Experimental research on electric insulator damaged by chemical pollutant

As a main insulating device of power system, insulator can be damaged by chemical pollutant, which does threaten the electric system. An artificial pollution test system is utilized to study the damage mode for a suspension insulator, and the effects of concentration and existing state on damage efficiency of chemical pollutant are studied. Testing results show that the damage mode is flashover damage, whose efficiency increases with the decrease of creepage distance. The concentration of conductive particle of chemical pollution can effectively elevate damage efficiency, though it has a critical value. Unlike natural pollution, chemical pollutant can make insulator flashover damage whether in wet or dry condition. The damage process and relative results reveal the damage rule of insulator by chemical pollutant. Those studies put forward a new means to damage electric insulated device, and provide important reference to the protection design of electric insulator.