2009 Third Asia International Conference on Modelling & Simulation
Computer Simulation of Leakage Current on ceramic Insulator
under Clean Fog Condition
Suwarno and F. Pratomosiwi
School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics
Bandung Institute of Technology
Jl. Ganesha 10 Bandung 40132, INDONESIA
E-mail: suwarno@ieee.org
Abstract
During operation, ceramic outdoor high voltage
insulators may severe a certain degree of pollution
which may reduce their performances. Under these
conditions a large leakage current (LC) may flow on
the surface and degradation may take place. The LC
waveforms are normally non-pure sinusoidal. This
paper explains the LC under clean fog condition and
proposes an equivalent electrical circuit model for
modeling leakage current phenomenon on ceramic
outdoor insulator under various environmental
conditions.
The proposed equivalent electrical circuit
model consists of capacitor(s), nonlinear resistor(s),
and spark model(s). These three parameters are
used to simulate the LC waveforms of ceramic
insulator under various environmental conditions.
Using the proposed equivalent circuit, the
influence of each electrical circuit parameter on
the LC waveform characteristics, such as its
magnitude, asymmetrical, and total harmonic
distortion (THD) are discussed. The leakage
current simulations was done using ATP/EMTP
software package.
Keywords: equivalent circuit, harmonics, non-linear
resistor, polluted insulator.
1. Introduction
Ceramic insulators are widely used in power
system since long time ago. At present time ceramic
insulators are still widely being used. Ceramic
insulator has good mechanical and electrical properties
and less expensive. As outdoor insulators ceramic
978-0-7695-3648-4/09 $25.00 © 2009 IEEE 508
DOI 10.1109/AMS.2009.55
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insulators may severe a certain degree of pollution and
other environmental factors which may reduce their
surface resistance. The reduction of surface resistance
may enhance the leakage current (LC) to flow on the
surface of the insulators[1].
Leakage current with large magnitude flow on
the surface for long period may cause degradation of the
insulator surface[2]. In long term the degradation may
lead to the flashover of the insulators. Therefore, it is
important to understand the correlation between
insulator condition and its leakage current
phenomenon and to investigate electrical equivalent
circuits for representing insulators under different
conditions.
In this paper, the proposed equivalent circuit
model was used to represent various conditions of
insulators. The equivalent circuit contains 3
parameters (a) the capacitance, (b) the non-linear
characteristics and (c) arc model. The capacitance
affects the phase shift of LC from the applied voltage.
The resistance and non-linear characteristics determine
the amplitude of the LC and its dependence on the
applied voltage. The arc model is used to represent the
appearance of electrical discharges on the insulator
surface which affects the LC waveforms. The proposed
equivalent circuit model could represent outdoor
insulator for clean sample under clean fog condition,
kaolin salt polluted sample under clean fog
condition and effect of salt fog conductivity on
leakage current waveforms for experimental
results [3]. By combining the three parameters
leakage current waveforms were simulated using
ATP/EMTP software package.
Validation of the proposed equivalent circuit
model and its parameters is done by analyzing and
comparing experimental results in [1] and the
simulation results.
2. Model of insulators and computer equivalent circuit to represent outdoor insulator under
Simulation various condition.

The proposed equivalent circuit of outdoor

insulator is simulated using ATPdraw/EMTP [4] and
based on proposed model of polluted insulator with
dry-band discharge equivalent circuit[5].
Figure 1 shows the basic electrical equivalent
circuit of outdoor insulator. It consists of capacitor(s)
and nonlinear resistor(s). Those element purely depend Figure 1: basic electrical equivalent circuit of outdoor
on the internal insulator characteristics and the applied insulator
voltages. It is understandable, that in high voltage
engineering a capacitive effect of high voltage
apparatus, as the case of insulators, will appear
dominantly. The levels of insulator leakage current
were in order μA (microampere).
Figure 2 shows a proposed equivalent circuit of
outdoor insulator with discharges on the sample
surface simulated with models. It consists of
capacitor(s), nonlinear resistor(s), and arcing circuit(s).
The capacitor and nonlinear resistor connected in
parallel, while the arcing circuit connected series with Figure 2: The proposed electrical equivalent circuit of
the nonlinear resistor. The presented circuit is a outdoor insulator for symmetrical LC waveforms
modification of precious one by adding arc model in
parallel, as representation of discharge condition. We
used arc model to simulate surface discharges by
controlling the spark voltage of arc model switch.
This equivalent can be used to simulate leakage current
with symmetrical waveforms at both polarity (positive
and negative cycle have the same leakage current
waveforms) and surface discharges.
Figure 3 shows a proposed equivalent circuit of
outdoor insulator with discharges on the sample
surface and additional circuit to simulate the
asymmetrical positive and negative half cycle leakage Figure 3: The proposed electrical equivalent circuit of
current waveforms. This fact can be explained as outdoor insulator for asymmetrical LC waveforms
follows. As applied voltage increase, the ionization
may take place on the insulator surface. Electric 3. Simulation Results of Leakage Current
discharge may take place if initial charge or electron
and comparison with experimental results
is available and the instantaneous applied voltage
exceeding a certain threshold value. This occurred at
positive half cycle when air at the proximity of the 3.1. Leakage Current waveforms for clean
ceramic surface is negatively charged and released sample under clean fog condition
electron to initiate the discharge. This phenomenon
According to [3], typical leakage current waveforms
could cause asymmetrical leakage current waveforms.
for clean insulator under clean fog of low humidity at
The condition mention above can be simulated by
applied voltage of (a) 5 kV, (b) 20 kV and (c) 45 kV
adding diode. The idea is to divide the circuit into two
are shown in figure 4. The LC waveforms were
parts. The upper part of equivalent circuit is to
slightly distorted from their sinusoidal due to presence
simulate the positive half cycle and the below part is to
of harmonic components especially 5th and 3rd
simulate the negative half cycle. To simulate the
components.
distorted sinusoidal LC waveforms due to presence of
Figure 5 shows the simulation results with the
surface discharges, we add additional arc model. With
same applied voltage. The waveforms are similar to
this proposed circuit, we may have the ideal electrical
the typical leakage current waveforms in fig 4. The
resistance value is assumed, i.e. 4421 MΩ [5]. This

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value is chosen in order to obtain the leakage current
of the order of microamperes. In order to build
equivalent circuits that resemble the original
insulator, we must combine the three parameters (a)
the capacitor capacitance value, (b) the non-linear
characteristics and (c) arc model characteristics that
represent the magnitude and waveforms of
insulator’s leakage current.
It is known that the surface resistance becoming
non-linear. Therefore, the non-linear characteristics
plays an important role here, because it explains the
(phenomenon occur) leakage current flowed on the
insulator surface. The non-linear characteristics are
different for every simulation condition because the
magnitude and waveforms are also different
model used depend on the spark occurred in
waveforms. It increases along with the distortion
occurred. Figure 5 (c) shows simulated LC waveforms
using proposed equivalent circuit for clean sample
under clean fog of low humidity at applied voltage of
45kV. The magnitude of LC increased significantly
and strong distortion of positive half cycle is observed.
Figure 5 (c) also shows that asymmetrical leakage
current waveform caused the THD value larger. At
45 kV the 3rd harmonic component are the most
significant.

200
150
100
LC (micro A)

50
0
-50
(a)
-100
-150
-200
Period 20 ms

(a)

1000
800
600
400 (b)
LC (micro A)

200
0
-200 Figure 5: LC waveforms of the proposed equivalent
-400 circuit for clean samples under clean fog of low
-600 humidity at (a) 5 kV and (b) 20 kV
-800
Period 20 ms
The distortion of positive half cycle is triggered
by the arc model in previous explanation. We set the
(b) flashover voltage of the model to create distortion in
the waveforms. Changing parameters of arc model
Figure 4: Typical LC waveforms for clean samples influence the leakage current waveforms and its THD
under clean fog of low humidity at (a) 5 kV and (b) value. By adding more arc model, we might observe
20 kV greater distortion. The arc model is very similar to the
Simulation results show that at applied voltage of arc model in [6] with some modification that represents
5 kV the LC amplitude was about 125μA and the THD insulator discharge. The arc model is created using
12.546%. At applied voltage of 20kV the amplitude of TACS from ATPDraw.
LC was about 600μA and the spark at positive half The combination of the three parameters for
cycle that that occurred in the experiment was each applied voltage is tabulated in table 1. Table 1
generated using the arc model. The number of arc shows the change of the non-linear characteristics

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for each voltage applied. At 5 kV, it is convey short
burst of leakage current. It slightly changes at 20 kV.
At 45 kV, it conveys long burst leakage current. It is
very similar to the non-linear characteristics for
polluted, i.e. kaolin salt, condition. In spite of having
the same non-linear characteristic, it is seen that it
has different THD value and different waveform.
This is because the number of arc model applied and
its parameter are different for each condition.
The simulation results are similar to the typical
leakage current waveforms for clean insulator under
(a) 5 kV
clean fog of low humidity. It shows that the proposed
equivalent circuit model can be used to simulate
outdoor insulator. With correct non-linear resistance
characteristics, number of arc model used and
capacitance value, a LC waveform can be simulated
with similar properties as those of experimental LC
waveform.

Table 1
Equivalent Circuit Parameters for clean samples
under clean fog (b) 10 kV

Parameter 5 kV 20 kV Figure 6: Typical LC waveforms for kaolin-salt

s polluted sample under clean fog at (a) 5 kV and
Capacitan 0.2 pF & 5 pF 0.11 pF & 5 pF (b) 10 kV
ce
Arc model -Negative half -Negative half Figure 7 shows the simulated leakage current
cycle: 2 arc cycle: 2 arc waveforms for outdoor insulator kaolin-salt polluted
mo model sample under clean fog condition at applied voltage of
-del -Positive half 5 and 10 kV.
-Positive half cycle: 2 arc
cycle: 2 arc model
model -With different
-Both have parameters
parameter

3.2. Leakage Current waveforms for kaolin-salt

polluted sample under clean fog condition
(a)
Figure 6 shows typical LC waveforms for
kaolin-salt polluted at conductivity of 1.2 mS/cm and
high RH for applied voltage of 5 and 10 kV. Leakage
current magnitude is much larger than those from clean
sample. For this condition, we modified parameters the
equivalent circuit model to represent outdoor insulator
for kaolin-salt polluted sample under clean fog
condition. Wet kaolin-salt pollution layer became
conductive and drastically reduced the surface (b)
resistance and hence promote leakage current to flow. It Figure 7: LC waveforms of the proposed equivalent
caused the leakage current flowed larger. circuit for kaolin-salt polluted sample under clean
fog at (a) 5 kV and (b) 10 kV

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The combination of the three parameters for each
applied voltage for obtaining the LC waveforms as
shown in fig. 7 is tabulated in table 2.
Table 2
Parameters used for simulation of LC waveforms
for kaolin-salt polluted sample under clean fog
Parameters 5 kV 10 kV
Capacitance 0.6 pF & 5 pF 5 pF & 5.5 pF
Arc model Not using arc -Negative half
model cycle: 3 arc
model
-Positive half
cycle: 1 arc
model
The LC waveforms and magnitude are similar
to the typical leakage current waveforms in figure 7.
Amplitude of LC increased with the applied voltage
from 0.6 mA at 5 kV to about 9 mA at 10 kV. The
increase of leakage current flowed can be done by
enlarge the non-linear V-I characteristic magnitude
The THD from the equivalent circuit model were
pretty much the same as the experiment. At 5 kV, the
LC waveforms slightly distorted with THD of 8.51 %.
The distortion kept increased with the applied voltage.
The THD value of the leakage current waveforms is
depend on the non-linear resistance characteristic, the
number of arc model, and capacitance value. The
number of arc model used increase along with the
number of discharges. For kaolin-salt polluted
sample under clean fog which THD increases with
voltage, the number of arc model used is also
increases with voltage. For example, at 10 kV with
THD 10.381% and small electric spark discharges, 3
arc model was used.
From the results in table 2, it can be concluded that,
even, the typical phenomenon for polluted insulator can
be simulated with the proposed equivalent circuit
model. The proposed equivalent circuit to simulate
insulator kaolin-salt polluted sample under clean fog
condition is slightly different from the equivalent
circuit for clean sample. The differences are mainly in
the non-linear characteristics (The leakage current
magnitude is much larger than those from clean sample)
and the number arc model that generates electric spark
at negative half cycle as clearly seen in fig. 7b. The
capacitances values in the simulation are still
between 50-0.1 pF[3].
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4. Conclusions
Leakage current and flashover characteristics of
ceramic insulator can be simulated using ATPD
draw software package.
The proposed electrical equivalent circuit model
can be used to simulate various condition of insulators
i.e. clean sample under clean fog condition, kaolin salt
polluted sample under clean fog condition and
effect of salt fog conductivity on leakage current
waveforms.
These simulation results revealed that a
correct electrical equivalent circuit model is indicated
by the leakage current waveforms and magnitude and
also its THD value. The two are important to create the
correct equivalent circuit model.
From the simulation results following conclusions
can be drawn. The leakage current magnitude and
waveforms are very depending on the non-linear
characteristics of the non-linear resistance. So in order
to create an equivalent circuit that represents the
outdoor insulator, we must have valid non-linear
characteristics. The capacitances value in all the
simulation are between 50 - 0.1 pF. So these values
are valid to be used in the equivalent circuit. To
generate distortion in leakage current waveforms, we
must add arc model. From the simulation results, the
arc model is proven to be useful to generate
distortion. Generally, the higher harmonics of
leakage current will be more visible for polluted and
polluted with dry-band discharge insulators. So in
order to create such condition, we must add more arc
model.
From simulation results for kaolin-salt polluted
sample under clean fog, it is clear that for the same
environmental condition the non-linear resistance
characteristic is pretty similar in spite of the
differences voltage applied. And also for the same
voltage applied, along with the increase of salt fog
conductivity the non-linear characteristics of
insulator surface are becoming more linear.
By modifying the non-linear resistance
characteristics, the number of arc model, and the
capacitance value, the electrical equivalent circuit
model proposed may be used to represent outdoor
insulator under various condition and explain
phenomenon that occur on the insulator surface.
5. References

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[4] www.emtp.org
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