On the market of insulating materials, innovative products are constantly appearing that allow reducing the cost of maintaining power grids and increasing their operational characteristics. For example, polymer insulators under the brand " terma-energo " allow you to completely abandon the fragile and expensive analogs made of ceramics and glass. The company produces support and pass-through versions of these products.
Features of polymer insulators
As noted above, polymer insulators are much cheaper to manufacture compared to products made of ceramic materials or glass. The outer shell is made of plasticized mass with high resistivity to impact loads. The inertness of the material to the environment allows the use of polymer insulators in conditions of low temperatures and sudden changes in temperature conditions.
This feature facilitates transportation and storage, but it should be borne in mind that long-term placement of insulators in a horizontal position can lead to deformation of the outer shell.
Technical features of polymer insulators:
- increased value of resistivity on the surface;
- resistance to lightning and switching overloads, allows them to be operated after overlapping, as a result of the action of a power arc;
- discharge voltages of polymer insulators, twice as high as in ceramic and glass strings with the same creepage distance;
- high resistance to surface electrical discharges.
The only drawback of polymer insulators is the increased building dimensions, in comparison with ceramic products. This makes it difficult to use them during repair work, when it is necessary to replace a failed insulating unit made of glass or ceramics in a short time. During the construction of new power supply lines, this characteristic does not adversely affect the installation work.
