Flashover of an insulator surface in air due to polluted water droplets

A sessile, pendant and clinging water drop on the surface of a silicone rubber insulator has been considered theoretically and investigated experimentally from the standpoint of water-triggered electrical breakdown of an ambient air/dielectric interface. Both the contamination of the water and the hydrophobicity of the surface have been varied over a wide range in some cases. The findings are briefly discussed with regard to the flashover of polluted insulation.<>