Influences of key factors in hot-air deicing for live substation equipment

Abstract

Abstract Icing of substation equipment seriously threatens power system security and stability. Existing manual and mechanical deicing methods require that equipment be powered off first. Because hot air has strong insulating properties, it is a very suitable deicing method for live substation equipment. However, the parameters of existing hot-air deicers are selected by experience, resulting in suboptimal deicing efficiency. In this study, a mathematical model and a simulation model of hot-air live deicing have been developed. The influence of hot-air velocity, temperature, pipeline length, and diameter on deicing efficiency is examined. The underlying causes of suboptimal deicing are analyzed, and its influencing rules are revealed. Then optimization models for these factors were constructed, and the optimal value of each factor was obtained. Finally, based on the research results, a set of hot-air deicing devices for live substation equipment was developed. Tests showed that deicing efficiency was high. The research reported in this paper can provide a theoretical basis for parameter selection of hot-air deicing devices for live substation equipment.