Laser cleaning of RTV coating on the insulator surface by using millisecond pulse lasers

Abstract

High-efficiency and high-quality removal of sulfurized silicone rubber from insulator surfaces is paramount for high-voltage power systems. To address this issue, and aiming to achieve precise and nondestructive cleaning of room temperature vulcanized (RTV) coatings, we selected millisecond laser cleaning technology in this study. Successful and efficient cleaning of the RTV coating was performed by adjusting laser parameters. Characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and confocal microscopy, were employed to comprehensively assess the cleaning effects and ensure the integrity of the substrate surface. The results indicate that by adjusting the scanning power combination of the high power of the millisecond pulse laser to 200 W and the low power of 150 W, the glass substrate surface maintains excellent roughness and micro-morphological features after laser cleaning, providing optimal conditions for subsequent processing and utilization. This research contributes an efficient and cost-effective solution to the insulation treatment process in high-voltage power systems.