{"id":3388,"date":"2022-03-30T12:06:26","date_gmt":"2022-03-30T10:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mi.addevmaterials.com\/?p=3388"},"modified":"2025-07-24T13:19:05","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T13:19:05","slug":"what-is-an-electrical-insulator-and-in-what-forms-can-it-be-found-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/addevmaterials.com\/converting\/what-is-an-electrical-insulator-and-in-what-forms-can-it-be-found-2\/","title":{"rendered":"All about the deterioration of dielectric properties"},"content":{"rendered":"
No insulating material has an unlimited lifespan and the dielectric properties can degrade over time.\u00a0Although the deterioration factors for these insulators may vary, the consequences are always the same: failure of the equipment to be protected.\u00a0It is therefore essential to always choose the material adapted to the specifications.<\/em><\/p>\n Two factors mainly come into play in the deterioration of the dielectric properties of insulators:<\/p>\n Indeed, throughout its life, the electrical insulator is brought to fight against the current.\u00a0This permanent fight weakens it, because the electric current gradually erodes the surface of this insulator.\u00a0After a certain time, an electric arc appears and therefore\u00a0the insulation function breaks<\/strong>\u00a0.<\/p>\n Furthermore, the more violent the attack of the current, and therefore the higher the voltage, the faster this degradation.<\/p>\n Apart from these factors whose impact is systematic, there are many other deterioration parameters to take into account.\u00a0These are linked to the environment in which the insulation evolves and can be linked to various physico-chemical processes:<\/p>\n Concretely, the degradation of a material leads to a deterioration of the insulating properties, ie to a reduction in the dielectric strength.<\/p>\n The material will therefore become less resistant to the effects of the electric field and there is then a risk of breaking the dielectric function.<\/p>\n The consequences of a break in the dielectric function of the material are unfortunately often irremediable. In fact, when this occurs following a partial discharge,\u00a0the insulation is destroyed<\/strong>\u00a0and the electrical equipment it must protect immediately ceases to operate.\u00a0To illustrate, we can therefore say that\u00a0the electrical insulator behaves like \u201cthe fuse of the insulating function\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n Anticipating this deterioration is not always easy, because the degradation of the insulation itself is not visible before it breaks.\u00a0This is why it is important to choose quality materials that are adapted to the actual conditions of use.\u00a0Here are 2 essential criteria to take into account:<\/p>\n It is essential to\u00a0know precisely the functional constraints of the equipment<\/strong>\u00a0to be protected, whether it is a rotating machine or a transformer, so as to choose the insulating material which will best correspond to the specifications.<\/p>\nWhat are the deterioration factors of electrical insulators?
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Deterioration of dielectric properties and its consequences
\n<\/h2>\nHow to avoid deterioration of dielectric properties?
\n<\/h2>\n1. Check that the type of insulation corresponds to the specifications<\/u><\/h3>\n