Simulation Study on Tree Growth under Electrical and Mechanical Stresses

Epoxy insulators in gas-insulated power apparatus are subjected to the combined effects of electrical and mechanical loads. In this study, a simulation model is built based on the energy theory to explore the electrical tree growth of epoxy resin under tensile and compressive stresses. With increasing AC voltage, the electrical tree growth is promoted, exhibiting a morphology with more branches. Tensile stress accelerates the electrical tree growth, while proper compressive stress has the opposite effect. However, when the compressive stress exceeds a certain value, electrical tree growth is promoted again. When the mechanical stress is vertical to the needle electrode, these effects primarily impact the length of the trees. Conversely, in parallel cases, mechanical stress mainly affects the width of the electrical trees. The electrical tree morphologies of simulation and experiment are in good consistency, proving the reasonability of the simulation model.