Aging Protection And Reliability Enhancement of Surge Arrester Sealing Materials under High-Temperature, High-Humidity And Strong UV Environments

Surge arresters in tropical/desert/coastal regions face triple threats:  

- Hydrolysis degradation under high T/H (>45℃, 95%RH)  

- Molecular chain scission by strong UV (≥200W/m²)  

- Electrochemical corrosion at sealing interfaces  

Conventional silicone rubber hardens/cracks within 18 months, causing leakage current surges (+300%) and explosion risks.  

1. Material System Innovation

1.1 Composite Matrix Design

1.2 Functional Additives

- UV-to-heat converter: Transforms 290-400nm UV into heat (>92% efficiency)  

- Self-healing microcapsules: Release siloxane prepolymer upon cracking (healing rate≥89%)  

2. Sealing Structure Reinforcement

2.1 Multi-stage Topology Optimization

- Waterproof: V-groove drainage (0.15MPa pressure resistance)  

- Anti-condensation: Superhydrophobic shed surface (CA>150°)  

2.2 Accelerated Aging Tests (IEC 60099-4)

3. Field Performance

3.1 Deployment Cases  

- Coastal Substation (Fujian):  

 - Zero seal failure in 36×110kV arresters after 24 months  

 - Stable temperature rise (ΔT<1.5K) via IR inspection  

- Desert PV Plant (Saudi Arabia):  

 - 47% lower annual maintenance cost vs. conventional units  

3.2 Lifecycle Economics

Conclusion

The integrated material-structure solution extends arrester service life by 67% in extreme environments. Future work will develop smart aging-indicator tags for predictive maintenance.