Flashover Risk Of Wedge-type Tension Clamps Under Extreme Operating Conditions

In high-voltage overhead lines, the risk of flashover increases significantly when electric field distortion occurs at the contact area between insulation material dead end tension clamp and the conductor under harsh environmental conditions. Unlike the structural design under normal temperature and conditions, abnormal operating conditions such as severe cold, damp heat or strong electromagnetic interference can change the potential distribution around fiber optic dead end clamp, thereby triggering the possibility of partial discharge or even cross-gap breakdown.

Under these extreme conditions, contaminants, water films, or frost on the conductor surface can act as pathways for surface discharge, reducing the insulation level of insulation material fixed dead end clamp and promoting the expansion of corona discharge into flashover. Insulation components, such as the inner wedge, made of weather-resistant engineering plastics, can withstand 45kV for one minute in AC withstand voltage tests without breakdown or flashover, demonstrating the crucial importance of voltage rating design for materials and structure in preventing flashover events.