3M Leads Team Developing High-Performance Power Line Conductor.Business Editors & Energy/Technology Writers 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)--June 3, 2002 - New Cables May Double Electrical Transmission Over Existing Towers; Could Be Key Component in Upgrading America's Energy Infrastructure - 3M has been named by the United States Department of Energy The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government responsible for energy policy and nuclear safety. Its purview includes the nation's nuclear weapons program, nuclear reactor production for the United States Navy, (DOE) to lead an industry team working to accelerate field testing and deployment of high-performance overhead conductors which transmit much more electricity than current power lines and, therefore, could be key to helping increase the reliability and efficiency of America's electric power grid. "This advanced power-line conductor is expected to carry two to three times the power as the same size conventional conductor, while maintaining required safety clearances without increased structural loads. This allows for significant transmission upgrades on existing towers and over existing rights-of-way," said Philip Overholt, program manager, Transmission Reliability, DOE. "With load growth straining existing lines and major challenges to establishing new power-line corridors, high-performance conductors may offer a key technology for upgrading our nation's electricity infrastructure," he added. Power transmission capacity in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. relative to peak demand has dropped 17 percent in the past decade, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. recent estimates. "We're pleased to partner with DOE and several industry leaders to accelerate the development and implementation of this promising technology," said Paul Guehler, vice president, Research and Development, 3M. "We're confident our new conductor will perform well in upcoming field trials, thereby becoming the first major advance in overhead power lines since the conventional conductor (aluminum conductor steel reinforced or ACSR ACSR Accredited Customer Service Representative ACSR Aluminum Conductor, Steel Reinforced (cable) ACSR Avid Certified Support Representative ACSR Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility ACSR Algebra of Communicating Shared Resources ), which was introduced in the early 20th century," he added. A key to the breakthrough high performance of 3M's Aluminum Conductor Composite 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) ) is its core of unique aluminum-matrix-composite wires surrounded by temperature-resistant, aluminum-zirconium wires. In addition to providing significantly higher power Higher power is a term used in a 12-step program, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, to describe "a power greater than yourself." Although many participants equate their higher power with God, a belief in God or in formal religion is not mandatory; the higher power is intended as a capacity, the characteristics of the ACCR also offer benefits in long-span crossings, regions with heavy ice loads and for applications in corrosive environments. In most cases, the new conductor could be installed using conventional methods and with no modifications to existing towers or foundations. Under the DOE program, the industry team will conduct rigorous field tests to document performance of medium- and large-diameter conductors under various conditions, evaluate potential economic benefits and develop industry standards. The program builds upon 3M-led research and development, including two successful single-span test installations with small-diameter conductors and operation at medium temperatures. Within the next few months, the Western Area Power Administration will host a one-mile 230-kV installation near Fargo, N.D., which presents some of the nation's most challenging weather conditions, such as low temperatures, ice and high winds. 3M is responsible for overall program management, manufacturing of the enabling core wires, validating conductor performance, assuring process control and working with utility companies to document and understand the conductor's economic value. Other team members include: Wire Rope wire rope n. Rope made of twisted strands of wire. Industries; Nexans Inc.; Preformed Line Products Co.; Alcoa Fujikura Ltd.; The National Electric Energy Testing, Research and Applications Center; Oak Ridge National Laboratory 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. ; and Western Area Power Administration. About 3M 3M is a $16 billion diversified technology company with leading positions in health care, safety, electronics, telecommunications, industrial, consumer and office, and other markets. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota, the company has operations in more than 60 countries and serves customers in nearly 200 countries. 3M businesses share technologies, manufacturing operations Manufacturing operations concern the operation of a facility, as opposed to maintenance, supply and distribution, health, and safety, emergency response, human resources, security, information technology and other infrastructural support organizations. , brands, marketing channels and other important resources. 3M, which marks its 100th anniversary this year, is one of the 30 stocks that make up the Dow Jones Industrial Average Dow Jones Industrial Average The best known U.S. index of stocks. A price-weighted average of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks, primarily industrials including stocks that trade on the New York Stock Exchange. and also is a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. For more information about 3M go to www.3M.com or www.3M.com/profile/pressbox/index.jhtml. 
This article is from 2002. What experiments were done, and what were their results? What else has been learned in these seven years [It is 2009 Sep 18, as I write this.]?
|
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion