Analysis of Failures and Protective Measures for Core Rods in Composite Long-Rod Insulators of Transmission Lines

Composite insulators are deployed globally for outdoor insulation owing to their light weight, excellent pollution resistance, good mechanical strength, ease of installation, and low maintenance costs. The core rod in composite long-rod insulators plays a critical role in both mechanical load-bearin...

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Main Authors: Guohui Pang, Zhijin Zhang, Jianlin Hu, Qin Hu, Hualong Zheng, Xingliang Jiang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/12/3138
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author Guohui Pang
Zhijin Zhang
Jianlin Hu
Qin Hu
Hualong Zheng
Xingliang Jiang
author_facet Guohui Pang
Zhijin Zhang
Jianlin Hu
Qin Hu
Hualong Zheng
Xingliang Jiang
author_sort Guohui Pang
collection DOAJ
description Composite insulators are deployed globally for outdoor insulation owing to their light weight, excellent pollution resistance, good mechanical strength, ease of installation, and low maintenance costs. The core rod in composite long-rod insulators plays a critical role in both mechanical load-bearing and internal insulation for overhead transmission lines, and its performance directly affects the overall operational condition of the insulator. However, it remains susceptible to failures induced by complex actions of mechanical, electrical, thermal, and environmental stresses. This paper systematically reviews the major failure modes of core rods, including mechanical failures (normal fracture, brittle fracture, and decay-like fracture) and electrical failures (flashunder and abnormal heating of the core rod). Through analysis of extensive field data and research findings, key failure mechanisms are identified. Preventive strategies encompassing material modification (such as superhydrophobic coatings, self-diagnostic materials, and self-healing epoxy resin), structural optimization (like the optimization of grading rings), and advanced inspection methods (such as IRT detection, Terahertz (THz) detection, X-ray computed tomography (XCT)) are proposed. Furthermore, the limitations of current technologies are discussed, emphasizing the need for in-depth studies on deterioration mechanisms, materials innovation, and defect detection technologies to enhance the long-term reliability of composite insulators in transmission networks.
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institution Kabale University
issn 1996-1073
language English
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publisher MDPI AG
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spelling doaj-art-fade8ec7c325473aa3fc29ac99cd703f2025-08-20T03:27:24ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-06-011812313810.3390/en18123138Analysis of Failures and Protective Measures for Core Rods in Composite Long-Rod Insulators of Transmission LinesGuohui Pang0Zhijin Zhang1Jianlin Hu2Qin Hu3Hualong Zheng4Xingliang Jiang5Xuefeng Mountain Energy Equipment Safety National Observation and Research Station, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaXuefeng Mountain Energy Equipment Safety National Observation and Research Station, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaXuefeng Mountain Energy Equipment Safety National Observation and Research Station, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaXuefeng Mountain Energy Equipment Safety National Observation and Research Station, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaXuefeng Mountain Energy Equipment Safety National Observation and Research Station, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaXuefeng Mountain Energy Equipment Safety National Observation and Research Station, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaComposite insulators are deployed globally for outdoor insulation owing to their light weight, excellent pollution resistance, good mechanical strength, ease of installation, and low maintenance costs. The core rod in composite long-rod insulators plays a critical role in both mechanical load-bearing and internal insulation for overhead transmission lines, and its performance directly affects the overall operational condition of the insulator. However, it remains susceptible to failures induced by complex actions of mechanical, electrical, thermal, and environmental stresses. This paper systematically reviews the major failure modes of core rods, including mechanical failures (normal fracture, brittle fracture, and decay-like fracture) and electrical failures (flashunder and abnormal heating of the core rod). Through analysis of extensive field data and research findings, key failure mechanisms are identified. Preventive strategies encompassing material modification (such as superhydrophobic coatings, self-diagnostic materials, and self-healing epoxy resin), structural optimization (like the optimization of grading rings), and advanced inspection methods (such as IRT detection, Terahertz (THz) detection, X-ray computed tomography (XCT)) are proposed. Furthermore, the limitations of current technologies are discussed, emphasizing the need for in-depth studies on deterioration mechanisms, materials innovation, and defect detection technologies to enhance the long-term reliability of composite insulators in transmission networks.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/12/3138core rod failuredecay-like fractureflashundernon-destructive testingself-healing property
spellingShingle Guohui Pang
Zhijin Zhang
Jianlin Hu
Qin Hu
Hualong Zheng
Xingliang Jiang
Analysis of Failures and Protective Measures for Core Rods in Composite Long-Rod Insulators of Transmission Lines
Energies
core rod failure
decay-like fracture
flashunder
non-destructive testing
self-healing property
title Analysis of Failures and Protective Measures for Core Rods in Composite Long-Rod Insulators of Transmission Lines
title_full Analysis of Failures and Protective Measures for Core Rods in Composite Long-Rod Insulators of Transmission Lines
title_fullStr Analysis of Failures and Protective Measures for Core Rods in Composite Long-Rod Insulators of Transmission Lines
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of Failures and Protective Measures for Core Rods in Composite Long-Rod Insulators of Transmission Lines
title_short Analysis of Failures and Protective Measures for Core Rods in Composite Long-Rod Insulators of Transmission Lines
title_sort analysis of failures and protective measures for core rods in composite long rod insulators of transmission lines
topic core rod failure
decay-like fracture
flashunder
non-destructive testing
self-healing property
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/12/3138
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AT jianlinhu analysisoffailuresandprotectivemeasuresforcorerodsincompositelongrodinsulatorsoftransmissionlines
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