Means and method for removing extraneous matter like ice/snow from an overhead line

• US 20040065458A1
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Protura AS
• Original Assignee: Protura AS
• Inventors: Hansen, Roger
• Application Number:
  US10/433,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20040065458A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/40R
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 7/16 Devices for removing snow or ice from lines or cables

Abstract

In order to remove snow and ice from an overhead line (1), an operatively controllable electromechanical vibrator (5) is attached semi-permanently on a line section between pylons. Preferably, a snow/ice sensor (8) is arranged close by the vibrator (5), and the vibrator is preferably driven from a current transformer (4) mounted close by for inductive tapping of power from the line (1) itself. Preferably, the operation is controlled by means of a control unit (7).

Claims

1. A means for removing extraneous material like ice and snow from an electrical overhead line (1), for instance a high voltage line,

characterized in that it comprises an operatively controllable electromechanical vibrator (5) attached semi-permanently on an overhead line section.

2. The means of claim 1,

characterized in that it further comprises a system (4, 7) for tapping operating power from the electric current of the overhead line (1) itself.

3. The means of claim 2,

characterized in that said system for tapping operating power comprises a current transformer (4) mounted around the line (1) in close proximity to the vibrator (5).

4. The means of claim 3,

characterized in that the system further comprises a control unit (7) for controlling the moment of switching on and switching off vibrator (5) operation.

5. The means of claim 4,

characterized in that the control unit (7) is attached to a mounting bracket (2) which is in its turn attached to the line (1) by means of attachment means (3).

6. The means of claim 5,

characterized in that the mounting bracket (2) also works as an attachment for the vibrator (5), said attachment means (3) being adapted to provide rigid and direct contact between the mounting bracket (2) and the line (1), while the control unit (7) is attached to the mounting bracket (2) by means of vibration-dampening suspension d vices (6).

7. The means of claim 4,

characterized by at least one sensor (8) for detecting the presence or amount of extraneous material and delivering a signal to the control unit (7) via a signal wire.

8. The means of claim 7,

characterized in that said control unit (7) is adapted for interrogating and possibly energizing said sensor (8)

9. The means of claim 7,

characterized by at least one sensor (8) for detecting the thickness of extraneous material deposited on the line.

10. The means of claim 7,

characterized by at least one sensor (8) for sensing strain in the line (1), said strain being a function of the weight/load of the extraneous material on the line (1).

11. The means of claim 4,

characterized in that said control unit (7) comprises a microprocessor adapted for controlling disconnecting and connecting power from the current transformer (4) to the vibrator (5) in accordance with a measurement signal received from a sensor (8), a control signal received from the exterior, e.g. in a wireless manner from a manually operated and hand-carried transmitter on the ground nearby, or in accordance with pre-programming.

12. The means of claim 4,

characterized in that the vibrator (5) and the control unit (7) are attached to a mounting bracket (2) having insulators (12) mounted rigidly thereon, of which insulators one is attached rigidly to the line (1), and the remaining insulators are attached rigidly to respective parallel-running overhead lines (1), preferably phase leads belonging together, by means of clamp devices (11), said vibrator (5) being attached rigidly and directly to said mounting bracket (2), while the control unit (7) is attached by means of vibration-dampening suspension devices (6).

13. The means of claim 3,

characterized in that the system for tapping operating power comprises a direct current tap conductor connected between a stripped point on the line (1) and a correspondingly stripped point on a co-belonging phase lead (1) right next thereto.

14. The means of claim 13,

characterized in that the system further comprises at control unit (7) connected onto the current tap conductor, for controlling the moment of switching on and switching off vibrator (5) operation.

15. The means of claim 1,

characterized in that the vibrator (5) and an associated control unit (7) are adapted for receiving operating power via separate wiring from an external power source.

16. The means of claim 4,

characterized in that the control unit (7) is adapted for regulating instantaneous power supplied to the vibrator (5), for instance for adapting vibration amplitude or vibration speed to a detected amount of extraneous material on the line (1).

17. The means of claim 1, several lines (1) hanging in an overhead configuration in parallel together with said line (1),

characterized in that stiff insulators (12) are attached rigidly between said line (1) and a number of said several lines (1) closely adjacent to the vibrator (5), in such a manner that also said number of lines (1) enter a vibratory state when said vibrator (5) is in operation.

18. The means of claim 1,

characterized in that the vibrator (5) comprises two vibrator members working in parallel but in opposing phases.

19. The means of claim 1,

characterized in that the vibrator (5) is attached substantially in the middle of an overhead section, i.e. halfway between two pylons.

20. The means of claim 3,

characterized in that the current transformer (4) is shaped generally in two parts having half moon shaped cross sections.

21. The means of claim 4,

characterized in that the control unit (7) is equipped with a transmitter for wireless signal transmission to a receiver on ground level, for recording parameters like activating rate and e.g. average activating time, such signal transmission possibly being triggerable by interrogation from a hand-carried receiver on ground level.

22. A method for removing extraneous material like ice and snow from an electrical overhead line (1), for instance a high voltage line,

characterized in that

an electromechanical vibrator (5) is attached semi-permanently on an overhead line section, and

the vibrator (5) is activated in accordance with control from a control unit (7), so that vibrations resulting in loosening of the extraneous material from the line (1), propagate along the line (1) from the vibrator (5).

23. The method of claim 22,

characterized in that activation is carried out in accordance with evaluation in the control unit (7) of an incoming signal from at least one sensor (8) mounted on the line (1).

24. The method of claim 22,

characterized in that activation is carried out on the basis of an incoming wireless signal to the control unit (7) from a hand-carried transmitter on ground level.

25. The method of claim 22,

characterized in that operating power for the vibrator (5) is tapped from the line (1) itself by means of a current transformer (4) mounted therearound in immediate proximity to the vibrator (5).