The paper introduces a new physical approach to account for the effect of reduced air density on the flashover voltage and critical leakage current of polluted high voltage insulators. The analysis starts by updating the mathematical model, previously established, of power frequency flashover of polluted insulators at normal atmospheric pressure. It then proceeds to introduce the effect of ambient pressure on the physical parameters of the dielectric recovery equation. The effect of reduced pressure on the arc boundary radius is investigated. The combined effect of humidity and reduced air density on the dielectric strength at ambient temperature is also accounted for. The above analysis results in a new expression for the reignition voltage which includes ambient pressure effects. The analytical findings are then used to investigate the effect of reduced air density on the critical leakage current and flashover voltage of simple-shaped polluted insulators. The effect of more complex profiles is subsequently introduced. The model results are compared with experiments and the agreement established is quite satisfactory. Finally simple practical altitude correction factors for polluted insulators are proposed.
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