Tests

HVL Tamworth High Voltage Laboratory
HVL Tamworth High Voltage Laboratory in the UK has gained worldwide recognition as an independent high voltage and mechanical test facility. Their testing capacity includes two 50Hz transformers cascade connected and an artificial rain spray system to give up to 1300kV wet flashover test voltages. The laboratory can also be fully darkened to a photographically black condition to allow location of corona discharges.

Commissioned by National Grid UK, tests carried out under wet test conditions on various types of glazed ceramic insulators successfully demonstrated the reduction of corona activity to almost zero on insulators treated with VoltShield®, and much increased withstand voltage and flashover values.

Click here to download the Tamworth VoltShield® Test and here for the VoltShield® Evaluation on Third Rail Insulators.

CIRED 2009 (International Conference on Electricity Distribution)
A paper entitled 'VoltShield® – Anti-Pollutant Treatment for Glass And Glazed Porcelain Insulators' was presented at CIRED 2009, the international conference on electricity distribution. Click here to download.

NaRec and Mannheim Tests
Tests commissioned by National Grid UK at the NaRec high-voltage laboratory were made to IEC 60060-1. The treated insulators passed wet-switching impulse tests at over 1MV.

Following successful tests on 400kV string insulators at NaRec, the tests at FGH Mannheim were made on 400kV post insulators. Although the insulators were not designed for use in polluted conditions, they are used in such places. The heavy wetting and artificial pollution tests (salt-fog spray) showed that the VoltShield® treated insulators improved the performance over untreated insulators. Click here to download.

Steelworks site in Australia

Major ironworks in Japan

Steelworks site in Australia

Experience

Since its introduction in 2002, VoltShield® has been increasing the efficiency of glass and porcelain electrical insulators worldwide.

VoltShield® has been applied on insulators in the UK, Japan and Australia with great success. Workers on treated sites have been impressed with the easier maintenance properties. For example, in a major ironworks site in Japan, the porcelain insulators were heavily contaminated with salt which impaired performance. Prior to VoltShield® protection, the insulators had to be thoroughly cleaned every six months in addition to cleaned with high pressured water every ten days. After treatment with VoltShield, frequency of cleaning was significantly reduced and performance increased.

In the UK, a major energy supplier has invested in VoltShield® treatment because the company found the technology dramatically increased the performance of its 132kV insulators by reducing incidence of power loss from flashovers.

A Project Engineer from the energy supplier was impressed, stating: “After the application of your VoltShield® product to the insulator, as far as I am aware, we haven't had a single flashover, which in my eyes is a success."

For solutions to renovate, protect and maintain glass and porcelain electrical insulators, get in touch with us.