Chrzan K.L., Rebizant W., PSIPICE application for modeling of cap and pin insulator string. Int.

Conference on Modern Power Systems MEPS, Wroclaw 2002, pp. 581-585

 PSPICE Application for Modelling
of Cap and Pin Insulator Strings

Krystian Leonard Chrzan Waldemar Rebizant

:URFDZ 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 7HFKQRORJ\ :URFDZ 8QLYHUVLW\ RI 7HFKQRORJ\

Institute of Electrical Engineering Fundamentals Institute of Electrical Power Engineering

:URFDZ 3RODQG :URFDZ 3RODQG

chrzan@elektryk.ie.pwr.wroc.pl rebizant@pwr.wroc.pl

Abstract - The use of PSPICE program in high voltage shown. Sample photograph from the measurements
engineering for research purposes is shown. The illustrating the insulator string under investigation is given
calculations of voltage distribution along strings with in Fig. 1.
standard cap and pin insulators, semi-conducting
insulators and with both insulator types were
performed. For calculation purpose a very known
formula was used with constant stray capacitances
(capacitances between insulator and line and between
insulator and earth). For PSPICE simulations the stray
capacitances according to formulae proposed by Naito
were taken. Voltage measurements with a small air gap
of 10-mm sphere diameter were also carried out. The
lightning and switching impulse flashover voltages
were measured for both polarities. Good conformity of
PSPICE simulations and results of measurements
carried out in the laboratory were observed.

Keywords: cap and pin insulator, semiconducting glaze,

lightning impulse, switching impulse, PSPISE

1. INTRODUCTION

PSPICE was designed as a computer program for

electric circuit analysis including digital circuits. The
simple operating manual, wide spread and distributed
demo version have made this program an important
standard in electrical engineering [1]. PSPICE can also be
used in high voltage engineering for analysis of voltage
distribution in such cases where the application of other
expensive professional programs, e.g. based on finite
elements method, is not justified. The accessible model of
a long line enables the use of PSPICE for calculation of Fig. 1. A photograph from the measurements in the lab.
lightning overvoltages in electrical network instead of the
EMTP program [2]. PSPICE can be applied even for
modelling of different physical processes, like electrical
&]  &]  &]  &] 
breakdown [3]. In this paper the PSPICE application for
cap and pin insulator strings simulation is shown.
&Z 
&Z 
2. THE STRING OF STANDARD CAP AND PIN &Z 
INSULATORS
&Z 
In the paper a comparison of the real measurements of &Z 
voltage distributions for chosen insulator strings carried
out in the high voltage laboratory and the simulation &S  &S  &S  &S  +9
results obtained with use of PSPICE programme are
Fig. 2. Model of string of cap and pin insulators.
 The simplest model of a disc insulator string (Fig. 2) 
useful for analytical considerations consists of three
IRUPXOD   
capacitor kinds, i.e. insulator capacitance C w and stray 
363,&(
capacitances: insulator ground C z and insulator phase

cable C p . The capacitance value of each insulator C w is

9ROWDJH >  @
assumed as nearly identical for all insulator disks. 
Under the assumption of constant values of Cp and Cz
the well-known analytical formula [4] describes the 
voltage distribution along insulator string :

U sh[k ( N 1)] sh(ki )
Ui = C p +C z C p (1) 
C p +C z sh ( kN ) sh (kN )

where:
    
U i voltage between given insulator and high voltage
1XPEHU RI GLVF LQVXODWRU
cable,
U - voltage applied to the whole string, Fig. 3. The voltage distribution on 5 disc insulators calculated
N - number of insulators in the string, from the formula (1) or with PSPICE; the stray capacitance in
i - insulator number in the string both cases calculated from formulae (2) and (3).
sh function sinh,

C p +C z
k= . 0HDVXUHPHQW
Cw  363,&(

In reality, the capacitance to high voltage cable C p and

9ROWDJH >  @
to the ground C z depends on the insulator position in the 

string. Therefore the voltage calculated from the formula

(1) is an approximate value. Using PSPICE it is possible to 

calculate the voltages along the insulator string if the

values of C zi and C pi are known. The estimation of stray 

capacitance can be carried out with professional programs

based on e.g. finite element method. 
The approximate stray capacitance values for typical
high voltage masts can be determined from [5]: 

    
C pi =1.20.012[i ( N 1)] (2)
1XPEHU RI GLVF LQVXODWRU

C zi =1.7 0.007(1i) (3)

where i is the insulator number counting from the phase
cable, C zi and C pi are given in pF.
The PSPICE calculations carried out for a string of 5
insulators with the stray capacitances according to (2) and
(3) gave nearly the same results as the calculation with the
formula (1) and only one value for the capacitance C z and
one value for the capacitance C p (Fig. 3). For calculation
according to formula (1) the values of Cp = 1.218 pF and
C z = 1.71 pF were used (medium values from the four
values obtained with (2) and (3)).
The calculated voltage distribution along the insulator
string is shown in Fig. 3. The minimum voltage drop is on
the middle insulator (number 3). On the contrary, the
measurements carried out in the high voltage laboratory
have shown that the minimum voltage drop is on the
insulator number 4 (Fig. 4). The discrepancy is caused by
different measurement conditions in the relatively small
laboratory room with dimensions 4m 4m and height of
3.5m. The formula (1) applies to a high voltage mast (110
kV or above) with longer dimensions. Therefore it is
obvious that the capacitance to ground in the small
laboratory is greater than in the case of high voltage mast.
Fig. 4. The voltage distribution on 5 disc insulators measured in
the small laboratory and calculated with PSPICE
with Cp=1.2 pF and Cz=6 pF.
The capacitance to high voltage cable can be assumed
similar in both cases in spite of short length of the cable in
the laboratory (1.4 m).
To prove the above observation, a few PSPICE
simulations were carried out with the same capacitance
C p =1.3 pF and different values of capacitance C z . The
simulation results with C p =1,3 pF and C z =6 pF (Fig. 4)
show good accordance with the measurement results. Note
that in both cases the minimum voltage drop is on the
insulator number 4.
3. THE STRING OF DISC INSULATORS WITH
SEMICONDUCTING GLAZES
The measurements and calculations were also carried
out for semi-conducting disc insulators DURASTOR
manufactured by NGK Insulators LTD. These insulators
have the same dimensions as the applied standard disc
insulators. The resistance of a single disc insulator
  surface temperature of insulators to 8 degrees above
0HDVXUHPHQW
ambient. As a result, the flashover voltage of such
363,&(
insulators under pollution conditions is very high [6].

Measurements carried out for 5 semi-conducting glaze
insulators confirmed the known fact that the voltage
9ROWDJH >@

 distribution in so short string is practically linear. The

PSPICE simulation brought about similar results (Fig. 5).
 The small differences between measurements and
simulation arise from the assumption of identical insulator
 disc resistances (11 M). In reality, the resistances of
different disc are not ideally equal.
Fig. 6 shows the dependence of voltage non-uniformity

factor K in the string of 10 insulators DURASTOR on the
single disc resistance. The PSPICE calculation was carried
     out using the stray capacitance values according to
1XPEHU RI GLVF LQVXODWRU formula (2) and (3). The factor K increases almost linearly
from 1.02 to 1.67 when the disc resistance changes rapidly
Fig. 5. The voltage along 5 semi-conducting glaze insulators. from 10 to 300 M.
The efficiency of semi-conducting glazes decreases
 when the insulator string increases. For the string
consisting of 30 insulators and having the resistance of
9ROWDJH XQLIRUPLW\ IDFWRU .

single disc of about 15 M, the factor K amounts to 1.7

 [7].
The voltage drop on standard insulators does not
depend on the voltage frequency. On the contrary, in the

case of semi-conducting glaze insulators, the voltage
distribution depends strongly on the frequency value (Fig.

7). The voltage distribution for the DC voltage is a
resistive one (that means independent of the capacitance).
With the increase of frequency value, the voltage
 distribution dependence on frequency increases because
the capacitive reactances decrease with resistances being
    constant. At the frequency 50 Hz the factor K amounts
1.02, at 100 Hz 1.12, at 300 Hz 1.4 and at 1000 Hz
'LVF UHVLVWDQFH > 0 ] 1.6. That means the factor K for insulators DURASTOR at
the frequency 1000 Hz is similar to the factor K for
Fig. 6. The dependence of voltage non-uniformity factor K on the standard insulators (which amounts 1.71 and is
single disc resistance for the string of 10 insulators DURASTOR.
independent of frequency). Therefore the voltage
distribution along the string of semi-conducting insulators

8 for the switching impulses 250/2500 s depends on both
capacitance and resistance. However, in case of lightning

impulses 1.2/50s the voltage distribution is practically
the same as for the standard insulators.
9ROWDJH > N9 @


8

4. THE STRING CONTAINING THE STANDARD
DISC INSULATORS AND INSULATORS WITH
 8
SEMICONDUCTING GLAZES
 The flashover voltage F.O.V. of semi-conducting glaze
8
8 insulators is higher than the F.O.V. of the similar standard
 insulators. The experimental results for 7 standard disc
  insulators and for 7 insulators DURASTOR are given in
)UHTXHQF\ > +] @ Table 1. The electrical strength of insulators DURASTOR
for switching impulses is about 20% higher than the
Fig. 7. The voltage drop on insulators in the string containing 5
electrical strength of standard insulators. This differences
discs as a frequency function.
for lightning impulses decrease to 10%.
The results for 10 standard insulators and for the string
DURASTOR amounts to 11 M. At the continuous
containing 5 standard insulators and 5 insulators
operating voltage (about 10 kV per one disc) the leakage
DURASTOR (the insulators were mounted in alternating
current is in the range of 1 mA. This is enough to make the
mode) are shown in the Table 2.
voltage distribution in the string uniform and to rise up the
 Table 1. Flashover voltage of 7 standard insulators and 7
insulators DURASTOR. 
6WDQGDUG GLVFV
Insulator Impulse type Flashover 
type and polarity voltage

9ROWDJH >  @
kVm 
Standard + LI 590

Durastor + LI 630
Standard + SI 510 
Durastor + SI 605

Standard SI 600
'85$6725
Durastor SI 695 
   
LI lightning impulse; SI switching impulse
)UHTXHQF\ > +] @
Table 2. Flashover voltage of 10 standard insulators and of the Fig. 8. The voltage distribution along the string containing
string containing 5 standard insulators and 5 insulators 5 standard insulators and 5 insulators DURASTOR
DURASTOR. as a frequency function.

Insulator type Impulse type Flashover and therefore the voltages on other insulators in the string
and polarity voltage change significantly. The capacitance of the air gap and
[kVm] capacitance of connecting wires increase the insulator
Standard + SI 725 capacitance and decrease therefore its voltage.
The air gap and connecting wire capacitances were
Standard SI 790
calculated according to formulae [9]:
Stand/Durastor + SI 805
4l
Stand/Durastor SI 845 Cl (4)
l l
ln +ln 0,614
LI lightning impulse; SI switching impulse r d

The F.O.V. of the string with 5 standard insulators and and

5 insulators DURASTOR is 11% higher than the F.O.V. of
the 10 standard insulators for positive switching impulses
and only 7% for negative impulses. The electrical strength
of string containing only the semi-conducting insulators is
two times higher than that of string with both insulator
types.
The uniformity of voltage distribution along the string
containing both insulator types increases with the
frequency increase. At the power frequency nearly the
whole voltage is distributed on standard insulators (which
have larger resistance). However, at high frequency, the
capacitances get important and therefore the voltage on
high resistance insulators decreases.
PSPICE calculations of voltage distribution for
different voltage shapes (50 Hz, switching impulse,
lightning impulse) carried out in the time domain have
shown distinct differences. At the power frequency the
voltage shift between standard insulators and DURASTOR
insulators amounts about 90o. For the lightning impulses
the voltage shift is zero. The different flashover voltages at
different polarities are caused by different arc propagation.
The discharge develops usually close to insulator surface
at the negative polarity while at positive polarity the arc
burns far away from the insulator surface [8].
5. ERRORS OF VOLTAGE MEASUREMENTS
1
Ck =8a (5)
a
1+
2x
where:
C l - capacitance of two parallel wires with the same
length l, radius r and separated with the distance d << l,
C k - capacitance of two spheres with the same radius a
and separated with the distance x when a / 2x < 0.5.
The capacitance of two 1m-long wires with the radius
of 0.5 mm amounts 12 pF while the capacitance of two
spheres with a radius of 1 cm, in the distance of 2 mm
amounts 0.9 pF. When the wires are only 20-cm long, their
capacitance decreases to 3 pF only.
The voltage calculation results for 5 standard disc
insulators having the capacitance of 29 pF without air gap
and with air gap and connecting wires of 1-m length are
given in Table 3.
The positions in Table 3 printed in bold are shown in
Fig. 9 as voltages calculated without air gap (C=0) and
calculated with the air gap (C=15 pF). The voltage sum on
5 insulators measured with the air gap is only 75% of
the applied voltage. When the voltage is measured with
the air gap connected by short wires of 20-cm length, the
voltage sum amounts 97.6% of applied voltage. That
means the measurement error decreases from 25% to 4%.

When the air gap is connected to a disc insulator (parallel

to the insulator capacitance), the voltage on this insulator
Table 3. Voltage calculation for 5 insulators without and with an 2. The reason of different voltage distribution along disc
air gap connected to insulators. insulators while measured in small laboratory and on
high voltage mast are greater capacitances to ground
Voltage ( % ) on the insulator with a in a small laboratory.
number 3. The voltage measurement errors caused by the air gap
Disk 1 2 3 4 5 with diameter of 1 cm and 1 m long connecting wires
0 34.3 22.4 15.9 13.3 14.1 can be in the range of 20%. The use of shorter wires
of 20-cm length decrease the measurement errors to
15 (1) 25.6 25.7 18.0 14.8 15.3 4%.
15 (2) 36.4 16.5 17.6 14.5 15.0 4. The switching flashover voltage of semi-conducting
15 (3) 35.3 23.5 11.7 14.5 15.0 glaze insulators is 20% higher than that of standard
discs. The F.O.V. of string containing 50% of semi-
15 (4) 34.9 23.1 16.9 9.9 15.3 conducting glaze insulators is 10% higher than that of
15 (5) 34.8 23.0 16.8 14.7 10.8 standard discs.

REFERENCES
 &DLU JDS  S)
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&DLU JDS  S) PSPICE fuer Windows, Teubner, Stuttgart 1994.
[2] Kraft L. A., Modelling lightning performance of
9ROWDJH >  @


transmission systems using PSPICE IEEE Trans. on
Power Systems, 1991, No 2, pp. 543-547.

[3] Borgest K., Haseborg J. L., A gas arrester spice model
considering the voltage/time characteristics. Proc. Int.
 Symp. on EMC, Rome1995, paper No 3/4.
[4] Beyer M., Boeck W., Moeller K., Zaengl W., High
 Voltage Engineering, Springer Verlag, Berlin 1986.
[5] Mizuno Y., Naito K., Suzuki Y., Mori S., Nakashima
 Y., Akizuki M., Voltage and temperature distribution
     along semiconducting glaze insulators strings. IEEE
1XPEHU RI GLVF LQVXODWRU Trans. on Dielectrics and Electr. Insulation, Feb. 1999,
pp. 100-104.
Fig. 9. Voltage distribution on 5 standard disc insulators; [6] Chrzan K. L., Wiatrzyk M., Naito K., Cap and pin
C=0 the true values, C=4 pF (20 pF) the values insulators with semi-conducting glazes (in Polish). VI
measured with an air gap connected by 20-cm
Konf. Postepy w Elektrotechnologii, Jamrozowa
(100-cm) long wires.
Polana 2000, s. 81-87.
[7] Mizuno Y., Naito K. et al., Voltage and temperature
distribution along semiconducting glaze insulator
6. CONCLUSIONS
strings. IEEE Trans. on Dielectrics and Electrical
Insulation, Feb. 1999, pp. 100-104.
1. PSPICE enable to calculate the voltage distribution
[8] Chrzan K.L., Elsaesser O., Impulse flashover of
along cap and pin insulators. It helps in better analysis
strings containing standard and semi-conducting disc
of breakdown voltage results. The correction of
insulators. 12th Int. Symposium on High Voltage
voltage measurements by means of air gap is possible
Eng., Bangalore 2001, pp. 759-762.
too.
[9] Iossel J.A., Koczanov E.S., Strunskij M.G., Rascziot
elektriczeskoj jemkosti. Energija, Leningrad 1969.