Growth characteristics and influence analysis of insulator strings in natural icing

Icing flashover of insulator strings has always been a serious factor threatening the safety and stability of the power grid. Researchers have simulated icing based on an artificial climate chamber, but it cannot fully simulate the growth process of insulator strings during the icing period in the natural environment. The icing growth characteristics of insulator strings in the natural environment are not clear. In this paper, three kinds of porcelain insulators were tested in the Xuefeng Mountain natural icing test base of Chongqing University. The results show that the freezing rain, alternating icing of freezing rain and freezing fog can cause the insulator stings to form glaze and mixed rime, and the icing degree on the windward side is more serious than leeward side. The higher the test environment's precipitation, humidity and wind speed, the faster the insulator strings' icing speed. And there are also some influences of the ambient temperature on the icing morphology in this test. The icing thickness on the windward side of the insulator shed will gradually increase. The number of icicles of insulators is positively correlated with the diameter of insulator sheds. The icing mass of insulator strings is seriously affected by their shed structure.