Electrostatic 3D FEM Field Simulation and Optimization for Long-Rod Insulator Chains

Research associate
Hanyu Ye, M.Sc.

Cooperation partners
Prof. Dr. Caren Tischendorf
(Koordinatorin, Universität zu Köln)
Prof. Dr. Martin Arnold
(Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg)
Dr. Tanja Clees
(Fraunhofer Institut für Algorithmen und Wissenschaftliches Rechnen SCAI, St. Augustin)
Prof. Dr. Michael Günther
(Bergische Universität Wuppertal, FB C)
Prof. Dr. Bernd Simeon (TU Kaislerslautern)
Delphi Deutschland GmbH, Wuppertal
Leopold Kostal GmbH & Co. KG, Lüdenscheid
CST AG, Darmstadt
SIMPACK AG, Gilching

Project duration
Since 2009

Keywords
electric power transmission, long-rod insulator, numerical field calculation

Acknowledgement
Lapp Insulators GmbH

Project description

The research project "Electrostatic 3D FEM field calculation for long-rod insulator chains" includes detailed modeling and computer-aided simulation of electrostatic field distributions on geometrically complex three-dimensional long-rod insulator assemblies. Within this research project, finite elements simulations are used to solve the underlying the three-dimensional elliptic boundary value problem. For this purpose, the simulation tool MEQSICO (Magneto-/Electro-Quasistatic Simulation Code) developed at the chair is used with higher-order FEM basis functions. Special interest is given to the compliance with the maximum field strength values of 4.5 kV/cm according to the EPRI norm at the critical triple points of the structures (triple point= air-insulator-metal transition). Although the insulators are essentially rotationally symmetric, full three-dimensional simulations are performed in order to account with a sufficient accuracy for the coupling capacities between the insulator geometries and the adjacent structures, such as the tower structure, the ground, and the attached high-voltage cables. This high-detail resolution requires grid models in which the geometric dimensions can cause differences in grid edge lengths of up to 5 orders of magnitude. Since this circumstance regularly pushes the currently available mesh generators to their limits, special measures have to be applied when creating the FEM mesh for these FEM models. The algebraic systems of equations resulting from the FEM discretization are calculated with modern methods of numerical linear algebra on high-performance workstations. Extensive convergence studies are required to verify the robustness of the obtained field simulation results.

Project-related publications