The Electrotechnical Laboratory of Novosibirsk State Technical University (NSTU) is dealing with the problem of assessing the impact of overhead power transmission lines on main pipelines. The results of this work will improve the reliability of hydrocarbon transmission through pipelines located near overhead lines.
Currently, there are several methods that make it possible to determine the voltage induced by overhead power transmission lines on main pipelines. The reasons for the appearance of induced voltage are the magnetic fields created by currents flowing through overhead wires. However, none of the methods takes into account the presence of electrochemical protection of pipelines from corrosion.
Anastasia Shanova, a first-year graduate student at the Faculty of Energy of NSTU-NETI, proposed a new way to assess the impact of overhead power lines on pipelines, taking into account the presence of electrochemical protections.
According to Anastasia, we are talking about a mathematical model for calculating the magnetic effect of high-voltage overhead power transmission lines on pipelines, taking into account cathodic, protective or drainage protection against corrosion. "All currently used methods for determining the impact of overhead lines on pipelines do not take into account the presence of electrochemical protections on pipelines. The mathematical model will allow us to estimate how the induced voltage distribution will change when taking into account electrochemical protection relative to the case when there is no protection. This is important because there are risks of injury to maintenance personnel, destruction of the metal of the pipeline in places of waterproofing defects, damage to equipment connected to pipelines, and the risk of "overprotection" of the pipeline when using cathodic or protective protection," she said.
Alexander Mulbayer, Head of the Electrotechnical Laboratory, senior lecturer at the Department of High Voltage Engineering and Electrophysics at the Faculty of Energy of NSTU-NETI, stressed: "The existing assessment methods are designed for pipelines without electrochemical protection, but in our country most of the main pipelines are protected, which means they require either adjustments to current methods or the development of new ones."
Earlier, the staff of the electrotechnical laboratory developed, manufactured, conducted initial certification and supplied the customer with a high-voltage complex for testing surge protection devices. Other developments of the NSTU-NETI electrotechnical laboratory can be found on the website.