Detection of corrosion in ground rods

本课题的目的是研究变电站接地网系统完整性监测和检测的解决方案，特别是垂直接地电极腐蚀损伤引起的电气接地故障。基于声导波和电磁波的创新方法具有检测这些材料腐蚀的潜力。脉冲回波法和时域反射法的工作原理是将声波或电磁信号发射到接地金属电极中，在那里它穿过电极，当它遇到被评估材料的缺陷（物理损坏）时被反射。反射波信号提供的信息可用于确定可能导致接地故障的缺陷的位置和严重程度。与我们的工业合作伙伴马尼托巴水电公司合作，拟议的项目将包括基础理论和实验研究。研究将在实验室进行，开发的技术将在曼尼托巴水电变电站进行现场测试和部署。研究内容包括声导波和电磁导波模式和波传播的实验室测试，导波器和导波传感器装置的设计和建造，以及现场测试设备的开发。该项目将探索应用创新和经济廉价的技术来监测电力系统变电站的接地完整性。HQP将接受仪器仪表和工业合作研究方面的培训。由此产生的技术将有助于通过早期诊断接地故障来提高设施维护和电力基础设施的可靠性。这将允许预测接地系统的使用寿命，以便在接地故障发生之前实施适当的维护措施，从而对商业和人身安全造成负面影响。

The objective of this project is to research solutions for monitoring and detecting the integrity of the grounding grid system in electrical power substations, specifically, the electrical grounding failures induced by corrosion damage of the vertical grounding electrodes. Innovative approaches based on acoustic guided waves and electromagnetic waves have the potential to detect corrosion in these materials. The Pulse-Echo Method and the Time Domain Reflectometry method work by emitting the acoustic or electromagnetic signal into the grounding metallic electrodes, where it travels through the electrode and is reflected when it encounters defects (physical damage) in the materials being assessed. The reflected wave signal provides information that can beused to determine the location and severity of defects that would cause grounding faults.In collaboration with our industrial partner, Manitoba Hydro, the proposed project will involve both basic theoretical and experimental research. The research will be conducted in the laboratory and field-testing and deployment of the developed technology will be conducted in Manitoba Hydro substations. The research covers laboratory testing of the acoustic and electromagnetic guided wave modes and wave propagation, design and construction of the wave emitter and sensor devices, and development of the field-testing equipment. The project will explore the application of innovative and economically inexpensive technology for monitoringthe grounding integrity of power system substations. HQP will receive training in instrumentation and in industrial oriented collaborative research. The resulting techniques will be helpful in improving facility maintenance and reliability of power utility infrastructure by enabling an early diagnosis of grounding faults. This will allow the service life of the grounding system be predicted so that appropriate maintenance measures can be implemented prior to the occurrence of grounding failure that would impose negative commercial and human safety impacts.