TESTING
Reducing Ice Accretion Using‘ Super-Hydrophobic’ Coatings on Conductors & Insulators
CIGRE Brochure 438( 2010) reviews systems to predict and monitor ice accretion on power networks and also discusses the different anti-icing and deicing methods currently available. These countermeasures are divided into both‘ active’ methods( such as mechanical, thermal or vibration) and‘ passive’ methods, which include specialized coatings for conductors that may be applicable for insulators as well. Current international work on these anti-icing coatings is presently concentrated within CIGRE WG B2.44 whose Convener is Masoud Farzaneh of Canada.
Since power companies in Scandinavia often experience ice & snow issues affecting lines, they have undertaken their own research efforts relating to these types of coatings. This article, contributed by Igor Gutman of STRI, Miroslav Radojcic of Norway’ s Statnett and Lillemor Carlshem of Sweden’ s Svenska Kraftnät reports on recent investigations in this field.
Winter storm in eastern Canada in 1998 brought down hundreds of transmission and distribution structures, with ice accretions on conductors over 75 mm thick.
Photos: INMR ©
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