Icebox - A social missionIcebox - A social mission

Icing on power lines can cause major problems for the transmission network during power line failures. This leads to huge costs for both repair and maintenance, as well as lost revenue. There is also a great risk for linesman and maintenance crews who must perform repair and maintenance under harsh climatic conditions. Norway has some of the highest ice loads measured in the world. Some lines have accumulated ice estimated at 150kg/m.

Icebox is a research project developed under the direction of Statnett, with support from the Norwegian Research Council. The purpose is to develop a national icing map with design values based on historical weather. In addition, the effect of climate change will be assessed. Wet snow and in-cloud icing in combination with high wind loads will be assessed and revised for the design of new towers and foundations and when planning new power lines. The project will also research active and passive methods of removal of icings such as hydrophobic coatings, heating of conductors and mechanical means such as robots.

Icebox addresses the challenges of icing on power lines that can cause major problems for the transmission network. These problems lead to huge costs for repair and maintenance, as well as lost revenue. There is also a great risk for maintenance and repair crews who must perform repairs under harsh climatic conditions. The icing on power lines is a problem in most countries and Norway has some of the highest ice loads measured in the world.

As one of 10 partners in the research project ICEBOX, EFLA will lead two work packages in the research project. These are research on

• Methods for ice reduction (literature research), targeted for new power lines
• Methods for ice removal (literature research/feasibility study), targeted for existing lines.

Several different technologies will be explored in each package with a view of identifying technologies that can be further developed and taken to laboratory testing and later to full-scale testing.

As part of the work package, EFLA assisted Statnett in organizing a workshop in Oslo with a view to gathering experts from different industries to discuss their research and technology pertaining to icing on infrastructure. These are technologies that have either been tested or are under development.

"The content of the" Icebox "seminar was well defined and provided to the audience a wide range of methods and technologies regarding the topic of ice on electrical infrastructure. Still, after a few years in the OHTL business, I got new impressions and learning in regard to this topic and the priorities in some countries. Very well done. "

Wolfgang Troppauer

Technical Director, Mosdorpher GmbH

October 3 rd 4 th, the project arranged a workshop in Oslo in collaboration with its partners, including EFLA Consulting Engineers. The aim of the workshop was to present and discuss how to prevent ice build-up and removal of ice on power lines and other infrastructure.

Many network owners and suppliers around the world have developed products and methods to remove or reduce ice build-up on power lines. This technical workshop aimed to bring people together to share knowledge and experiences between different industries and disciplines.

A total of 80 participants from 15 different countries were gathered. This gives a clear indication of the widespread interest in the issue of icing on infrastructure. The workshop had representatives from the energy sector, telecom, aviation, robotics and meteorology.

Project information