3M Composite for Boosting Electric Power-Line Capacity Could Be Key to Reducing Congestion.Business Editors ST. PAUL St. Paul as a missionary he fearlessly confronts the “perils of waters, of robbers, in the city, in the wilderness.” [N.T.: II Cor. 11:26] See : Bravery , Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 27, 2003 An advanced power-line cable from 3M, designed to reduce electrical transmission congestion The condition of a network when there is not enough bandwidth to support the current traffic load. congestion - When the offered load of a data communication path exceeds the capacity. by increasing overhead electrical power-line capacity, is undergoing advanced field testing by utilities in three states. Concurrently, it is the subject of a pilot program under way at the National Transmission Technology Research Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratories Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle, LLC. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville. in Tennessee with the support of the U.S. Department of Energy. The product, which has performed well in field tests so far, may help provide near-term solutions to some of the bottlenecks and overload problems afflicting af·flict tr.v. af·flict·ed, af·flict·ing, af·flicts To inflict grievous physical or mental suffering on. [Middle English afflighten, from afflight, the nation's power grid. Known as the 3M composite conductor, the new cable is capable of transmitting two to three times more electricity than conventional power-line cables of the same diameter without additional weight or the need for more towers. The new heat-resistant conductor is aimed at reducing transmission bottlenecks by enabling utilities to increase power-line capacity on existing structures with no additional easements EASEMENTS, estates. An easement is defined to be a liberty privilege or advantage, which one man may have in the lands of another, without profit; it may arise by deed or prescription. Vide 1 Serg. & Rawle 298; 5 Barn. & Cr. 221; 3 Barn. & Cr. 339; 3 Bing. R. 118; 3 McCord, R. . "Congestion is recognized as a key issue facing America's transmission grid and our unique conductor could well be an important part of the solution to this problem," said Tracy Anderson, who heads 3M's composite conductor program. "With our innovative conductors, utilities could be able to increase the capacity of existing lines without the need for additional rights of way or visual changes to the lines." Composed of a ceramic fiber-reinforced aluminum core wrapped in aluminum-zirconium wires, the 3M conductor is lightweight and can be installed on existing towers using conventional installation equipment. The new conductor, also know as aluminum composite conductor reinforced (ACCR ACCR Accrue ACCR Aluminum Conductor Composite-Reinforced (3M) ACCR Association des Centres Culturels de Rencontre ACCR Association Canadienne pour la Conservation et la Restauration (Ottawa, ON, Canada) ), sags less than conventional power lines -- so it could potentially be used to span difficult geographic features, such as wide rivers, canyons or lakes. The 3M composite conductor has performed well in field tests in Hawaii, North Dakota North Dakota, state in the N central United States. It is bordered by Minnesota, across the Red River of the North (E), South Dakota (S), Montana (W), and the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (N). and Minnesota -- states where weather conditions pose significant challenges. The field tests are being conducted by Hawaiian Electric Co., Xcel Energy (Minnesota), and Western Area Power Administration (North Dakota), in addition to Oak Ridge National Laboratories. The successful field test conducted by Hawaiian Electric Co., in a highly corrosive atmospheric environment The envelope of air surrounding the Earth, including its interfaces and interactions with the Earth's solid or liquid surface. , was described in an article in Transmission & Distribution World magazine in its June 2003 issue. In addition, R&D Magazine, in its September 2003 edition, cites the 3M composite conductor as one of the most technologically significant products introduced this year. Companies contributing key components to the 3M composite conductor include Wire Rope wire rope n. Rope made of twisted strands of wire. Industries, Nexans Inc., Preformed Line Products Co., Alcoa Conductor Accessories and the U.S. Department of Energy, which sponsored a portion of the work as part of its Transmission Reliability program. Organizations playing key supporting roles in laboratory and field testing of the technology include National Electric Energy Testing, Research and Applications Center (NEETRAC NEETRAC National Electric Energy Testing Research and Applications Center (Georgia Tech College of Engineering) ); Kinectrics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and Western Area Power Administration. More information about the 3M composite conductor is available at www.3m.com/accr. About 3M -- A Global, Diversified Technology Company Every day, 3M people find new ways to make amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. things happen. Wherever they are, whatever they do, the company's customers know they can rely on 3M to help make their lives better. 3M's brands include icons such as Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Dyneon and O-Cel-O. Serving customers in more than 200 countries around the world, the company's 70,000 people use their expertise, technologies and global strength to lead in major markets including consumer and office; display and graphics; electronics and telecommunications; safety, security and protection services; health care; industrial and transportation. For more information, including the latest product and technology news, visit www.3M.com. 3M, Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Dyneon and O-Cel-O are trademarks of 3M Company. |
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