Abstract— the formation of the dry band has great surpasses the flashover strength [5-8]. The creation of dry
influence on the electric field distribution along insulator, band is closely associated with discharge on the surface of
which will result in the partial arc as well flashover. In insulators and the basic to understanding of the mode selection,
order to investigate the characteristics of dry band under parameter optimization and flashover elimination for
different conditions, a three-dimension model of polluted insulators can be achieved through the study of field
insulator is established in this paper. The formation, distribution of insulators with dry bands. Plenty of studies to
location, width and number of dry band and its effect on the dry band and partial discharge of insulators have been
the potential and electric field distribution are investigated made at home and abroad. But most of these studies were
based on the analysis of electric field using the finite based on the idealized model in which the surface of insulators
element method. The results show that there will be has been simplified as a straightforward geometry, such as
obvious distortion of the electric field distribution of rectangle or conical contour and the influence of insulators’
insulator when the dry band appears on the surface of complex shape has not been considered and, therefore, they
polluted insulator. The maximum electric field of dry band have a certain deficiency [9-12].
is related to its location on the insulator surface, it has a This paper adopts the FEM (finite element method) to build
trend of asymmetric U type along the axial direction on the three dimensional model based on the true form of insulators
surface of insulator. The dry band on underside surface of and analyses the distribution of 3D electrical field of true
the insulator has a greater influence on the electric field model insulators with dry bands under the AC voltage with the
distribution than that on upper surface. The maximal help of Harmonic Quasistatic Electric Analysis method by
value appears on the center of dry band, which increases software ANSYS and makes the in-depth study on the
with the growth of dry band angle along the influence of creation, position along the surface, width, radian,
circumferential direction along the surface of the numbers of dry bands to the potential along the surface and
insulator, and decreases with the growth of dry band distribution of fields of polluted insulators.
width along the axial direction on the surface of the
insulator. The increase of dry band number will decrease II. COMPUTATION MODEL OF INSULATORS WITH DRY
the electric field reciprocally. BANDS
Key words: insulator, dry band, electric field distribution, Unlike the polluted insulators with dry bands, the surface
ANSYS, finite method, three-dimension model conductivity of clean insulators is very small and its field is a
capacitive distributed and axialsymmetric field that can be
I. INTRODUCTION solved by building a 2D cross-sectional model through
The conductors with different potential are usually jointed electrostatic field method. With the dry bands created, the
mechanically and insulated electrically by the insulators In field of insulator surface is no longer axialsymmetric one and
electrical system that are influenced by some hostile the 3D model have to be built. Besides,the field distribution
environment such as dust, industrial pollution, fog, rain and can not be solved with the conventional static field method or
snow and atmosphere. At a higher humidity conditions, the galvanostatic method due to a large amount of leak current on
flashover voltage will be sharply decreased and the flashover the surface of insulators and the field distribution presents
even happened at the operating voltage that will seriously resistive-capacitive one.
affect the safe operation of the system [1-4]. This is because of Based on the above analysis the 3D field analytical model for
the large humidity makes the surface of polluted insulators wet insulators built by using the FEM is shown on fig 1. The
and causes a sharply increased conductivity and leakage creeping distance of insulator is 320 mm. On the study of
current on it. The discharge on the surface of wetly polluted position influence the dry bands are located at 10 mm, 30 mm,
insulators is directly related to the dry band. As uneven 50 mm, 70 mm, 180 mm, 230 mm and 260 mm away from the
resistance existing on the polluted layer, the position with a low voltage end (iron cap) respectively in which the former 4
lower resistance becomes dry faster and resistance becomes positions are located on the upper surface and the later 3
larger because of a large amount of heat generated and, positions, lower surface. The several dry bands existing
therefore, one or more narrow dry bands will be created there conditions are simulated by using a combination of the above
and a considerable voltage drop will be appeared there that positions. 90°, 180°and 270°are chosen as angle of the dry
will cause a partial arc discharge and even develop a complete bands, and 3 mm, 5 mm, 9 mm and 12 mm, as the width. Set a
flashover on a certain conditions when the potential gradient certain resistivity for a thin layer on the surface of insulator to
Fig. 7 Relationship between Maximum Field Strength of dry band and width
Fig.9 Vector Diagram of Partial Insulator Surface with Three Dry Bands