered, SR will better reect the behaviour of the contamination level (see Fig. 7).

10,000

resistance, ( 10 )

1,000

100

10
au 8 g 9 se 8 p 9 oc 8 t9 no 8 v de 98 c 9 ja 8 n 99 fe b 9 m 9 ar 9 ap 9 r9 m 9 ay 9 ju 9 n 99 ju l9 au 9 g 99
13PC 13RG 22PC 33PC 13AC

ju

98 n

Fig. 5

13AAF Insulator

Fig. 7 SR minimum level average

Measuring methods

4.2

Equivalent salt deposit density

4.1

Supercial resistance

SR measuring is an online, indirect method. It is inuenced by the insulators moisture and pollution levels. In [6] and [7] the relationship between SR and diverse meteorological factors is established. The association between SR and pollution levels is recognised by the probability of an insulator ashover when the SR is below a specic level. This specic level was set to 100 kO which agrees with experimental results [8]. The SR is measured in a dummy insulator energised at low voltage. SR measurements are affected by insulator surface temperature. As a result, the relationship between SR and pollution level is modied when the insulator surface is heated. The SR in a dummy insulator is similar to an insulator energised with high voltage until dry band activity begins over the insulator surface. The dry band causes heating on the insulator surface, which does not happen in the insulator used as dummy. Owing to this, a low value of SR reects only a probability of ashover that has to be analysed with other SR records and especially with monthly minimum average values. Nevertheless, measurements carried out verify the
336

The ESDD was another method used for measuring the contamination level. Samples were obtained for one-, three-, six- and twelve-month periods. The highest value of ESDD measured matches the January 1999 sample (see Fig. 8).

1.0

0.8

mg/cm

0.6

0.4

0.2

ju

nov 98

ju

l9

dec 98

jan 99

feb 99

mar 99

apr 99

may 99

Fig. 8 Month ESDD measurements

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ESDD measuring permits the detection of the seasonal variation model existing in the test bank. According to the IEC 60815 standard, ESDD classies the pollution level in the zone as a very heavy contamination. By means of this method, it is possible to detect the growth of the pollution level (Fig. 9). This is an ofine method, which has a disadvantage; the measurements made after rain will be lower because the rain has washed the insulation.
0.50

and measures the leakage peak currents in an insulator energised with high voltage. All LC events were associated with the presence of storms and high humidity in the environment. Table 1 shows the activity registered during one year. The base current is the current that circulates continuously over the insulator surface. The base current reported is the average of 100 readings carried

13 PC 0.45 13 RG 22 PC 0.40 33 PC 13 AC 0.35

0.30 mg /cm
2

0.25

0.20

0.15

0.10

0.05

0 Oct 98 2 months Nov 98 2 months Feb 99 3 months Feb 99 6 months NORTH feb 99 May 99 3 months Aug 99 3 months Aug 99 6 months Aug 99 12 months

Fig. 9

ESDD levels. Long sample periods

4.3

Non-soluble deposit density

As a complement to ESDD measurements, the quantity of non-solubles contained in the contaminated samples was determinated. This quantity was normalised between the areas of the insulator (NSDD in mg/cm2).

4.4

Leakage current

LC measurements are carried out using the leakage current peaks measuring system SIPICO [3]. This system detects
Scale:
Num. of peaks o100 o3,000

out during a sample period of two hours. It means that during almost two hours the current average had a similar value. The LC method joins the characteristics of the previous methods, since it takes measurements in real time and also it is a direct method. In Mexico, the LC method has been used successfully for insulation diagnosis in transmission lines [3, 9].

o10,000

o50,000

50,000o

Table 1: Leakage current levels at the eld

LC levels (mA) 900o 700 a 900 500 a 700 300 a 500 100 a 300 Max. Ibase (mA) 2,744 3,861 1,305 42,773 126,408 4.83 13PC 2,776 4,121 15,856 66,006 340,111 4.14 22PC 41 13 49 368 2,861 8.98 13RG Insulation monitored Note: 22PC insulator was removed and a 13PH insulator was installed in February 1999
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4,140 1.38 13AC

10 0.69 13PH

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Discussion of eld results

6.1

Test method

During the time period of insulation exposure (from August 1998 to August 1999), the months with the higher contamination were January to April, 1999. During these months, all the insulators reached the minimum SR value of the scale (Fig. 6). The insulator with the lowest SR is the 13RG, while the insulator with highest SR was the 33PC. The seasonal variation accumulation model of the pollution level predominates over its growth in time accumulation model. Owing to this, by January the maximum contamination level registered was reached. This result corresponds to a 13RG insulator with a sample period of one month (1.008 of ESDD, Fig. 8). The 13PC, 22PC and 33PC insulators have high LC (Table 1). Even when they are energised to 13 kV and are far away from a ashover by contamination, LC could cause burns on wood, crossover and poles. The 33PC insulator ashed-over during the tests carried out in a clean fog chamber to nominal voltage (34.5 kV). This means that the 33PC insulator does not support higher values of LC. The 13RG insulator also had a high LC level. Likewise, it had a higher pollution accumulation reected by a very high level of ESDD. However, due to its easy natural washing, in a single year it returned to minimum levels of contamination. In fact, this insulator had the maximum registered level of ESDD, as well as the minimum level of accumulation after the annual rainy season (see Fig. 9). It is recommended for zones with periods of high, prolonged rainfall. The 13AC and 13PH insulators had the best behaviour with a low LC. If a PCP is placed to the 13AC insulator its performance improves. The arrangement of the 13A insulator and PCP with shed (13AAF) in the laboratory had an LC smaller than 13PH and 13AC. During the year of observation, there were no ashovers on installed insulators. However, they reached very high LC and ESDD values. The losses in high LC should be used as a criteria for the selection of the insulation or for maintenance purpose decisions. 6 Tests in clean fog chamber

Several problems were found when moistening some insulator proles, at is the case of 13AC, In the eld, the insulator is humidied by condensation when the wind impacts the rain drops over the insulator. It was decided to start under the premise that the insulator is completely wet and for that reason, the Japanese method was followed [10]. The purpose of this test is to nd the levels of LC; the voltage was only increased until it reached the nominal voltage of the insulator and not until a ashover was reached as indicated by the method. The activity of LC was extinguished quickly on drying -of the insulator. For this, clean fog was generated to saturate the chamber before introducing the insulator. As a consequence of this modication, the LC activity remains almost a minute, leading in some cases to insulator ashover.

6.2 Contaminant reproduction and test development

Since the 13PC insulator registered high LC activity in the eld, this prole was used primarily to determine the mixtures of contamination to use. The rst tests were developed with mixtures prepared according to the IEC 60507[11] with high ESDD levels (over 0.6 mg/cm2). However, it was not possible to reproduce the LC levels registered in the eld. It was decided to analyse the quantity of non-solubles in the samples from the eld in order to determine its relationship NSDD/ESDD. Based on the relationship NSDD/ESDD, the mixture generated was 600/200. It is composed of 600 grams of Kaolin and 200 grams of salt dissolved in one litre of water (a normalised mixture according to IEC 60507 contains only 40 grams of Kaolin). This mixture complies with the relationship of NSDD/ESDD with an ESDD average of 0.70 mg/cm2 and a NSDD of 4.4 mg/cm2. The new tests produced expected LC levels; the obtained LC peaks were higher than 1.5 A (Table 2). The initial current level of 800 mA was considered as the maximum permitted before generating a contamination alarm. This value will be adjusted according to eld results and new laboratory tests. New tests were developed to obtain two extra points for the ESDD vs. LC curve. The rst mixture (600/200) was diluted 50% each time, but respecting the proportion of NSDD/ESDD. New mixtures were made, 300/100 and 150/50. The last mixture generated an LC under 500 mA. All tested insulators, maintained the same relationship

The type of pollution and pollution level found in the eld were reproduced in the laboratory in order to verify the relationship between ESDD and LC. The highest ESDD level was selected, which was in January, with a sample period of one month.
Scale:
Num. of peaks r10 r50

r100

r150

150r

Table 2: Moisture 600/200

average ESDD 0.70 mg/cm2 LC levels (mA) 41950 1650 1950 1350 1650 1050 1350 750 1050 maximum PEAK (ma) 42 106 147 153 1,674 13RG 54 101 194 1,440 13PC 20 69 162 1,362 13AC Insulation evaluated 338
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average NSDD 4.4 mg/cm2

42 111 1,183 13AAF

29 133 1,110 13AAC

1800 1600 leakage current, mA 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 M3 (150/50) M2 (300/100) M1 (600/200) 13 PC 13 RG 13 AC 13 AAF 13 AAC

loses its hydrophobicity. Likewise, the ESDD against LC curve of the 13PH insulator does not have the same behaviour as the remaining insulators (see Fig. 11). While the other insulators maintain the same tendency of growth and relationship among them, the LC growth tendency of the 13PH insulators changes at higher ESDD levels, diminishing its LC level.

6.4 LC

Correlation between ESDD, NSDD and

moisture

Fig. 10

LC levels measured in laboratory

among of them (Fig. 10). The tested insulators were the 13PC, 13RG, 13AC, 13AAF, and 13AAC (see Fig. 1). The 13PC and 13RG insulators registered the major LC level, while the 13AAF and 13AAC insulators had the smaller LC level.

The ESDD against LC curves from the 13PC insulator is shown in Fig. 12. The mixtures with the same NSDD (150/ 50, 150/100 and 150/200) form a continuous line. These points form a linear curve. Extrapolating the other two points obtained (300/100 and 600/200), it will be observed that a curve family exists for each insulator as a function of NSDD level (150, 300 and 600).
1600 1400 leakage current, mA 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
2

6.3

Tests to NSDD constant

Based on previous results, it was decided to set the NSDD level obtained in the third mixture (150/50) while the ESDD level was also increased. More tests were generated with the mixtures 150/100 and 150/200. With these points a graph of ESDD vs. LC was obtained (see Fig. 11). A linear relationship between these two variables can be observed. The insulators used in the previous tests maintained the same tendency and relationship among them. The 13PH and 33PC insulators were added to the developed tests. The 33PC insulator registered an LC of great magnitude, enough to ash-over the insulator during the test with the mixtures 300/100 and 150/100. Likewise, it registered higher peaks of up to 1.4 A, with the mixture 150/200. From the previous data, it was deduced that this prole was less effective than its similar 13PC. It must be remembered that the tests were carried out to nominal voltage, for which the voltage applied to a 33PC is 34.5 kV (20.9 kV phase-toground), while in a 13PC it is 15 kV (8.7 kV phase-toground). This implies that the effectiveness of an insulator prole is a function of the applied voltage.
1400 1200 leakage current, mA 1000 800 600 400 200 0 0.1 ESDD, mg/cm
2

0.5

0.6

0.7

ESDD, mg/cm

Fig. 12

ESDD against LC. Curves for 13PC insulator

Conclusions

13 PC 13 RG 13 AC 13Abcf 13 ACcb 13 PH 33 PC

The SR method is an indirect form to evaluate the pollution level of an insulator. This method responds to changes in the humidication level and contamination over the insulator surface. It is necessary to increase the applied voltage to the insulator, to avoid the inuence of the humidication in this method. The quantity of non-soluble material affects the LC level generated in a contaminated insulator. The relationship that links LC to ESDD for a specic NSDD is almost linear and consequently, it is possible to develop a relationship between them. This conrms that the leakage current method is the most appropriate for insulation diagnosis in distribution networks. The Japanese method was modied for the evaluation of several insulator types in a fog chamber. The tests were carried out with a higher level of non-soluble material than those indicated in the IEC 60507 standard, since the contaminant type found in the test bank was reproduced. 8 Acknowledgments

Fig. 11

Comparison of several proles monitored

The insulator 13PH maintains a constant LC activity at low magnitude (smaller than 100 mA) for a few minutes after reaching the maximum peak, whereas the remaining insulators did it for some seconds. This different behaviour can occur if the 13PH insulator is completely wet and it
IEE Proc.-Gener. Transm. Distrib., Vol. 151, No. 3, May 2004

The authors acknowledge the help of CFE staff for their contribution in the development of this project. Special thanks are given to Jose del Razo-Contreras, HectorHernandez C. and Raul Usla-Lopez. Special thanks are also given to Dr Carlos Romualdo-Torres for his useful comments and advice.
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References

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