Analyzing the optimum contact angles of water droplets to mitigate the e-field stress on polymer insulator

Abstract

The water droplets present in the insulator surfaces cause variation in the e-field along the insulator surface. Variation in the e-field can lead to flashover and accelerate the ageing of the insulator and ultimately will end up in the breakdown of the insulator. The contact angle of water droplets is also a factor that determines the e-field variation. In this study, the effect of the contact angle of water droplets is analyzed using a simulation approach for different cases considering both pure and contaminated outdoor polymer insulators. The results show that the optimum range of contact angles of water droplets can be concluded as 70 to 120 degrees for a pure insulator, while the optimum range for a polluted insulator can be given as 70 to 100 degrees.