Current status of dielectric research and application in Thailand

The authors describe the applications of various kinds of electrical insulation for low and high-voltage equipment in Thailand. Most insulating materials are still imported. The dielectric research activities are concerned with the investigation of local raw materials for producing ceramics and porcelain, for high voltage applications. A porcelain insulator suspension type of insulation for tension higher than 15000 lb was developed. A ferroelectric ceramic, barium titanate, for producing capacitor dielectric can be produced from the local raw material barite. The methods for producing insulation in microelectronic devices are also presented. The applications of SF₆ gas as a dielectric of standard capacitors and also as internal insulation of high voltage transformers are investigated and the results are found to be satisfactory. The existing testing facilities for dielectric research are also discussed