Comparative numerical analysis of high voltage insulators under polluted and clean conditions using COMSOL multiphysics

Insulators play a vital role in electrical systems by providing necessary insulation to prevent leakage currents and ensure safe operation. However, their performance can be greatly compromised by environmental factors, with pollution being a major concern. Contaminants such as dust, salt, and industrial pollutants can accumulate on the surface of insulators, leading to the formation of conductive layers when mixed with moisture. This can cause flashovers, resulting in power outages and damage to equipment. Therefore, understanding and mitigating the impact of environmental pollution on insulators is crucial for maintaining the reliability and safety of electrical systems. The objective of this work is to understand and predict how pollution affects the insulation of high-voltage lines, thereby providing insights for improving their reliability and performance. This research is dedicated to the numerical investigation of pollution behavior on the surface of a high-voltage cap and pin used by the National Electricity and Gas Company of Algeria. The approach and results presented in this work offer multiple perspectives, both numerically, on the physical phenomena affecting the insulation of high-voltage lines under pollution conditions. Discussions are conducted between the 2D and 3D results to demonstrate that numerical simulations can accurately predict variations.