Effect of metallic particles on e-field enhancement in extra high voltage gas-insulated transmission lines

Abstract

Gas-insulated transmission lines (GITL) are valued as technological solutions in hydropower stations due to their enormous power handling capabilities. The performance of GITL is a function of the size of metallic particles inside the gas-insulated chamber. Electrostatic field (E-field) enhancement is a common phenomenon in gas-insulated lines due to these metallic particles. In this study, the E-field enhancement factor is calculated by considering metallic particles at various locations in the gas-insulated line/bus section, such as high-tension (HT) conductor, high-voltage shields, support insulator, and inner surface of grounded enclosure. For this purpose, a two-dimensional model based on finite element (FE) method is developed. The length of the metallic particle is in the range of 1 to 10 mm while the diameter is between 1 to 3 mm. E-field enhancement is also computed for various particle configurations of the gas-insulated system, with focus on dielectric coating made of epoxy on HT conductor and inner surface of grounded enclosure.