Annual Report 2010/11 Innovation Funding Incentive Electricity Transmission R&D Programme Detailed Reports National Grid Electricity Transmission R&D Programme Detailed Report During the financial year, 2010/2011 National Grid Electricity Transmission utilised 99% of the Innovation Funding Incentive across a number of programme areas. These programme areas and their associated projects are indexed below and the detailed progress reports follow. The report has been structured to show research project and the area of research they relate to spanning network wide projects to specific asset types. Contents National Grid Electricity Transmission R&D Programme Detailed Report ............... 28 Contents ......................................................................................................................... 28 Network........................................................................................................................... 31 On line Monitoring Integration................................................................................................................. 31 Condition Monitoring (Assessment) of circuit Breakers .......................................................................... 35 Remote Mass Flow Meters ..................................................................................................................... 38 Review of Voltage Dependency of Load................................................................................................. 41 Demand Response ................................................................................................................................. 44 SALVO .................................................................................................................................................... 46 Optimising the operation of an integrated DC link within an AC system ................................................ 50 Communication of system wide quantities using emerging communications technologies to enhance the stability of distributed generation during grid system disturbances. ................................................. 52 (Satellite based LOM) ............................................................................................................................. 52 EU-Real Smart ........................................................................................................................................ 54 Reducing Climate Change Impacts ........................................................................................................ 56 SuperGUM .............................................................................................................................................. 58 Supergen 1 – FlexNet ............................................................................................................................. 61 Harmonic data gathering project organised by ENA............................................................................... 64 Voltage transducers for power quality measurements............................................................................ 66 Improve reliability of future system by enabling integration of new generation ...................................... 69 Overhead Lines.............................................................................................................. 71 Scheme 20448 Development of a Live Wrap Replacement techniques for OHLs Using a Modified SCC System .................................................................................................................................................... 71 Earthwire Platform................................................................................................................................... 73 Development of Multi response Stockbridge Damper at 400kV ............................................................. 75 Remote control of bird scarers................................................................................................................ 77 Acoustic Emissions from HV Overhead Conductors .............................................................................. 79 Live Line working Equipment .................................................................................................................. 84 Microshock PPE Development ............................................................................................................... 88 Development of OHL Hot Joint Monitoring Tool ..................................................................................... 90 Enhanced Lubrication for National Grid HV maintenance ...................................................................... 92 Vegetation management research.......................................................................................................... 94 Effective Protective Coatings for OHL Towers........................................................................................ 96 Finite element analysis for ratings (FEAR) ............................................................................................. 98 Phase III Centrifuge Modelling and Field Monitoring of Wind Induced Loads on Transmission Towers 99 OHL Conductor Asset Lives.................................................................................................................. 101 ACSR Corrosion Research ................................................................................................................... 103 Composite Cross Arms study................................................................................................................ 105 Electric Field / Microshock mitigation.................................................................................................... 109 Cables ........................................................................................................................... 111 Severn Cable Tunnel Access / Egress Trolley...................................................................................... 111 Further Development of PFT in Service Cable Oil Leak Location Technique ...................................... 113 Automatic Risk Based Handling of Plant Enquiries Relating to NG Transmission Electricity and Gas Assets.................................................................................................................................................... 115 Cable asset life project.......................................................................................................................... 117 SODA .................................................................................................................................................... 119 Ratings of cables in tunnels (ROCIT) ................................................................................................... 121 Cable oil leaks & thermal data analysis ................................................................................................ 123 28 Recovery of cable core ......................................................................................................................... 125 Power Cable Materials Related TSB Project: Sustainable Power Cable Materials Technologies with Improved Whole Life Performance ....................................................................................................... 127 Materials ....................................................................................................................... 130 Bolney 400kV MSCDN insulation co-ordination studies and measurements....................................... 130 Investigation into the performance of a nano coating for High Voltage substation insulation .............. 132 Development and Approval of 190KN Extra Creepage Length (ECL) Suspension and Tension Insulators............................................................................................................................................... 134 Polymeric Insulation - Evaluation........................................................................................................ 136 Long term performance of silicone based composite Insulators........................................................... 138 Protection ..................................................................................................................... 140 Architecture for Substation Secondary System (AS3) Project.............................................................. 140 Protection Performance Study for IEC61850 Process Bus Architecture of Substation Secondary Systems (AS3) ...................................................................................................................................... 146 Impact of extending operational lifetimes of electromechanical relays................................................. 149 Alternative Bus Bar Protection Solution ................................................................................................ 151 Evaluation of the performance and application of process bus ............................................................ 153 Transformers................................................................................................................ 155 Alternative Fluids for Transformers....................................................................................................... 155 Oil Level Monitor ..................................................................................................................................