Insulating Covers for Power Lines with Creepage Extenders

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Uninsulated power transmission lines are prone to flashover during adverse weather conditions and contact with large birds or falling objects, leading to costly power outages, as they lack sufficient clearance and insulation to prevent electrical contact.

Innovation Solution

An electrically insulating power transmission line cover with a flexible panel and edge portions featuring latch features and creepage extender walls, forming a longitudinally extending chamber and electrical creepage path to prevent flashover by providing an extended electrical creepage distance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If uninsulated conductors are used for power transmission, then installation cost is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to flashover risk during adverse weather and contact with objects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation costVSAvoidflashover resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cover is placed over the existing uninsulated conductor, nesting the insulating structure around the conductor without requiring replacement. This allows the conductor to remain in place while gaining insulation protection, resolving the contradiction between installation cost and flashover resistance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The cover acts as an intermediary insulating layer between the conductor and the external environment (adverse weather, objects, animals). This intermediary structure provides the necessary insulation without requiring changes to the conductor itself, maintaining cost-effectiveness while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If insulated conductors are used to eliminate flashover risk, then reliability is improved, but installation cost increases and power interruption is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflashover resistanceVSAvoidinstallation cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The cover is designed to be installed on existing conductors without requiring power interruption. The installation process can be performed while the line is live, eliminating the need for costly power outages and making the solution economically attractive compared to replacing insulated conductors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The cover nests over the existing conductor, allowing installation without removing the conductor from service. This approach provides insulation protection at lower cost while avoiding power interruption, resolving the contradiction between reliability improvement and installation cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If adequate clearance is maintained between conductors to prevent flashover, then flashover risk is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates during adverse weather conditions when clearance may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflashover riskVSAvoidweather condition adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The insulating cover serves as an intermediary barrier that allows the conductor to maintain its position and clearance specifications while providing protection against flashover. This enables the system to adapt to adverse weather conditions without requiring increased clearance, resolving the contradiction between flashover risk reduction and weather adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The cover effectively inhibits electrical flashover by creating an extended creepage distance, reducing the risk of arcing and qualifying for higher voltage protection ratings without the need for mastic filling, thus minimizing installation difficulties and maintaining power delivery.

Implementation Method 1

The cover material can have a dielectric strength in the range of from about 550 volts per mil (V/mil) to 700 V/mil

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDielectric strength: Dielectric

Implementation Method 2

an electrical creepage path extending from the chamber to an exterior boundary of the cover along the inner creepage extender wall, between the first and second latch features, and along the outer creepage extender wall

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCreepage distance: Electrical Resistance

Data Source

PatentUS8859898B2Power transmission line covers and methods and assemblies using same

Publication Date: 2014.10.14 TE CONNECTIVITY SOLUTIONS GMBH

AI summary

A power transmission line cover includes an elongate, flexible panel and first and second elongate, integral edge portions. The first edge portion includes an elongate first latch feature and the second edge portion includes an elongate second latch feature. The cover includes an elongate inner creepage extender wall forming a part of one of the first and second edge portions, and an elongate outer creepage extender wall forming a part of one of the first and second edge portions. The flexible panel is wrapped about a power line and the edge portions are joined together to form a longitudinally extending closure seam wherein the latch features are coupled and the edge portions form an electrical creepage path extending from the chamber to an exterior boundary of the cover along the inner creepage extender wall, between the first and second latch features, and along the outer creepage extender wall.