Fjernstyrt tilstandskontroll og vedlikehold av kraftlinjer

Remote and unmanned condition assessment and maintenance of overhead power lines High voltage overhead power lines are currently maintained by sending crews up and onto the line. This is associated with risks and poor efficiency. Moreover, no good method exists for detecting degradation and overheating of the connectors (both mid-span and end joints) at an early stage. Lack of reliable diagnostic techniques causes maintenance intervals and reinvestment strategies to be poorly founded. In co-operation with their partners, TechAir will develop an advanced, remotely controlled, unmanned and self-propelled platform with modules for various maintenance and diagnostics testing operations for all types of overhead lines. An important objective is to have the platform work on "live" (i.e., energised) lines. The equipment will be considerably more advanced than existing robotic systems and drones, which mainly do video inspections. During the project information about the technical conditions of several hundred lines and joints will be collected, compiled and analysed. These efforts will provide new and accurate knowledge about ageing mechanisms and how to evaluate the conditions of such components. The overall objective is to no longer replace lines and connectors that are in a good condition. TechAir's innovation also improves personnel safely by avoid sending crews up to the line for doing maintenance and inspections. The outcome of the project is expected to give considerable economical benefits for the transmission and distribution system operators by lowering their maintenance costs and by postponing re-investments.

TechAir skal i samarbeid med Statnett, BKK Nett, Lede, Tensio og SINTEF Energi utvikle en avansert fjernstyrt, ubemannet og selvkjørende "plattform" med tilhørende utstyrsmoduler for vedlikehold og tilstandskontroll på alle typer kraftlinjer. Arbeidsmetoden vil være vesentlig mer avansert enn eksisterende robotsystemer og droner da disse gjør stort sett kun videoinspeksjoner. Prosjektet skal samle inn og sammenstille tilstandsdata for flere hundre lineskjøter og avspenningshylser. Denne forskningen gir ny og nøyaktig informasjon om aldringsmekanismene og hvordan man skal kartlegge tilstanden til slike komponenter. Målet er at man helt skal slutte å skifte ut liner, lineskjøter og avspenningshylser som er i god stand. TechAir sin innovasjon vil også redusere personellrisikoen (forbedre HMS) ved at man ikke bruker personell i høyden under vedlikehold og tilstandskontroll. Forskningen i sin helhet vil gi store økonomiske gevinster i form av mindre vedlikehold og utsettelse av reinvesteringer for netteierne.