Effect of dry band location on electric field distribution along a polymeric insulator under contaminated conditions

To study the effect of dry band location on electric field distribution of polymeric insulators, simulations were carried out using Comsol Multiphysics. The effect of dry band along a polymeric insulator at shed, core and junction of core and shed regions on the electric field distribution was investigated. Pollution was modelled as a 2-mm uniform conductive water layer on the insulator surface. Conductivity of pollution layer was set at 500µS/cm to simulate medium pollution conditions. Simulation was carried out by considering a 2-cm dry band at the shed, core and junction of shed and core regions respectively. The highest electric field strength was observed when the dry band was considered at the junction of shed and core region while the electric field strength was minimum along the dry band at the shed regions. The result of this study will help scientists and engineers to improve the design of weather sheds for high voltage insulators so that the possibility of dry band formation at the junction of shed and core is minimized.