OVERHEAD LINE INSULATORS

Topics Covered Properties and ratings of insulators, Comparison of porcelain and glass insulators, Types of insulators (pin type, suspension type, strain type, shackle type), Potential distribution across the string insulators, Methods to improve string efficiency Practice Problems 1. A string of suspension insulators consists of four similar units. The mutual capacitance of each unit is four times the stray capacitance. The voltage between the line conductor and earth is 76KV. Find (a) the voltage distribution across each unit and (b) the string efficiency. Ans: (b) 60.9% 2. In a string of three-disc unit, each unit has a capacitance C and from metal pin to the tower, the capacitance is 0.2C. The capacitance from the grading ring to the lowest joint is 0.4C and to the second lowest joint is 0.1C. Calculate the string efficiency. Ans: 100% 3. In a 3-unit suspension insulator, the capacitance between the metal pin and earth is 0.2 times that of the capacitance of the unit. Determine by how much the capacitance of the lowest unit is increased to get a string efficiency of 90%. The other two units left being unchanged. Ans: 1.267C 4. An insulator string of 3 disc units is to have equal voltage across each unit by a suitable choice of capacitance between each metal pin and pin to the grading ring. If the capacitance between cap and metal pin is C and the pin to tower capacitance is 0.2C. Calculate the relative capacitance of the upper and lower cap and pin to the grading ring. Assume C =1. Ans: 0.1 & 0.4 5. A string of disc insulators consists of 3 units. The mutual capacitance between pins is 10 times the shunt capacitance between pin and tower. What is maximum working voltage of string, if voltage across any of 3-units is not to exceed 12KV? Also calculate string efficiency. Ans: 86.8% 6. Find the voltage distribution and string efficiency of a 3-unit suspension insulator if the capacitance of the link pin to earth and to the link is 15% of the selfcapacitance of each unit and the capacitance between pin and grading ring is 5% Farhan Mahmood EED, UET Lahore.

of the self-capacitance of each unit. Ans: 86.47% 7. Determine the voltage across each disc of suspension insulators as a percentage of the line voltage to earth. The self and capacitance to ground of each disc is C and 0.2C respectively. The capacitance between the link pin and the guard ring is 0.1C. (b) If the capacitance to the line of the lower link pin were increased to 0.3C by means of a guard ring, determine the redistribution of voltage. Also determine the string efficiency in each case. Ans: (a) 86.1% (b) 95.4% 8. A string of 8 suspension insulators is to be fitted with a grading ring. If the pin-toearth capacitances are all equal to C, find the values of line to pin capacitance that would give a uniform voltage distribution across the string. Ans: C/7, C/3, 3C/5, C, 5/3C, 3C, 7C 9. A string of 6 suspension insulators is to be graded to obtain uniform distribution of voltage across the string. If the pin-to-earth capacitances are all equal to C and the mutual capacitance of the top insulator is 10C, find the mutual capacitance of each unit in terms of C. Ans: 11C, 13C, 16C, 20C, and 25C. 10. In a 5-insulator disc string capacitance between each unit and earth is 1/6 of the mutual capacitance. Find the voltage distribution across each insulator in the string as percentage of the voltage of the conductor to earth. Find string efficiency. How is this efficiency affected by rain? Ans: 58%

Farhan Mahmood EED, UET Lahore.