TYPES OF INSULATOR &

STRING EFFICIENCY

ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEM(2150908)

GUIDED BY:
DR. NILESH CHOTHANI

PREPARED BY:
SEJAL SHAH(130010109054)
 OVERHAED LINE INSULATORS
The insulators for overhead lines provide insulation
to the power conductor from ground.
The insulators are connected to the cross arm of the
tower and the power conductor passes through the
clamp of the insulator.
The insulators have high mechanical strength, high
electrical strength, high insulation resistance. They
are free from impurities and moisture and can
withstand the flashover phenomenon.
 TYPES OF INSULATORS
1) PIN TYPE INSULATORS
Pin type insulator consists of a single or a
multiple units. They are secured to the cross
arm of the pole.
Pin type insulator can be used only up to 33kv.
Beyond operating voltage of 33kv, the pin type
insulator become too bulky and hence
uneconomical.
2) SUSPENSION TYPE INSULATORS:

Suspension insulator consists of porcelain disc

units mounted one above each other. Each disc is
provided with a meta cap at the top and a metal
pin under.
A string of any number of units can be built
according to the line operating voltage.
The conductor is suspended below the point of
support by means of insulator string.
The number of discs in a string depends on the
line voltage and the atmospheric conditions.
The usual number of discs are:

Voltage (kv) : 66 132 220 400

Number of discs: 4-5 9-10 15-16 22-23
Suspension type insulators are cheaper than
pin type insulator.
If any one string is damaged, it can be
replaced by a sound one.
Each unit is designed for a low voltage.
Depending upon the working voltage, number
of units can be connected.
3) STRAIN INSULATORS:

These are special mechanical strong

suspension insulators.
They are used to take the tension of the
conductors at the line terminals, at angle
towers and at road crossings.
The string are placed in horizontal plane
Two or three strings of insulators in parallel
can ne used when the tension in conductor is
very high.
4) SHACKLE INSULATORS
In early days, the shackle insulators were used
as strain insulators. But now a days, they are
used for low voltage distribution lines.
Such insulators can either be used in horizontal
or vertical position. They can directly be fixed
to the pole with a bolt or to the cross arm.
 STRING EFFICIENCY
Cs: capacitance of each insulator
mCs: capacitance to ground
V1,V2,V3: the voltage across each unit
V= V1+V2+V3
At point A:
I2= I1+ i1
wC.V2= wC.V1+ wmC.V1
V2= (1+m).V1
At point B:
I3= I2+ i2
wC.V3= wmC.(V1+V2) + wC.V1
V3= (1+3m+m2).V1
For m<1 V3>V2>V1

Insulator efficiency: %n= (V/n.Vmax) * 100

String Efficiency = voltage across the string
n* (voltage across disc nearest
to conductor)
V: Voltage across the insulator string
n: number of insulator units
Vmax: Voltage across the insulator unit near to
conductor.
 METHODS TO IMPROVE STRING
EFFICIENCY
1) By using longer cross arm: the value of string
efficiency depends upon m (Ce/Cs). The lesser the
value of m, greater the string efficiency. The value of m
can be decreased by reducing Cs. In order to reduce Cs,
longer cross arm should be used
2) By guarding the insulators: Insulators of different
dimension having different capacitance are chosen.
They are assembled in a way that the top unit has
minimum capacitance and the unit nearest to
conductor has maximum capacitance. This method
tends to equalize the potential distribution across the
units of each string.
3) By using a guard ring:

The potential across each unit in a

string can be equalized by using a
guard ring which is a metal ring
electrically connected to the
conductor and surrounding the
bottom of insulator.
The guard ring introduces
capacitance between metal
fittings and the line conductor,
resulting in same charging current I flowing through
each unit of string.
 CONCLUSION
Thus, a brief idea about the types of insulator
used in overhead transmission line has been
obtained. Each type of insulator is having its
own area of application
For the equal potential distribution across the
strings of insulator, the string efficiency and
the methods of improving the string efficiency
has been concluded.