Melting sleet on transmission lines

✍ Scribed by R.H.O.

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1935
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 59 KB
• Volume: 219
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0016-0032
• DOI: 10.1016/s0016-0032(35)92053-1

✦ Synopsis

Melting Sleet on Transmission Lines.-Modern electric transmission lines are designed to withstand heavy ice loadings, but are unable to withstand both lbading and high winds. A solution to the problem is presented by A. F. GRAMA{ of the Consumers Power Company in the Electric Journal for May, 1935. As a general rule, heavy deposits of sleet occur during a rain or mist, when temperatures are but a few degrees below freezing.

This condition may continue from several hours to half a day or even longer.

It is during this period that sleet can be melted to best advantage. To'do this a 20,000 K.W. turbogenerator is connected directly to the line after it is taken out of service, and short circuited at the farthest end. The voltage of the generator is raised until a current of 400 to 600 amperes flows, which is usually sufficient to melt the coating.

In the author's company a set of instructions for ice melting is issued so as to enable it to be done in a minimum of time.

R. H. 0.