To study the effectiveness of infrared and UV imaging technology to detect zero‐value insulators, the infrared thermal images and UV videos of zero‐value insulators at different positions on insulator strings were collected at different humidities and levels of pollution. The heat and discharge characteristics of the insulator strings were analyzed. The thermal‐electric multi‐physics simulation models were established with COMSOL Multiphysics finite element analysis software. The temperature and electric field distributions of the insulator string under different conditions were verified. The study shows that, under conditions of dry pollution, the insulator strings did not easily discharge, thus the UV imaging method cannot effectively detect a zero‐value insulator. The infrared thermal image shows that the temperature rise in a normal insulator is significantly higher than that in a zero‐value insulator; zero‐value insulators can thus be detected using infrared imaging. In the case of wet pollution, infrared and UV imaging may return erroneous results due to heavy pollution of high conductivity and unevenness of pollution owing to moisture. © 2021 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

中文翻译：

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基于实验和多物理场模拟的含零值绝缘子的绝缘子串的红外和紫外线成像特性

为了研究红外和紫外线成像技术检测零值绝缘子的有效性，收集了在不同湿度和污染水平下绝缘子串上不同位置的零值绝缘子的红外热图像和紫外线视频。分析了绝缘子串的热和放电特性。利用COMSOL Multiphysics有限元分析软件建立了热电多物理场仿真模型。验证了绝缘子串在不同条件下的温度和电场分布。研究表明，在干燥污染的条件下，绝缘子串不易放电，因此紫外线成像方法不能有效地检测零值绝缘子。红外热像仪显示，正常绝缘子的温度升高明显高于零值绝缘子的温度升高；因此，可以使用红外成像检测零值绝缘子。在湿污染的情况下，由于高电导率的严重污染和水分导致的污染不均匀，红外和紫外线成像可能会返回错误的结果。©2021日本电气工程师学会。由Wiley Periodicals LLC发布。