A smart suspension clamp for power transmission lines

在北美和世界各地，高压输电线通常由设计寿命为50年的铝导体钢增强制成，并且具有约60至75年的真实的现场寿命。如今，世界各地的大多数高压导线已经使用了40多年，因此需要越来越多的检查和维修操作。加拿大自然资源部预测，未来25年，加拿大的电力需求将以每年1%的速度增长。因此，输电线路的建设以及新的和更环保的发电厂应该在未来几十年内增加，从而产生重大技术改进的需求。因此，这将推高对最先进的生产线配件以及监控成本降低的需求。该项目针对这些预期的需求，并提出了一个仪器化的导体悬垂线夹的设计能够检测和监测在役输电绞线的退化。它的目的还在于建立一个用于钢绞线疲劳寿命数值预测的建模程序。该项目的方法依赖于一个创新的有限元模型，提供详细的描述导体内部退化机制。虽然建模策略的基础已经由项目团队的成员建立，但本研究建议通过添加线间接触应力分析来完成该过程，该分析允许预测接近悬垂线夹的导体的磨损和疲劳退化。在完成验证活动后，最终的建模工具将能够确定界定内部退化机制的参数，并制定描述符，以完成根据现有标准指标得出的描述。智能夹具设计将特定传感器与每个指示器相关联。在评估任何新的夹具设计时，建模工具将有助于HESTERN Uniformed。该项目依赖于一个博士。一个学生，一个硕士生。

In North America and around the world, high voltage transmission lines are generally made of aluminum conductor steel reinforced with a design life of 50 years, and having a real field longevity of around 60 to 75 years. Today, most high voltage conductors around the world have been in service for more than 40 years, and consequently require more and more inspection and repair operations. Natural Resources Canada forecasts see Canadian electricity demand increasing at an estimated rate of 1 per cent per year for the next 25 years. Therefore, the construction of transmission lines, as well as new and greener power generation plants should be on the rise over the next decades, generating the need for major technological improvements. This will consequently push up the demand for state-of-the-art line accessories, as well as for monitoring cost reductions. This project targets these anticipated needs and proposes the design of an instrumented conductor suspension clamp capable of detecting and monitoring the degradation of in-service power transmission strands. It also aims at producing a modeling procedure for numerical prediction of strand fatigue life. The project methodology rests on an innovative finite element model providing detailed descriptions of the conductor internal degradation mechanisms. While the foundations of the modeling strategy have already been established by members of the project team, the present research proposes to complete the procedure by the addition of an interwire contact stress analysis allowing predictions of wear and fatigue degradation of the conductor close to the suspension clamp. After a complete validation campaign, the final modeling tool will allow the identification of the parameters defining the internal degradation mechanisms, as well as the formulation of descriptors to complete the portrayal resulting from existing standard indicators. The smart clamp design will associate specific sensors to each indicator. The modeling tool will be helpful for Helix Uniformed during the evaluation of any new clamp design. The project relies on one Ph.D. student and on one Master's student.