The disadvantages of current monitoring method for insulator contaminant are examined. A method for monitoring insulator contaminant discharge is proposed based on the acoustic emission phenomenon. Monitoring device has been developed
and a large number of experiments are carried out. By analyzing the discharge process of polluted insulator accompanying with acoustic emission phenomenon
the characteristics of acoustic signal are studied. The relationship between discharge and acoustic signal is revealed
and a new method of insulator discharge monitoring based on the acoustic emission technique is put forward.