Thermal conductivity of filled silicone rubber and its relationship to erosion resistance in the inclined plane test

Silicone rubber samples having various concentrations and mean particle sizes of either alumina tri-hydrate or silica filters, prepared by room temperature and heat cured under pressure (hot pressed), are tested for erosion resistance in the ASTM D2303 inclined plane tracking and erosion test. Their corresponding thermal conductivities are determined using a transient temperature technique in which an infrared laser is employed as the heat source and a thermal imaging camera as a temperature detection device. Scanning electron microscope observations show greater filler bonding to the silicone matrix in the hot pressed samples than in the room temperature vulcanized samples leading higher thermal conductivity and increased resistance to erosion, for both ATH and silica filled samples. The correlation study shows a strong relationship between the erosion resistance and the thermal conductivity of the tested samples, highlighting the importance of an outdoor insulating material to have high thermal conductivity in order to withstand dry band arcing. The results can be used to provide guidance on filler selection for silicone rubber compounding for outdoor insulation applications.     

Silicone rubber dielectrics modified by inorganic fillers for outdoor high voltage insulation applications

The paper discusses the mechanisms by which inorganic fillers in silicone rubber dielectrics enhance the properties of thermal conductivity, relative permittivity, and electrical conductivity making them useful in outdoor high voltage insulation applications. The addition of alumina trihydrate or silica fillers to silicone elastomers, forming binary composites with enhanced thermal conductivity, is discussed in relation to filler type, particle size, shape, and concentration, and its use as a housing material for non-ceramic insulators to minimize material erosion at dry band arcing sites by lowering hot spot temperature. Also discussed is the enhanced relative permittivity of silicone dielectrics that is obtained through the addition of barium titanate powder which can be further increased with the addition of aluminium powder forming a tertiary composite, resulting in a significant grading of the surface electric field when applied as a housing material to high voltage bushings. Controlled electrical conductivity of silicone dielectrics is discussed through the use of antimony-doped tin oxide filler binary composites and when applied as a housing material to outdoor bushings, the pollution performance is greatly enhanced.     

基于斜面法试验研究SiO_2质量分数对RTV硅橡胶涂料性能的影响

针对室温硫化(roomtemperature vulcanization,RTV)硅橡胶涂料应用中存在的黏附力不强、涂层易划破的问题,提出通过添加二氧化硅来提高硅橡胶的机械强度,改善材料的耐电痕化和耐电蚀损性。为此,结合热导率的概念,通过斜面法试验讨论了二氧化硅对RTV硅橡胶性能的影响,试验中采用西安交通大学电力电子专用设备研究所研制的高精度交流漏电起痕试验装置配合自行研发的多路泄漏电流实时监测采集装置,对制备的3种RTV硅橡胶涂料试片(只添加二氧化硅,且二氧化硅质量分数为20%、30%、50%)按照GB/T6553—2003《评定在严酷环境条件下使用的电气绝缘材料耐电痕化和蚀损的试验方法》进行试验。结论为:二氧化硅质量分数越高的硅橡胶热导率越大,热量越容易传导,耐电痕化和耐电弧烧蚀性越强;二氧化硅含量高、热导率大的硅橡胶试片到达过流保护动作的临界状态时,其烧蚀区域面积和烧蚀深度都较低二氧化硅含量的试片大;二氧化硅填料的增加使硅橡胶电蚀损后憎水性恢复过程减慢。     

Erosion resistance and mechanical properties of silicone nanocomposite insulation

The results of erosion resistance, tensile strength, elongation at break, hardness, and thermal stability measurements are presented for silicone nanocomposites prepared using various nano and micro silica and alumina fillers in a two-part silicone rubber (SiR) matrix. The fillers are used to improve the erosion resistance of SiR, which is necessary for outdoor insulation housing applications. Good dispersion of the fillers is achieved using Triton/sup TM/, a common surfactant. An optimal surfactant concentration imparts good erosion resistance to the nanocomposites in laser heating tests without adverse effects, but excess surfactant has a negative impact on the mechanical properties of the silicone. Thermal gravimetric analysis demonstrated that nano fumed silica imparts better heat resistance to silicone than natural nano silica or nano alumina fillers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis of the nanofillers indicated a significantly higher concentration of silanol groups in the nano fumed silica filler than in micro silica. The influence of the increased number of silanol groups on the erosion resistance of the nanocomposites and their mechanical properties is discussed.     

Electrical performance of RTV silicone rubber coatings

The role played by two major constituents in a room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber coating, namely, the inorganic alumina trihydrate (ATH) filler and the silicone polymer, on the coating's electrical performance was examined. The principal variable in the RTV silicone rubber coatings evaluated was the different weight fraction of the silicone polymer and ATH inorganic filler normally used for improving the tracking and erosion resistance. Other formulation details were essentially the same in the cured rubber. The coatings were spray coated on glazed porcelain rods and subjected to accelerated aging in a salt fog chamber. The changes produced by accelerated aging on the contamination withstand capability, leakage current suppression and erosion resistance were determined and correlated with the ratio of polymer to inorganic filler in the coating. It is shown that critical aspects of electrical performance necessary for satisfactory service operation such as contamination withstand capability before flashover and leakage current suppression are superior for the coating with a relatively high ratio of polymer to inorganic filler in comparison to the coatings with a relatively low ratio of polymer to inorganic filler. While all the coatings showed a high erosion resistance under mild discharge activity, the erosion resistance was found to be superior for the formulations with high inorganic filler under conditions of intensive surface discharge activity     

Tracking and erosion of HTV silicone rubber and suppressionmechanism of ATH

Tracking and erosion of high temperature vulcanizing (HTV)-silicone rubber (SIR) and the suppression mechanism of alumina trihydrate (ATH) filler were investigated in the present study. The tracking and erosion resistance of HTV-SIR filled with 0 to 60%wt ATH was evaluated by employing an IEC 587 inclined plane (IP) tracking and erosion test, during which leakage current pulses on HTV-SIR were counted. Surface temperature distributions and the occurrences of thermal spots >400°C also were observed by means of an infrared thermovision study. We employed thermogravimetry (TG)-differential thermal analysis (DTA)-mass spectrometer (MS) to observe the thermal degradation of unfilled and filled HTV-SIR in both air and argon. The test results indicate that 40%wt is a critical ATH level and whether tracking and erosion is allowed in the IP tracking and erosion test. Highly filling ATH (>40%wt) reduces the number of low unit silicone oligomer precursors which promote dry-band arcing as well as the presence of residual carbon which leads to carbonization. Chemical modifications of water vapor liberated from heated ATH to methyl groups, which occurs at the thermal decomposition temperature of silicone rubber, were found to result in the above process. The protection mechanisms of ATH for the tracking and erosion of HTV-SIR are formulated herein     

Erosion resistance of nano-filled silicone rubber

The paper presents the experimental results obtained on the erosion resistance of silicone rubber (SIR) filled with 12 nm size fumed silica (nano filler) to those filled with 5 /spl mu/m size silica filler (micro filler). The ASTM 2303 inclined plane tracking and erosion test was used in the comparison as well as an infrared laser as the source of heat to erode the SIR samples. The erosion resistance of the SIR materials increased with increasing percentage of the fillers, and it was observed that 10% by weight of nano-filled SIR gives a performance that is similar to that obtained with 50% by weight of micro-filled SIR. The low frequency components of leakage current and the eroded mass are used to evaluate the relative erosion resistance of the composites and the third harmonic component of the leakage current shows good correlation to the measured eroded mass. The paper discusses the possible reasons for the improvement in the erosion resistance of nano-filled silicone composites.     

Contamination performances of silicone rubber insulator subjectedto acid rain

Acid rain causes one of the more severe environmental contaminants, and there is an increasing interest in the degradation of outdoor polymer insulating materials in severe pollution conditions such as acid rain. The performance of high temperature vulcanizing (HTV) silicon rubber insulators in accelerated aging of artificial acid rain is investigated by the salt fog method. Experimental results and theoretical analysis show that acid rain exerts a large erosion effect on the silicone rubber insulator. The inorganic filler alumina trihydrate (ATH) in the silicone rubber easily dissolves in acid rain, and the increasing discharge heat from dry band arcing due to acid rain can further cause the loss of ATH. The hydrophobic groups of hydrocarbon branch (ie. methyl in silicone rubber), are also degraded in acid rain. Therefore, the surface of aged insulators becomes rough, they become less hydrophobic, and the surface discharge current increases. However, in a subsequent dry environment, the low molecular weight (LMW) polymer silicone liquid or oil in the bulk of the insulator diffuses and migrates to the surface to provide a hydrophobic layer so that the degraded surface of silicone rubber insulator is compensated, and the contamination performance is restored to some extent. Such recovery of contamination indicates why silicone rubber insulators can be used for long times under severe environmental stress     

一种新型陶瓷化高分子复合耐火硅橡胶耐火电缆的研制

概述了一种新型的陶瓷化硅橡胶耐火电缆的研制。陶瓷化硅橡胶耐火材料由硅橡胶基料中加入无机硅粉末填充物、结构控制剂和其他的助剂材料等组成,可用于不同电线电缆产品的制造。这种材料在常态下仍然具备硅橡胶的特性,经500℃高温和750℃以上的火焰烧蚀,耐火硅橡胶将形成坚硬的陶瓷化防火保护层,起着隔绝火焰的作用,在火灾情况下保证电力和通信的传输功能。     

废旧复合绝缘子硅橡胶伞裙定值热解制备纳米二氧化硅的方法

由于优异的耐污特性,复合绝缘子在我国电网中应用广泛,但是随着复合绝缘子使用年限的增长,退役复合绝缘子中包含的大量难以自然降解的硅橡胶材料将对环境造成极大的压力.为此基于定值热解法,提出了一种绿色回收废旧复合绝缘子得到高经济价值产物的方法.首先收集了运行20a后自然退役的复合绝缘子伞裙材料,详细研究了硅橡胶材料的热解过程...     

UV-A辐射对外绝缘用液态硅橡胶和高温硫化硅橡胶的影响及其机理

在强紫外环境下,外绝缘用硅橡胶材料(高温硫化(HTV)硅橡胶和液态硅橡胶(LSR))的老化将会威胁输电线路的安全运行。为研究UV-A紫外辐射对二者的影响,该文对UV-A辐射老化后的HTV硅橡胶和LSR进行X射线光电子能谱(XPS)和傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)等微观结构,以及耐热特性、机电特性和交联密度等宏观性能的测试。研究发现,1000h UV-A老化后,HTV硅橡胶表面碳元素含量减少13.4%,氧元素含量增加10.0%,甲基含量、热稳定性和力学强度下降。但是,LSR表面碳元素含量增加5.8%,氧元素含量下降7.6%,Si(—O)4结构减少,甲基含量增加65.7%,热稳定性增加。分析结果表明,UV-A老化中二者的差异主要是由交联结构、ATH含量,以及含氢硅油造成。最后,基于提出的LSR在UV-A老化过程中发生的提氢反应,建议通过减少含氢硅油的含量和增加生胶的分子量提高LSR的耐UV-A老化性能。该文可为理解外绝缘用硅橡胶材料的紫外老化特性提供支撑,也可用于指导高海拔地区的外绝缘材料选型。     

ATH对复合绝缘子用硅橡胶性能影响的分析

通过斜面法试验研究了不同三水氧化铝(ATH)含量对硅橡胶材料耐漏电起痕和烧蚀性能的影响。借助TG、SEM等近代仪器分析技术,研究了ATH的阻燃机理及其在硅橡胶中的分散性。试验结果表明提高ATH的含量能增加硅橡胶材料的耐漏电起痕性能,但同时也将降低其机械性能。     

Low-molecular weight silicone fluid in RTV silicone rubber coatings

Coatings of room-temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber (SIR) are used increasingly on outdoor HV porcelain and glass insulators and bushings when subjected to heavy pollution. An important property of the RTV-SIR coating is its ability to restore the hydrophobicity of the surface after a layer of contamination has built up on it, and thus continue to suppress the development of leakage current, dry band arcing and flashover. This is accomplished by the diffusion of low molecular weight (LMW) silicone fluid from the bulk to the surface of the coating and then to the top of the contamination layer. The presence of sufficient LMW silicone fluid in the bulk of the coating is a critical factor in both the recovery of hydrophobicity and its long term maintenance under wet and polluted conditions. This paper reports on several factors which affect the level of LMW silicone fluid present in RTV-SIR coatings. Different formulations of the RTV-SIR were used. The percentage weight of the LMW silicone fluid was determined in RTV-SIR coatings as a function of the size of the particles of the alumina trihydrate (ATH) filler which was varied from 1 to 75 μm, the concentration of the ATH filler from 50 to 150 pph of the base silicone rubber, the addition of 10%wt silicone fluid to the formulation of RTV-SIR, the carrier solvents of 1,1,1 trichloroethane and naphtha, exposure to continuous wind at a speed of 7.45±0.25 km/h for 22 months, exposure to stationary air for 14 months, immersion in low salinity water simulating rain (70 μS/cm) for 14 months and tests in energized low conductivity salt-fog. The mechanisms responsible for the observed phenomena are suggested and discussed     

Analysis of electrical activity associated with inclined-planetracking and erosion of insulating materials

Surface electrical activity and physical changes were measured and compared for several types of outdoor insulation materials, using a standard test method. The leakage current activities during the inclined-plane test (ASTM D2303) were measured by using four representative materials: a silicone with high (>70% by weight) loading of alumina trihydrate (ATH), a silicone with no ATH, a poly ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), and a glazed porcelain. Quantitatively, the severity of the inclined-plane test was defined by detailed leakage current measurements. Qualitatively, it is observed that the test was severe enough to damage the glaze on porcelain. The study enabled us to compare polymers with porcelain, silicones containing no ATH vs. high loading of ATH, and silicones with EVA. The analysis showed that electrical activity, particularly the average leakage current and the distribution of peak current, depended on the surface wettability of the materials by the contaminant solution. The compound formulation is more important than the generic polymer types. It was demonstrated that silicone with no ATH, and EVA with only a medium level of ATH, exhibited excellent tracking and erosion resistance, comparable to the silicone highly filled with ATH. The presence of ATH is not absolutely necessary to achieve the superior tracking and erosion resistance of a silicone elastomer     

A novel technique to evaluate the erosion resistance of silicone rubber composites for high voltage outdoor insulation using infrared laser erosion

The standard methods available to test tracking and erosion resistance of filled silicone rubber do not allow to delineate the fundamentals of the thermal degradation, although the heat from the dry band arcing is the main degradation factor. In this work a thermal imaging camera is used to investigate the performance of filled silicone rubber in an inclined plane test, and a scheme is established to relate the temperature and the electrical discharge energy. Further, an infrared laser technique, based on constant energy approach, is developed to study the material performance under laser heating. The technique consists of applying a certain amount of infrared laser energy during a set time period, in order to produce erosion in the silicone rubber samples. Through correlation studies the applicability of the proposed laser technique to rank silicone rubber samples with various fillers has been validated. The laser tests show identical ranking of samples when compared to samples ranked using inclined plane tests, yet offering significant advantages of being faster, simpler, and reproducible.     

RTV/纳米层状硅酸盐复合绝缘的抗电痕性

为提高RTV的抗电痕性,用纳米技术对其改性,合成RTV纳米复合材料并试验研究了它的耐漏电起痕及电蚀损能力,分析层状纳米材料的抗电痕机理的结果表明,层状纳米材料可大大提高RTV的抗电痕性。     

Role of the size of particles of alumina trihydrate filler on thelife of RTV silicone rubber coating

The paper reports on a study of the influence of the size of the particles of alumina trihydrate (ATH-Al₂O₃.3H₂O) filler on the life of room temperature vulcanised (RTV) silicone rubber coating in a salt-fog chamber. The particle sizes examined include 1.0, 4.5, 13, 17 and 75 μm. The optimum size to give the lowest leakage current and the longest time to failure of the coating is determined. The particle size affects the roughness of the coating. This is determined by a high resolution surface roughness tester and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination. The roughness is enhanced after prolonged testing in salt-fog. The leakage current affects the amount of silicone fluid on the surface. The amount of silicone fluid present on the surface after exposure to dry-band arcing in salt-fog is a function of the particle size. Measurements of surface roughness, the amount of silicone fluid on the surface and the leakage current combined with theoretical analysis of the heat of conduction lead to identification of the mechanisms by which the size of the ATH particle imparts resistance to tracking and erosion     

Tracking and erosion of HTV silicone rubbers of different thickness

Tracking and erosion behaviors of high temperature vulcanized (HTV)-silicone rubber (SIR) of 0.5 to 6.0 mm thicknesses were investigated in order to obtain the optimum thickness for enhancing tracking and erosion resistance under various leakage current levels. Under low leakage current, thinner samples showed a higher tracking and erosion resistance, while under medium and high leakage current, thicker samples showed better resistance to these behaviors. The optimum thickness to prolong the time to tracking and erosion failure appeared in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 mm thickness. The content of an initial low molecular weight (LMW) silicone fluid was shown to be closely related to the development of leakage current and high temperature thermal spots. The results indicate that the sample thickness is crucial to the ability of HTV-SIR to withstand a large number of high temperature thermal spots under condition of high level leakage current     

复合绝缘子硅橡胶材料老化性能分析

分析了青海电网部分长时间服役的复合绝缘子硅橡胶材料的老化现象,研究了绝缘子用硅橡胶材料在高原地区的应用状况及其老化规律,采用核磁共振方法对硅橡胶材料进行了检测.结果表明,该检测方法是可行的,可快速、准确地监测电网运行中复合绝缘子的老化程度.     

Leakage current suppression and resistance to tracking and erosion of HTV silicone rubber with added silicone plasticizer

The present study evaluated the leakage current suppression and the resistance to tracking and erosion of high-temperature vulcanized silicone rubbers (HTV-SIRs) containing different levels of silicone plasticizer. Slab HTV-SIRs unfilled and filled with alumina trihydrate (ATH, 50 wt%) and with added linear silicone plasticizer (0-6.0 wt%), which was terminated with hydroxyl groups and of which repetition number was 13-18, were tested. Evaluation using the IEC 60587 inclined-plane method indicated that the plasticizer had no influence on the tracking and erosion behavior. Salt-fog test results indicated that a higher level of plasticizer in the ATH-filled HTV-SIR showed smaller leakage current. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry suggested that the enhanced suppression of the leakage current for ATH-filled HTV-SIR can be attributed to migration of the linear silicone plasticizer onto the surface contaminants. It was concluded that the addition of silicone plasticizer is useful for improving the leakage current suppression ability of HTV-SIR without reducing its tracking and erosion resistance in the above laboratory tests