Investigation of insulator surface leakage current by ant colony algorithm

One of the most important causes of faults on high voltage lines is pollution that creates flashover surface and results in leakage current flowing over the surface of insulator. This brings about undesired power failure and economic loses.The flashover, as a result of surface contamination, is very fast growing phenomenon and complexity of its mechanism makes more difficult mathematical modelling. In literature, non-uniform pollution distrubution was compulsorily assumed as uniform.In this study, solutions to the problem of surface flashover have been investigated. Firstly, covered with dirt on the surface of an insultor on the open model (AR model) potential distribution have been calculated using Finite Element Method. Instead of researchers are working intensively on arc?s in series pollution resistance and the value of surface leakage currents depending on this resistance through the calculation models, ant colony algorithm is used as a new approach.A model based on ant colony algorithm has been developed. Deşarj parameter variation and surface leakage current calculation has been made via this model. In this method, the advantage of has been used similiraties between Ant Colony Algorithm and propagation of partial arcs on the surface of the polluted insulator.An experimental system has been established for comparing the outputs of the computer program that was developed as a result of theoretical studies. The obtained experimental and theoretical results are discussed.