Evolution of Countermeasures against Atmospheric Icing of Power Lines over the Past Four Decades and Their Applications into Field Operations

Abstract

The reliability and efficiency of power grids directly contribute to the economic well-being and quality of life of citizens in any country. This reliability depends, among other things, on the power lines that are exposed to different kinds of factors such as lightning, pollution, ice storm, wind, etc. In particular, ice and snow are serious threats in various areas of the world. Under certain conditions, outdoor equipment and hardware may experience various problems: cracking, fatigue, wear, flashover, etc. In actual fact, a variety of countermeasures has been proposed over the past decades and a certain number have been applied by utilities in various countries. This contribution presents the status and current trends of different techniques against atmospheric icing of power lines. A snapshot look at some significant development on this topic over the last four decades is addressed. Engineering problems in utilizing these techniques, their applications, and perspectives are also foreseen. The latest up-to-date review papers on the applications and challenges in terms of PhD thesis, journal articles, conference proceedings, technical reports, and web materials are reported.

Cable Propelled Gondola System Operation in Icing Conditions

“…There are many other methods of de-icing cables however, to be implementable to a cable car system this needs a thorough study of cable car mechanisms in place, operating conditions, frequency of use, operating time, climate affects and numerical simulations to identify the most suitable method. Some more types of de-icing used nowadays are mentioned in Table 2 [61,62]. The economic comparison in Table 3 of anti/de-icing methods is based on economic indicators that influence the usability of each method for gondola cable cars.…”

“…This method could be used for many applications such as cable cars, tramways, transmission lines and bridge structures.There are many other methods of de-icing cables however, to be implementable to a cable car system this needs a thorough study of cable car mechanisms in place, operating conditions, frequency of use, operating time, climate affects and numerical simulations to identify the most suitable method. Some more types of de-icing used nowadays are mentioned in Table 2[61,62].…”

Evaluating Practical Performance of Weather Modification Aerosol Catalysts via 12000 m3 Artificial Climate Chamber

“…To eliminate glaze icing, various strategies were attempted, − such as mechanical deicing, thermally melting the icing, explosive deicing, applying a hydrophobic coating layer, etc. However, they all have several drawbacks, i.e., these methods fail to inhibit the formation of glaze icing, which might not be sufficient to protect the transmission lines.…”

Comprehensive Measurement of the Adhesion between Ice or Glass and Model PDMS Coatings

“…Ice accretion negatively affects the performance of vehicles (such as aircraft, cars, and ships) and infrastructure (such as buildings, bridges, and power lines) and, therefore, endangers the safety and quality of life for many. Various strategies have emerged to aid removal and/or reduce the accumulation of ice such as mechanical, [ 1–3 ] thermal [ 4–6 ] , and coating technologies. [ 7–9 ] Mechanical technologies apply forces to physically remove the ice accumulated while thermal systems produce heat to melt the ice accreted.…”