Study on the Algae Contamination and Its Effects on the Properties of RTV-Coated Insulators

Yawei Li, Zhibo Song, Yuan Tian, Chao Yang, Fenglian Liu, Huan Bai, Fuping Zhao, Xingwen Liu and Hao Yang
Additional contact information
Yawei Li: College of Electrical Engineering, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610225, China
Zhibo Song: School of Electronics and Information, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710699, China
Yuan Tian: State Grid Nanchong Power Supply Company, Nanchong 637000, China
Chao Yang: State Grid Nanchong Power Supply Company, Nanchong 637000, China
Fenglian Liu: Electric Power Research Institute, State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company, Chengdu 610072, China
Huan Bai: Electric Power Research Institute, State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company, Chengdu 610072, China
Fuping Zhao: Electric Power Research Institute, State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company, Chengdu 610072, China
Xingwen Liu: College of Electrical Engineering, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610225, China
Hao Yang: School of Electronics and Information, Xi’an Polytechnic University, Xi’an 710699, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: The surface of organic insulating materials such as room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber (RTV) coatings often has serious contamination deposition. In humid areas such as the Southwest region of China, algae contamination layers are present on the surface of the insulators. In this study, the geographical and creeping distribution of algae contamination on the surfaces of RTV insulators were studied by investigating and sampling various substations in the Southwest region. The main components of soluble salts in the contamination were studied by atomic absorption spectroscopy and ion chromatography. The algal genome was extracted by the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide method, and the species of algae and other microorganisms in the contamination layer were determined. The effects of algae or their secretions on the surface resistance and hydrophobicity were studied by quantitatively inoculating algae and smearing extracellular secretions on the RTV surface. The damage of the algae contamination layer to the microstructure of the silicone rubber was investigated by microscopic observation and thermogravimetric analysis. Results showed that the growth of algae was positively correlated with the surface contamination of RTV. The extracellular secretion of algae destroys the surface microstructure of RTV and causes the removal of alumina hydroxide, leading to the reduction of siloxane. Therefore, the resistance and hydrophobicity of the RTV surface were reduced. It is of great significance to study the characteristics and effects of the algae contamination layer for RTV maintenance.

Keywords: algae contamination; RTV-coated insulators; hydrophobicity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5216/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5216/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:14:p:5216-:d:865921

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().