Influences of grading ring arrangement on AC flashover performance of 220 KV ice-covered composite insulators

The grading ring (GR) can adjust the potential distribution along the composite insulator and reduce the electric field (E-field) strengths near its end fittings. However, little research has been conducted about the effects of GR on the insulation performance of composite insulators under icing condition. Therefore, the ac icing flashover performance of two kinds of 220 kV composite insulators under different GR arrangement patterns are tested in the artificial climate chamber. Combining with the numerical simulation, the effects are analyzed. The results indicate that when GR is installed at the high voltage (HV) end, the E-field strength close to the end fitting and the icing uniformity on the whole insulators are both improved. These cause the effect of icing degree on the icing flashover voltage to be larger than that without GR at the HV end. When GR is installed at the grounded end, the perpendicular icicles on the GR will impact the flashover arc path, which causes the icing flashover voltages to be lower than that without GR at the grounded end. When different GRs are only installed at the HV end, the characteristic exponents b (characterizing the influence of freezing water conductivity on icing flashover voltage) are all larger than that without GR. Moreover, the value of b increases with the decrease of GR's diameter and with the raise of GR's height. But b changes slightly when there are variations in GR's pipe diameter and structure. The research can provide reference for the application of GR for 220 kV composite insulators in icing regions.