Influence of Tropical Environment on Electrical Properties of Electrical Insulation Materials

Abstract

The development of optimal electrical insulation materials in the tropics continues. One of the development models is to look for fillers that allow it to be mixed with insulating materials (polymers, ceramics, and glass). This study aims to obtain the properties of electrical insulation materials in the form of polymeric materials (silicon rubber) which are filled with fly ash (coal-fired power plant waste) so that it can be used as a high-voltage electrical insulator. The activity that has been carried out was testing the performance of electrical insulating materials filled with fly ash under conditions under high electric fields and tropical environments. The research was conducted at the Electrical Engineering Building, Hasanuddin University, Makassar City, Indonesia. The performance evaluation of electrical insulation materials (silicon rubber plus fly ash) refers to the results of measurements of water diffusion characteristics and relative permittivity characteristics. The results of the study were in the form of information about the feasibility of coal-fired power plants to be used as fillers for electrical insulators in tropical environments. The results of this study are Fly ash added to silicone rubber to improve the electrical properties of the insulating material.