Analysis of Cement Deterioration in Outdoor High-Voltage Insulator

Suspension type porcelain insulators used in overhead transmission lines comprise metal, ceramic, and cement. The deterioration of cement can lead to mechanical separation. For the degradation analysis, varied sizes of pores ranging from a few µm (capillary pores) to tens to hundreds of mm (detectable by naked eyes) were considered. Cracks that were hard to view with naked eyes were identified by staining with a fuchsine solution. The hydrogen ion concentration and pH value indicate the extent to which the cement is deteriorated. The longer the cement is used, the lower its pH value. High mechanical strength is considered an important advantage of porcelain insulators, and it may decline, if the cement is used for a longer period of time. Water ingress may also occur, resulting in expansion, due to the rehydration of the cement. The process and mechanism of expansion of cement, due to infiltration of water were described. As a method of analysis, a universal indicator was employed to evaluate the pH changes in cement. It was observed that the pH value was 12–13 for new products. However, for products that were used for 52 years, the pH value was under 7, which indicated an acidic tendency, due to deterioration.