Investigation of Aeolian Insulator Noise

May 2014

Electricity Transmission

Reference: NIA_NGET0149

Status: Complete

Start Date: May 2014

End Date: Jun 2016

Funding Licencee(s): National Grid Electricity Transmission

Contact: Richard Morris

Funding Mechanism Network Innovation Allowance

Research Area: ET - Safety and health and environment

Core Technology(ies): Overhead Lines

Estimated Expenditure: £90,000.00

Introduction: The purpose of the project is to determine the source of the problem (i.e. inherent design flaw giving rise to audible tone from insulators under certain wind conditions) with a view to developing a type test that will remove this problem in the future.

Objectives:

Development of a revised type test and an associated reduction in future noise complaints

Expected Benefits: The success criteria for the project will be:-

There are several steps to this work and success criteria for each are given below:

Report from Manchester University regarding the theory of Aeolian and resonance mechanisms in insulators
Successful completion and erection of the insulator test rig
Successful replication of Aeolian generated noise in controlled wind tunnel environment
Update to relevant policies and procedures to define new test regime for type registration