• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.07a
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• pp.74-77
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• 2001

In order to investigate the effect of salinity level on tracking characteristics of polymer insulators for distribution power systems, tracking tests were performed by tracking wheel tester under different salt concentration. In this study, 6 kinds of polymer insulators were tested under 2200 ${\mu}\textrm{s}$/cm and 4000${\mu}\textrm{s}$/cm salinity. The salinity level has a significant effect on the tracking characteristics. Namely, most polymer insulators showed the good tracking resistance in case of low salinity level. But, in case of high salinity level some polymer insulators showed the excessive erosion and tracking. These phenomena may come from the different aging mechanism. It can be concluded that too high salinity level is not desirable in aging test of polymer insulators.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.161-164
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• 2009

Forest fire simulation tests were performed with polymer and porcelain insulators at GOCHANG Power Testing Center. These tests consisted of open flames causing a temperature rise of up to $600{\sim}800^{\circ}C$ measured at the insulator surfaces. Mechanical and electrical characteristics such as the specific mechanical load, the low frequency dry flashover voltage and the impulse flashover voltage were analyzed for the polymer insulators before, during and after the simulation tests and then compared to the porcelain insulators. At the end of the fire simulation tests, there was no detrimental deterioration of any of the insulators. All the insulators passed the KEPCO specification criteria. This study showed that the forest fire simulation had no impact on the polymer insulators.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.558-565
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• 2017

Hybrid insulators that have the advantages of both porcelain (high mechanical strength and chemical stability) as well as polymer (light weight and high resistance to pollution) insulators, can be used in place of individual porcelain and polymer insulators that are used for both mechanical support as well as electrical insulation of overhead power transmission lines. The most significant feature of hybrid insulators is the presence of porcelain/polymer interfaces where the porcelain and polymer are physically bonded. Individual porcelain and polymer insulators do not have such porcelain/polymer interfaces. Although the interface is expected to affect the mechanical/electrical properties of the hybrid insulator, systematic studies of the adhesion properties at the porcelain/polymer interface and the effect of the interface on the insulation characteristics and electric field distribution of the hybrid insulator have not been reported. In this study, we fabricated small hybrid insulator specimens with various types of interfaces and investigated the effect of the porcelain/polymer interface on the microstructure, insulating characteristics, and electric field distribution of the hybrid insulators. It was observed that the porcelain/polymer interface of the hybrid insulator does not have a significant effect on the insulating characteristics and electric field distribution, and the hybrid insulator can exhibit electrical insulating properties that are similar or superior to those of individual porcelain and polymer insulators.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.07e
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• pp.2358-2360
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• 1999

This study describes the reliability assessment of 3 years-aged polymer insulators using polymer characterization techniques such as SEM, contact angle, DSC, FTIR. Two kinds of polymer insulators were dismounted from 5 fields. All polymer insulators showed the micro-cracks and the reduction of characteristic peaks on the shed surface. Contact angle was increased with time. Although some superficial changes have occurred, there are no significant changes in various properties. Comparison of dismounted insulators to new ones revealed that the field-aged insulators are reliable for the present.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2008.07a
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• pp.460-461
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• 2008

The forest fire simulation tests were performed with polymer and porcelain insulators at Gochang testing center. These tests consisted of energizing 90 kV at line-to-ground voltage of 154 kV lines and open flame rising up to $600-630^{\circ}C$ as being measured at insulator surface. Mechanical and electrical characteristics such as specific mechanical load, leakage current, low frequency dry flashover voltage and impulse flashover voltage were analyzed for the polymer insulators before, during and after simulation tests compared with porcelain insulators. At the end of fire simulation tests, there was no detrimental deterioration of any insulators. All insulators passed the criteria of KEPCO specification. This study showed that forest fire simulation had no impact on polymer insulators.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2011.07a
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• pp.465-466
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• 2011

The global trend is to make transmission lines light weight and compact by using insulators and other equipment made of advanced materials. In Korea, the diversification of insulators supply route has begun in order to obtain price competitiveness. In May 1999, polymer insulators were finally introduced for the first time and installed to the 154kV transmission lines. After that, the construction and procurement standards were made and domestic polymer insulators were developed. And then, foreign and domestic manufacturers were registered in KEPCO as qualified insulator suppliers. As of 2010, purchasing polymer insulators by competitive bidding from foreign and domestic manufacturers has been possible. For this reason, it was decided to reduce the use of porcelain insulators and increase the use of polymer insulators taking the installation price into consideration

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.787-792
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• 2007

To understand the effects of forest fires on polymer insulators for transmission lines, the forest fire simulation tests were performed with polymer and porcelain insulators at Gochang testing center. These tests consisted of energizing 90 kV at line-to-ground voltage of 154 kV lines and open flame rising up to $600-630^{\circ}C$ as being measured at insulator surface. Mechanical and electrical characteristics such as specific mechanical load, leakage current, low frequency dry flashover voltage and impulse flashover voltage were analyzed for the polymer insulators before, during and after simulation tests compared with porcelain insulators. At the end of fire simulation tests, there was no detrimental deterioration of any insulators. All insulators passed the criteria of KEPCO specification. This study showed that forest fire simulation had no impact on polymer insulators.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.847-858
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• 2000

The aging characteristics of 2 kinds of 3 years field-aged distribution polymer insulators which were dismounted from 5 regions have been investigated by electrical test and material characterization. Although the tan $\delta$of specimens prepared from weathershed was increased with surface aging, the tan $\delta$and leakage current of real products had no difference between virgin and dismounted ones. Due to the aging, all dismounted polymer insulators had micro-cracks on the surface of weathershed and only the products of manufacturer B showed the reduction of OIT(oxidation induction time). But, there were no differences between virgin and dismounted products in contact angle and chemical structure. Therefore, it can be considered that the aging is only limited on the surface of dismounted polymer insulators and that NMR technique are very useful to evaluate the aging of polymer materials.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2001.05c
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• pp.10-14
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• 2001

In order to assess the long-tenn reliability of polymer insulators for distribution power systems, we have developed the accelerated aging test method which can simulate the operation conditions. In this study, 3000 hours aging test for 4 kinds of polymer insulators has been completed by the developed accelerated aging test. After 3000 hours aging test, visual inspection and electrical tests were carried for identifying a change of characteristics. Some specimens showed the surface erosion and the manufacturing defect. In the electrical tests, the wet flashover voltage was significant1y decreased by the accelerated aging test. In comparison with the field-aged polymer insulators, it can be concluded that the developed test method can evaluate the long-tenn reliability within short time and screen the manufacturing defect.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2006.07a
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• pp.436-437
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• 2006

Porcelain insulators have generally been used in Korea but polymer insulators which are superior in that they are light weight, explosion proof, impact proof, economical with construction characteristics, have been in use for the 154kV transmission line since 1999 following a worldwide trend towards the reduced weight, simplification and compact usage of new material insulators. However there have been approximately 500 cases of forest fires in Korea, so the transmission lines that for the most part pass through mountainous areas have been highly effected and the highly polymerized compound polymer insulator has raised concern about reliability in cases of exposure to forest fires. Therefore for the reliability assessment of the effect of forest fires on polymer insulators, mechanical and electrical characteristics are analyzed by an artificial flare test device and transmission facility surrounding conditions along with forest fire characteristics are surveyed. In addition to this, actual 90kV energized transmission line was tested with an artificial forest fire and the expanded usage of polymer insulators is presented through the analysis of mechanical and electrical characteristics and physical properties, and a study on the influence of forest fires on polymer insulators.