HOW TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING INSULATORS USED IN EQUIPMENT APPLICATIONS : AN OEM PERSPECTIVE

摘要

The use of composite materials for the manufacture of insulation in the electrical power industry is increasing. Customers are finding benefits arising from composite insulators that are not available from traditional insulators. It seems that their cost will fall as production increases while for porcelain insulators a slow decline in production is likely. One of the aims of development should be to improve production techniques so that the same performance can be achieved with less material. For manufacturers, there may also be concerns over disposal of equipment since life cycle engineering, which is now part of the design of new equipment, has to take into consideration the effect that manufacture can have on our environment. This paper will review the advances being made by ALSTOM in the exploitation of composite insulators and will report the views held by some of our product divisions on the prospects for this technology in our equipment.