Overview & Events
This project helps to provide an understanding of corrosion occurring on conductors, shield wires and hardware by undertaking several different tasks, including the following
Corrosion Management Reference Book: Guidance on corrosion management is needed for all areas of power delivery. This reference book will contain asset management information for inspection, assessment, mitigation, and remediation for all departments within a utility. The table of contents has been outlined, and the first four sections are specific to the fundamentals of corrosion and overhead transmission line assets. Future sections will be developed specific to support underground transmission, substations, and distribution.
Vibration-Induced Corrosion: Vibration-induced (fretting) corrosion contains two subsets—fretting wear and fretting fatigue—and neither topic is well understood. Initial research in 2019 revealed that fretting corrosion is due to movement, mechanical loading, and contaminant deposition on the conductors and hardware. Each occurs in specific locations on these assets, results in accelerated levels of corrosion, and represents high levels of risk. Forensic analysis has revealed much new learning on these two types and mitigation methods are being evaluated to arrest or reduce the severity of each type. Research in 2022 will focus upon correlating vibrations sensor data with forensic analysis data to quantify corrosion as a function of vibration frequency and amplitude.
Development of Overhead Transmission Field Guides: Field guides are an important method of providing guidance to field crews and early-career engineers for identifying and understanding the severity of damage in the field. Field guides have images of varying levels of degradation of components, with methods to evaluate or quantify the condition. The last aspect of this field guide is to align corrective actions with the level of degradation severity.
Evaluation of Robotic Conductor Inspection Technologies: This task evaluates new and emerging conductor inspection technologies so that the accuracy and limitations are understood. This allows a utility to select a technology with confidence and ensure that it is the proper technology for their type of asset. The EPRI environmental test bed has been reconfigured with more accurate flaws on the steel core and galvanize coating. This will allow manufacturers and service providers to more accurately determine the device performance for presentation to interested utilities.
Guidelines for the Evaluation of Conductor Failures Due to Corrosion: This task is a living document covering the initiation mechanisms specific to each material of construction and type of conductor. It provides guidance in selecting the appropriate test technique in quantifying each sensitivity and identifying or eliminating that as a cause of failure. Research in 2022 will focus upon fretting wear and mitigation methods to reduce this type of corrosion in both conductors and hardware.
Evaluation of the Corrosion Initiation Mechanism and Failure Mode of Advanced Conductors: This task evaluates new and emerging conductors and reviews the materials used in the construction of the conductor. The components used in the construction are then exposed to environmental factors to study the response. Once the components have been evaluated, the assembly is aged in a simulated service environment to study the performance and potential failure mode.
Value
The value that this work provides includes:
- Identifying locations where there could be severe atmospheric corrosion
- Improved accuracy in condition assessments of conductors and shield wires
- Optimized maintenance budgets through more efficient inspections
- Established inspection cycles for conductors and shield wires
- Prioritized maintenance and repairs of components and hardware
- Increased focus on maximizing overall system reliability and minimizing operating costs
- Increased system reliability and safety to utility personnel and the public
Engagement Opportunities
| Meeting | Scheduled Date |
Location |
Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inspection and Assessment Task Force | February 19-22 (In-person), February 26-29 (Virtual) | Charlotte, NC | Meeting Materials |
| Inspection and Assessment Workshop | April 29 - May 1, 2024 | Lenox, MA | Meeting Materials |
| EPRI R&D Project Update Webcast: P35.002 Conductor & Hardware Corrosion Management, P35.003 Structure & Subgrade Corrosion Management | May 1: 2:00pm - 3:00pm ET | Webcast | |
| Overhead Transmission 2024 ARP Rollout #1 | June 12: 11:00am - 12:30pm ET | Webcast | Add to calendar |
| EPRI - Fleet Management Workshop | June 18 - 19, 2024 | Charlotte, NC | Register Here |
| Overhead Transmission 2024 ARP Rollout #2 | July 16 : 11:00am - 12:30am ET | Webcast | Add to calendar |
| Inspection and Assessment Task Force | August 19-22 (In-person) / August 26-29 (Virtual) | Webcast | Register here |