AC Source-Insulator Interaction in HV Pollution Tests

A dynamic model of ac source-insulator interaction during the critical arcing period of polluted high-voltage insulators is developed. The simulation accounts for arc dynamics, arc motion over the contaminated insulator surface, dielectric recovery, and restrikes as well as the most relevant parameters of the insulator and the source. The effect of the source parameters on the leakage current waveform, dynamic voltage drop and critical flashover voltage are systematically investigated. Whenever possible the simulation results are compared with experiments and the results are found quite satisfactory.