Laboratory Tests of a Composite Insulator Instrumented with Optical Fiber Sensors

Abstract

Many power system components are monitored based on static ratings. An emblematic example is the determination of the maximum current value for a given conductor (ampacity), which takes into account temperature estimates of the conductor, based on its resistance, emissivity, absorptivity and meteorological conditions. Normally, it is assumed that the conductor is always in thermal equilibrium (steady state) and the ampacity is determined considering the worst meteorological scenario. Conversely, an important implementation that comes from condition monitoring applications is the estimation of dynamic line rating, which in turn, allows increasing/decreasing the utilization level of the line, without violating the safety margins. In order to minimize this lack of real-time information, an instrumentalized high voltage insulator has been developed in the project named Fiber Optic Sensor Technology for Supervision, Control and Protection of Electric Power Systems (TECCON II). The system developed in the project is able to be installed along the transmission lines and to collect very relevant information to the operation, allowing an estimative of the transmission line ampacity on a given moment, for example. All information is obtained through the use of fiber optical sensors, immune to electromagnetic interference. Although the TECCON project implicates in several stages of development and testing, this papers focuses in the constructive details of the insulator, as though as the results of laboratory tests. The presented test results are: polymer electric strength, dimension check, inclined-plane tracking and erosion test and mechanical strength test. The tests were performed based on Brazilian standards.