Performance and Diagnostics of Biologically Contaminated Insulators

S.M. Gubanski 1, A. Demfalk 1, S. WallstrOm2 and S. Karlsson 2

'Department of Materials and Manufacturing Technology, Chalmers University of Technology,
412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
2Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, Royal Institute of Technology,
100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
* E-mail: stanislaw.gubanskigchalmers.se

ABSTRACT Growth on ceramic insulators

Biological growth has been observed on insulators
installed all over the world. However, so far, its impact
on insulator performance is not well known. This paper
summarizes a majority of the work published in the field.
Based on the gathered experiences, it can be concluded
that microbiological growth is unlikely to cause severe
degradation of the rubber housings of non-ceramic
insulators. Furthermore, it seems that the impact of
growth on the insulator performance is rather low.
Techniques available for detection and characterisation
of growth on insulators are also described and discusses.
Among those, laser-induced fluorescence (LIF)
spectroscopy has been found to give good results in
remote detection of micro-organisms.
INTRODUCTION
Reports on biological growth on outdoor insulators
reveal that microbiological colonization of ceramic as
well as non-ceramic insulators can take place in all parts
of the world [1-14]. However, the impact of biological
growth on insulator performance is not fully understood.
Non-ceramic insulators are here of special interest since
ageing and different kind of structural changes on
surfaces of polymeric housings make engineers
concerned about their withstand capability and
long-term performance.
The first section of this report contains an overview of
the work related to the impact of biological growth on
insulator performance, especially that of non-ceramic
insulators. The following section describes deterioration
of polymeric materials caused by microbiological
attacks. Finally, diagnostic possibilities are discussed
and exemplified in the last part.
BIOLOGICAL GROWTH ON INSULATORS
Reports on observations of "growth" on insulators have
been quite often. In some cases, however, more detailed
analyses we performed, which allowed to identify
different microorganisms, such as algae, fungi or lichen.
Majority of reports on biological growth on ceramic
insulators [1, 4, 6, 9, 15-17] refer to experiences from
tropical environments, characterized by high rainfall,
high humidity, elevated temperatures and intensive sun
irradiation [4, 6, 15, 17].
Extensive growth, identified as filamentous and granular
small celled algae, was observed on insulator units in
Papaua New Guinea [15]. The insulators were mainly
covered on their undersides, but some growth could also
be found on the upper surfaces. Laboratory testing of
these units revealed a substantial reduction ( 70 °/) of
the wet flashover voltage due to the presence of algae.
The growth on the upper surfaces seemed to be more
crucial to the reduction of electrical performance. At the
same time, the dry flashover voltage was not affected
strongly.
McAffe et al [1] found biological contaminants present
on porcelain insulators in New Orleans area, USA. The
authors identified algae as the main contaminant, but
they also found fungi and bacteria. Further, some parts
of the insulator glaze were etched away by acids
released from the algae.
Influence of lichen on the performance of cap&pin
insulators was studied by Naito et al [16]. Porcelain
insulators from sites in Paraguay and New Zealand as
well as glass insulators from Mexico were examined
with respect to accumulated equivalent salt deposit
density (ESDD), chemical composition of the
contaminants and flashover voltage. The ESDD
measurements exhibited moderate values. Comparisons
of wet withstand voltages between insulators with lichen
and without it implied a relatively small effect of lichen
on the flashover voltage. However, an increased risk for
flashover appeared when the growth was thick and/or
salt contamination was present. Biological analyses
revealed that the lichen contained green and blue-green
algae.
Growth of both algae and lichen on porcelain insulators

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was also reported from Sri Lanka [6], where the main
bio-contaminant is green algae, common in Asia,
Australia and Europe. Flashover voltage tests revealed a
significant reduction of the withstand level under wet
conditions (by 25-70 0/O) due to the presence of the
biological contaminants.
Gorur [17] reported also on lichen growth on ceramic
suspension insulators on a 230 kV line in Florida. The
growth concentrated on one side of insulator strings,
dividing the units into two halves. Measured ESDD
revealed higher salinity in the region with lichen. The
growth was easily removable by high-pressure washing.
Growth on non-ceramic insulators
The fact that microorganisms grow on non-ceramic
insulators is of special concern. They, unlike ceramic
insulators, contain organic substances that can be
digested as nutrients by micro-organisms. Silicone
rubbers are known to exhibit high resistance to
biological degradation. One of the reasons is that the
material consists of inorganic as well as organic
components, and that microorganisms like fungi cannot
digest the inorganic parts [ 18].
A number of reports were published on biological
attacks on non-ceramic insulators [2-6, 8-14, 19-21],
about half of them from tropical environments [4-6,
9- 11, 19-21]. Insulators made of silicone rubbers,
epoxies and blends of silicones and EPDMs have been
found to support growth of bacteria, algae, fungi and
lichen. However, not much information is available on
the growth on EDPM insulators.
To evaluate the susceptibility of EPDM and epoxy
insulators to fungal growth, Rackliffe et al [2] performed
a set of tests where new and aged insulators were
exposed to different strains of fungi and incubated under
varying environmental conditions. Very little growth
was observed, except for the samples incubated under
high humidity. The latter ones suffered from a marked
growth.
Algae were observed two years after installation on
non-energized silicone insulators in Sri Lanka [5]. The
growth was mainly located on the upper sides of the
sheds, and covered small areas. However, no algae were
found on top sheds, indicating that partial shading was
necessary to support them by preventing desiccation.
Fungal species were also found [6]. The pollution at
the site of installation was of agricultural type and
ESDD values measured were low, around 10 ptg/cm2.
Algae have also been observed on silicone rubber
insulators installed on a 33 kV distribution line in
Tanzania [20]. The installation site has a tropical
climate. The growth, similarly as in case of Sri Lankan
observations [5, 6], was localized on parts partly shaded
from direct sun irradiation. Interestingly, dry algae
1-4244-0189-5/06/$20.00 ©2006 IEEE.
colonies were found to recover, i.e. they started to grow
again, when wetted [6]. Evaluations of hydrophobicity,
performed according to STRI classification method [22],
yielded high HC values (HC 5-6) on the parts covered
by algae. The uncovered top sheds, were slightly more
hydrophobic (HC 4). However, leakage current
measurements under clean fog revealed a low surface
conductivity [6]. The influence of algae on the flashover
voltage caused the withstand levels to decrease by
-20-30 00 under wet condition, while no changes were
noticed under dry conditions.
Moss and algae growth were observed on different
insulator types installed in swampy marshlands west of
New Orleans [9]. Moss growth on silicone rubber
insulators was also reported from a coastal site in South
Africa [3], where insulators were installed for
approximately one year.
Mould growth, greenish-black in appearance, was found
five years after installation on parts of the 230 kV
bushing insulators, shaded from direct sun irradiation, in
southwest Florida [19, 23]. The climate in the region is
subtropical. Later, the mould had extended to also cover
the core and the upper side of the sheds. The attacked
regions showed reduced hydrophobic properties, while
the uncovered parts were highly hydrophobic. Leakage
current measurements, performed before and after
cleaning the contaminated insulators with alcohol and
high-pressure water, revealed a significant influence of
the growth on the current level. Interestingly, no major
re-colonization could be found when the insulators were
scrutinized eight years later [23].
In Germany, Kunde et al [14] observed microbiological
growth on a silicone rubber hollow core insulator, seven
years after its installation. The bio-contamination was
found at lower part of the insulator and mainly on the
upper sides of the sheds. The hydrophobicity of the
covered regions was HC 3-6, depending on growth
concentration. The leakage current value was three times
higher on the wet polluted surface compared to when it
was dry or cleaned. The authors concluded that the
observed leakage current level of 50 ptA at the rated
phase-to-ground voltage of 127 kV, caused by the
growth covering one third of the insulator, was
absolutely uncritical.
Mould contamination, in form of dark spots, was
observed on cable terminations installed in Texas and in
Georgia [12] as well as on post insulators in Florida [10,
11]. High relative humidity and high day-time
temperatures characterized all these sites. The Georgia
site has a coastal climate while the other two have inland
climate. The mould appeared predominantly on one type
of silicone rubber formulation, while no growth was
found on other silicone rubbers and EPR insulators. This
indicates that it is not the base polymer that supports the
growth, but rather other ingredients present [10, 11, 17].
24
Further, a significant loss of hydrophobicity was found
in regions covered by the growth (HC 6-7). Surface
resistance became reduced and contamination withstand
capability, a test where the insulators are artificially
polluted with increasing ESDD levels until flashover
occurs, showed similar trend. However, the non-ceramic
insulator with the growth still withstood higher ESDD
levels than equivalent porcelain insulators. For
removing the mould from silicone rubber surfaces, It
appeared not sufficient to spray the insulators with water,
even at higher pressures (3.5 bar). A combination of
washing and subsequent wiping helped to remove the
mold effectively.
After five years in operation, algae growth was found on
polymeric silicone rubber inter-phase spacers and on
bushings at Yonezawa test site in Japan [13, 24]. The
climate at the location is temperate, with a mean annual
temperature of about 10 °C, snowy winters and hot
summers. The algae were only present in regions of core
and sheds protected from sun irradiation. Mechanical
testing showed that the hardness of the rubber with the
growth did not differ significantly from the hardness of
new rubber. Similarly, FTIR analyses on rubber affected
by the growth showed no influence of algae on material
composition. Fujii et al [25] reported on a study where
green algae were deposited and cultured on silicone
rubber insulators and rubber samples. It was found that
surfaces deposited with algae collected more salt during
salt had lower flashover voltage compared to those
covered with an inorganic contaminant. The authors
concluded that algae have strong ability to retain water
on the insulator surface.
Presence of biological growth on non-ceramic insulators
was also reported from Sweden [8, 26-28]. Hollow core
insulators with silicone rubber housings, installed at
Anneberg test station in 1994, showed rather extensive
bio-contamination five years after the installation [8, 27].
However, no increased leakage current levels were
found. This effect was attributed to the fact that the
growth was still separated into isolated islands. The
growth could be observed along the whole length of the
insulators, but only on parts shaded from direct sun
irradiation, probably because moisture could stay longer
on the shaded surfaces. A reduction in wet flashover
voltage by about 10% was noticed recorded for the
insulators with the growth [27, 28].
Severe bio-contamination was also found on 12 years
old silicone rubber insulators installed in a 11 kV
distribution system in Sweden [27, 28]. The insulators,
which were mounted horizontally on a line passing a
dense forest, were covered partly by a green growth and
partly by lichen, as illustrated in Figure 1. The surface of
colonized regions (60-80% of the total surface area) was
rough and the growth exhibited a tendency to crack into
smaller islands. Insulator parts covered by the growth
were hydrophilic, HC 6-7. Parts, which appeared to be
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cleaner, were, in general, also more hydrophobic
(HC 3-4); a few smaller regions showed even HC 1.
Investigations revealed that leakage currents under
exposure to clean fog remained low, whereas the wet
flashover voltage level was reduced by approximately
30%o.
Growth of the same biological contaminant was
stimulated on a set of non-ceramic insulators in
laboratory inside a specially designed climate chamber
(90 %RH and 20-22 °C) [27, 28]. Brownish spots
appeared on the sheds four weeks from the experiment
start. The performance of the insulators was evaluated
by means of leakage current measurements and by wet
flashover voltage tests. In general, the recorded leakage
currents were low on the colonized insulators, in a range
of tens of piA, though higher than those measured on
clean references (3-4 times). Six months after the growth
started discharge activity appeared on the insulator
surfaces. Furthermore, spark discharges, a few
centimeters long, could be observed on the sheaths of
the insulators. The discharges were concentrated around
regions covered by growth. Ten moths later, the growth
spread and the upper sides of the sheds became
hydrophilic. Considering the wet flashover tests, the
average reduction in flashover voltage due to the growth
was about 33 %.
Figure 1. Distribution insulators party covered by green
growth in Sweden [27, 28].
BIOLOGICAL DETERIORATION
Micro-organisms colonizing bio-resistant substrates tend
to form a film on the surface of the material. Such a
bio-film consists of a mixture of different
microorganisms embedded in a highly hydrated matrix
of extracellular polymeric substances, mainly
polysaccharides and proteins. Mixed populations of
bacteria, fungi, protozoa and algae often coexist in the
film [29]. In addition, particulate matter such as clay,
humic substances, corrosion products etc. can be
included in the bio-film.
Result of an extensive investigation aiming at
determining which micro-organisms colonize
non-ceramic insulators was presented recently by
Wallstrom and Karlsson [26]. Insulators colonized in
service from Sweden, Tanzania and Sri Lanka were
25
 Proces
Biofilm
0
S
Polymer|lll|
Effect
______
QD
Fouling
I-
10
Change in
surface
_ -j
properties
)
IU a
^ .x,~ ~ ~
Degradation of Degradation of
additives
_~~=
Loss of
stability
the polymer
'-
Figure 2. Undesired effects caused by a bio-film [42].
examined for presence of algae, bacteria and fungi. The
biological growth on all of the tested insulators showed
similar characteristics, as all were dominated by
unicellular green algae in combination bacteria.
Filamentous fungi were present as well.
There are several different ways the micro-organisms
can influence the structure and function of synthetic
polymers. The main mechanisms are: bio-fouling
(contamination), degradation of leaching components,
corrosion, hydration, penetration and discoloration [30].
The effects are illustrated in Figure 2.
Fouling is an unwanted deposition and growth of
microorganisms on surfaces. The surface does not need
to support growth or to be affected, but the presence of
the bio-film may interfere with the function and the
properties of the material, such as masking
hydrophobicity or increasing surface conductivity [31].
Additives, fillers and unreacted material leaching out of
the polymer may provide a food source for the
microorganisms in the bio-film. Consumption at the
surface leads to concentration gradients, resulting in
diffusion from the bulk of the polymer and subsequent
deterioration. For instance, consumption of plasticizers
leads to mechanical degradation of the remaining
polymer through increased embrittlement and loss of
mechanical stability [30]. Additives used in the
production of silicone rubber insulators can give
nutrients to biological growth. A series of tests
performed by Wallstrom et al [32] showed that while
silicone rubber with no fillers added cannot support
biological growth, some commercially available silicone
rubber mixtures can. These results strongly suggest that
some component or combination of components in
commercial mixes promote the ability of the silicone
rubber material to support mold growth.
Biotic degradation, or corrosion, is a process that is
strongly influenced by the local conditions at the surface.
Bio-films give rise to gradients in pH value, redox
potential, concentrations in oxygen and salts, and may in
this way influence parameters relevant to corrosion at
the surface [30]. Biological corrosion of medical-grade
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En
Rn I
VlUCUMN
Loss of
--- _N
stability
t
'0°
-
-I
Penetration
-
-11I _O
Conductivity
Swelling
-L
±
08:
-
Color
Odor
Change in
appearance
I
silicone rubber, used for tubing, catheters and different
types of implants, has been observed. Neu et al [33]
reported that bacteria and yeasts rapidly colonized the
surface of voice prostheses, leading to continuous
infections, and mechanical degradation of the polymer.
The mechanism for degradation of these materials is not
fully understood, but it involves reactions initiated by
free radicals and extracellular enzymes, generated by
fungal metabolism [33]. This ability of fungi of
secreting a number of extracellular enzymes, as well as
its ability to easily colonize surfaces, both contribute to
a rapid degradation of materials. These reasons make
fungi especially relevant in bioresistance tests [34].
Further, development of new design tests to evaluate the
resistance of various insulator housing materials to
specific fungal growth has been suggested [35].
One of the most aggressive degrading fungal specie
known is the white rot fungus Phanerochaete
chrysosporium. This specie has evolved non-specific
mechanisms for degrading the complex polymeric
structure of lignin. The enzyme system responsible for
the degradation includes peroxidases that promote the
reduction of peroxides to free radicals [36, 37]. These
radicals have been shown to attack stable polymeric
materials such as polyvinyl chloride, nylon and
polyethylene [38-40]. Claims have been made that these
molds could also degrade PDMS oils [41]. However,
despite extensive testing, no corrosion induced by
Phanerochaete chrysosporium could be observed when
silicone rubber was tested [42].Ej&ure Figure 3 shows
IR-spectra from a silicone rubber treated with
Phanerochaete chrysosporium and with hydroxyl
radicals compared to a reference spectrum from an
untreated sample of the same material. No difference in
spectral shape could be observed between samples,
indicating that no chemical bonds had been formed or
broken by the treatment. Subsequent chromatographic
analysis of low-molecular weight silicones confirmed
the stability of the organosilicone structure towards
biodegradation. The obtained results indicate that
silicone rubber is highly resistant to corrosion induced
by microorganisms [42].
26

Phanerochaete
chrysosporium
Hydroxyl radicals
Reference
4000.0 3600 320 2800 2400 2000 1800 1600 1400
c-l
Figure 3. IR-spectra of silicone rubber surfaces after
treatment with Phanerochaete chrysosporium or with
hydroxyl radicals compared with reference material[42].
Fungal hyphae can penetrate their support and thereby
cause cracks and pores in the material. This leads to a
reduction of mechanical stability and offers a way for
water to enter the polymeric material [43]. Due to the
fact that bio-films mainly consist of water, they act as
electrolytes increasing conductivity [31]. Silicone
rubber materials are soft and flexible when compared to
ceramics, and would therefore be easier for fungal
hyphae to penetrate. However, no evidence of such
penetration has been found [42]. The noted resistance to
penetration has also been observed by Gorur et al [10],
whom tested surface sterilized pieces of rubber,
removed from field aged insulators, in order to detect
viable fungal hyphae, which by penetration into the bulk
of the material would be protected from the sterilization.
The results from these tests suggested an extremely slow
rate of penetration.
Finally, biofilms may contain organisms that produce
pigments causing serious discoloration. Some pigments,
especially the ones produced by certain fungal spices,
are known for easily defusing into lipophilic polymers,
such as silicone rubber [30]. This discoloration is not
removable through cleaning [18]. In addition, some
microbial degradation products cause severe problems
due to odor. These problems are however of aesthetic
nature and do not affect the performance of the
insulator.
To protect a polymeric material from microbiological
attack, different measures can be taken. In general, the
addition of different types of additives depending on
application, together with an optimization of the base
polymer formulation will make the material more
resistant to biodegradation. For example, addition of the
flame-retardant zincborhydrate to different silicone
rubber formulations has yielded suppression of fungal
growth [44]. Further improvements can be obtained by
addition of so-called biocides, i.e. active ingredients that
kills or inhibit reproduction of microorganisms [18].
This method has for instance been suggested by
Gubanski et al to prevent algae growth on silicone
1-4244-0189-5/06/$20.00 C2006 IEEE.
rubber insulators [6]. A good biocide should have a
broad spectrum, easily diffuse to the surface to be
protected without being washed out, have a small
probability of resistance building, not affect the
properties of the material, and, at the same time, be
environmentally friendly [18]. Protection of the final
product can be accomplished by periodic removal of
organic contamination (cleaning), control of
environmental conditions, and, if needed,
decontamination by sterilization [18].
1200 1000 6000O see
DIAGNOSTIC POSSIBILITIES
Visual observations have been applied in insulator
diagnostics since the very beginning of their use in high
voltage networks. Even today a large number of power
companies around the world (more than 40 %) still
inspect insulators visually from towers and from ground
[45]. Recent developments in technology have in
addition offered new techniques based on observations
of diverse optical signals from insulators. The
techniques can utilize radiation in various frequency
ranges, starting from infrared (IR thermography),
through visual light (light amplification), and ending at
ultraviolet wavelengths (UV spectroscopy). Using light
is an attractive possibility since it makes the measuring
technique truly remote, allowing for inspection of
energized insulators from a distance.
All the techniques based on optical observations can
provide, as a result, an image of the diagnosed object,
which have to be somehow analyzed. A good example
of a rather simple image analysis is the evaluation of
hydrophobicity class (HC) on housings of composite
insulators [46]. The human observer has to compare a
pattern of water droplets on insulator surface with a set
of photographic images representing each HC. A
disadvantage of this method is that the measure is
dependent of human judgment and different observers
may evaluate images differently. Similar problems can
also be experienced when looking at pictures provided
by all the other methods, independently of their
sophistication. However, the problems associated with
subjective interpretation of images may be minimized by
utilization of digital image analysis. For instance, Berg
[47] and Toroko [48] have earlier carried out
investigations aiming at more objective
characterizations of hydrophobic properties of silicone
rubber by means of digital image analysis.
For detection of biological growth on insulator surfaces
a technique based on laser-induced fluorescence (LIF)
spectroscopy was recently proposed [27, 49, 50]. In LIF,
the molecules or atoms on the surface under study are
first excited by means of a laser pulse. Thereafter, the
light emitted as the molecules or atoms relax from a
higher to a lower energy state are recorded. The emitted
light will partly have the same wavelength as the
27
incoming radiation, but some emitted light will consist
of photons with longer wavelengths. The spectrum of
the emitted light depends strongly on the characteristics
of the surface and is, in fact, a fingerprint of the surface
condition.
Utilizing the fact that chlorophyll a fluoresce strongly at
685 nm (Figure 4) when excited at shorter wavelengths,
it has been shown that algae can easily be detected [27,
50]. Measurements were performed outdoors in normal
daylight, and the distance between the insulator under
study and the laser system was 60 m. Further, by
recording a LIF spectrum in a number of points when
scanning the field of view, the result can be presented as
an intensity image also containing spatial information.
distribution may be of interest. Estimation of parameters
like covered area and amount of covered creepage can
obviously be performed manually, but the result is
improved if methods based on digital image analysis are
utilized [27]. Using photographs of insulators partly
covered with growth as input, methods have been
developed for automatic identification of the insulator,
i.e. its position and direction [27, 53]. Once identified
(Figure 5), the surface area covered by growth can be
calculated, taking the surface curvature into account
[27]. Obviously, theses techniques are not limited to
studies of regular photographs, but can be applied to
images of any origin, such as LIF, UV- or IR.

Techniques, based on LIF, for detection of presence of

fungi on silicone rubber surfaces have also been
developed [51, 52]. The method is based on principal
component analysis of the obtained spectra, i.e. a
mathematical post processing, allowing for automatic
differentiation of spectra from regions with and without
the growth.

Ox 104 Clean SIR surface

Figure 5. Photo of insulator attacked by fungi (left),
7- automatically identified sheds (middle) and regions
classified as growth (right) [27].
6

U, 5- SUMMARY
C)
U1) 4
C) Subsequent effects ranging from fouling to degradation
a)
0 3 of the polymer occurs when a polymeric material is
2-
colonized by a bio-film. However, silicone rubber is
highly stable and no convincing evidence of
biodegradation of the polymer matrix of an insulator has
been found. Additives used in the production of a
50 400 450 500 550 600
Wavelength [nm]
650 700 750 80)O composite insulators may however be degraded by
x 105 Colonized region of #H3
microorganisms. Still, it seems unlikely that a bio-film
could cause severe degradation of the rubber housing of
1:2- a composite insulator.

0- Generally, the impact of biological growth on electrical

_i performance of composite insulators is rather low.
cv 8- Bio-films has an ability of retaining water on the
a)
insulator surface, which results in increased leakage
6-
a)
current levels under wet conditions. However, since the
aIL0 4-
n conductivity of growth is low, the observed current
amplitudes are probably uncritical. Presence of growth
2- may also alter hydrophobicity, sometimes even masking
it completely. Due to this, wet flashover voltage levels
~50 400 450 500 550 600 650 700 750 800
have been found to be reduced by approximately 300o.
Wavelength [nm]
Figure 4. LIF spectrum of clean (left) and algae covered Regarding diagnostics, new methods, to be used for
(right) silicone rubber surface [27, 50]. detection and characterization of biological growth on
composite insulators, have recently been proposed. For
When areas of growth have been identified, using any instance, LIF spectroscopy can be used for automated
detection method, measures characterizing its remote outdoor measurements, where areas covered by
algae or fungi can be distinguished from clean areas.

1-4244-0189-5/06/$20.00 C2006 IEEE. 28

Furthermore, objective measures characterizing spatial
distribution of growth may be obtained through digital
image analysis of either regular photos or images
obtained from LIF measurements.
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