Field investigation of the performance of insulators treated with semiconductive coating

Since the icing disaster happened in the South of China in 2008, the anti- and de-icing technology for protecting overhead power network equipment in winter conditions have become a key technology to ensure the safe operation of the power system. Partially treating insulator with semiconductive coating is a potential way to reduce ice accretion on the insulators. A quite good anti-icing performance was observed in the climate room, and then the semiconductive silicone rubber coating has started to use on some lines in Guangdong Grid and Yunnan Grid in China since 2010. This paper focuses on the site construction work and the anti-icing performance of the field trials. Both the results in the lab and field operation showed that ice accretion could be reduced greatly by using the semi-conductive silicone rubber on insulators. However, the anti-icing performance of the insulator strings with no large diameter sheds is better than the insulators string structured with alternately large and small diameter sheds.