Study on Aging Status Classification and Recognition of Epoxy Resin Insulators Based on Chromatic Feature Extraction

As the power industry continues to develop, switchgear plays a critical role in ensuring the safe and stable operation of distribution networks. However, insulators within high-voltage cabinets tend to age and deteriorate in insulation performance over long-term operation, with online identification and assessment being challenging. This paper investigates the correlation between the aging extent of insulators and the characteristics of discoloration based on experimental studies, aiming to assess the aging of insulators through the recognition of varying degrees of discoloration. Initially, the insulators are subjected to accelerated thermal aging tests at 220 degrees Celsius in a high-temperature oven for various durations. Subsequently, the aged insulators are analyzed through mass loss testing and partial discharge testing, which provide metrics correlating to different levels of discoloration and aging. Using image processing techniques, the RGB values of each image are extracted as indicators of discoloration, establishing a relationship between the color change characteristics of epoxy resin insulators and their aging status. This method facilitates the prediction of aging levels through color changes in epoxy resin insulator columns and is expected to find wide applications in the power industry.