Non-destructive Microwave Testing Method on Porcelain Suspension Insulators

Porcelain suspension insulators are required by utilities to perform regular evaluation on electrical and mechanical properties to ensure safety and reliability of overhead transmission lines in power grids. As an alternative to the conventional insulation resistance test, a novel microwave test method on offline insulator samples is proposed and studied by microwave network analysis, full-wave simulation and experiment. The test described is fast, effective and nondestructive. Hopefully, it can be used as a basis for an improved electrical testbench to ensure high insulation strength of porcelain suspension insulators.