In an industry, the electrical system is one of the most critical and important system that supports the smooth and efficient running of the industrial plant. It is essential for the owners to ensure that the electrical system is always in its best condition so that the industry keeps running. Any breakdown in the electrical system may cause the industries to suffer heavy losses of time, resources and money. This is why it is essential that the components and parts used in an electrical system are of the most superior quality that is able to bear the heavy loads implied on them.
One of the most important components that is used in the electrical system is the insulators. The insulators are the materials that block the electrical current to pass through them. Hence they are use in heavy electrical system to keep the current carrying conductors away from each other and prevent any accidents due to short circuit. Additionally, the insulators are used for preventing the contact between humans and any naked current carrying conductor.
There are three different types of insulators that are used in the electrical systems that are porcelain insulators, Glass insulator and Composite Insulators.
Porcelain insulators
The porcelain insulators are the most preferred form of insulators that are used in heavy electrical systems. The Porcelain insulators have excellent electrical properties that make them ideal for handling thousands of voltages during actual usage. The porcelain insulators are mainly made from alumina or clay. Once the insulator is manufactured completely, it is covered with a glossy layer of special veneer that protects it from different external factors such as moisture, dust, grease, UV rays etc. The service life of the porcelain insulators is also very good and hence most of the industries prefer to use Porcelain insulators to keep the system running for a longer time. The only problem with these insulators is that they are very expensive.
Glass Insulators
The glass insulators are made from fibre glass are used in heavy electrical circuits too. The electrical properties of the glass insulators are not very good and hence they are not a very preferred option when it comes to heavy electrical insulators. Although the glass insulators are much cheaper as compared to the porcelain insulators, but the bad electrical properties and short service life make them a bad choice for heavy electrical systems that is why the glass insulators are not used much in the electrical circuits.
Composite Insulators
The composite polymer insulators are the insulators that are cheaper than the porcelain insulators but have very good electrical properties and longer service life as compared to the glass insulators. Although the composite insulators have longer life than the glass insulators, they need regular maintenance and cleaning for a longer service but their lower cost makes them an appropriate substitute for porcelain insulator. With proper maintenance and usage, they can last for a really longer time and also they can be used in extremely harsh working conditions as well.
