Development of a new type of conductor car from design to assembly

摘要

Conductor cars are widely applied during different live-line activities on bundled phase conductors: they ensure a stable, but movable platform for the workers to execute even long and difficult tasks in a safe and ergonomic way. In the High Voltage Laboratory of Budapest University of Technology and Economics a new type of conductor car is being developed. Not only the design, but the material selection and the way of assembly is novel. The extra light design is proposed to be able to pass through insulators as well. The first step of the development was the material selection with thermal and mechanical aging and mechanical breaking tests followed by the evaluation of the different types of connections. Mechanical finite element simulations were executed to determine the mechanical safety factor of the prototype in case of different loading conditions. Electrical simulations were focused on the electric field distribution especially during critical arrangements with energized and grounded parts close to each other. After the determination of the safety factors, assembly of the prototype has begun followed by different laboratory tests. Evaluation of related standards was also the part of the work. This paper introduces the process of the design from the first step to the assembly and testing of the prototype. A demonstration on energized network is currently being organized to introduce the capabilities of this new equipment to increase the efficiency of live-line maintenance executed by bare-hand method.