Numerical Simulation of Water Droplet Impact on Composite Insulator under DC Electric Field

Abstract

Under the ice and snow disasters, the composite insulator's covered flashing will lead to transmission line trip. It can seriously affect the reliability of power supply. The water droplet collision characteristics of composite insulators have an important guiding role in optimization of their structural parameters. Firstly, based on the principle of gas-liquid two-phase flow, the control equation of the water droplet movement trajectory is established. Secondly, the paper uses finite element simulation software COMSOL MultiPhysics to establish a physical model under the coupling of electric and flow field, exploring the effects of DC electric field and environmental factors on the water droplet collision characteristics of composite insulators from the angle of the water droplet movement and capture. Finally, the influence of insulator umbrella skirt, diameter and distance on droplet impact coefficient is obtained. On this basis, the optimization suggestions of composite insulator umbrella structure are given.