Boundary methods for the analysis and design of high-voltage insulators (Q1086048)

The paper demonstrates the application of the method of boundary integral equations and boundary elements to the analysis of the potential distribution on high-voltage insulators with clean and contaminated surfaces. Two formulations are presented: (1) a direct formulation giving the potential on the dielectric/air boundary in terms of the charges on the conducting surfaces, and (2) an indirect approach in terms of an equivalent charge distribution on all surfaces. The integral equations are Fredholm integral equations of the second kind in the first case and a combination of Fredholm equations of the first and second kind in the second cased. For geometries with rotational symmetry, the equations become one-dimensional. The corresponding formulation using the method of charge simulation is presented. For contaminated dielectrics, the additional constraint of zero net charge on each conducting strip gives the additional equations required to relate the unknown potentials of the strip. The indirect formulation is used to exemplify the analysis of clean and contaminated rod-type insulators. The results are compared with those obtained by the method of charge simulation.