Abstract
Electric energy is essential to today’s society. To cope with global higher demand while minimizing land use, efficient high voltage direct current (HVDC) power lines are planned to be mounted on existing alternating current (AC) structures leading to electric fields (EFs) from both AC and DC transmission lines in hybrid configurations. Due to the close proximity to residential areas, the investigation of human hybrid EF perception and underlying mechanisms will be useful to project permitting. To specify the influence of the AC component on the whole-body detection thresholds of hybrid EFs and to explore the lower bound of human hybrid EF perception, 51 participants with an EF detection ability above average were exposed in a double-blind laboratory study. A psychophysical method based on the signal detection theory was used. Very low EF strength combinations, e.g. 1 kV/m AC combined with 1 kV/m DC, were reliably perceived by at least one participant. Detection thresholds were significantly lower with increased AC EF strengths, underlining the key role of the AC component in the human perception of hybrid EFs. Findings will contribute to the assessment of public reaction to the perception of EFs around hybrid overhead power lines and to their optimal designs.
Highlights
To reduce costs and minimize the impact on the landscape and the need for new rights-of-way in built-up areas, high voltage direct current (HVDC) lines are planned to be mounted on existing high voltage alternating current (HVAC) structures leading to AC–DC hybrid electric fields[2]
Detection thresholds of hybrid electric fields (EFs) were significantly lower with increased AC EF strengths and even very low EF strength combinations of up to 1 kV/m AC EF combined with 1 kV/m DC EF were reliably perceived by at least one participant (d′ > 1)
We showed that the AC component plays a key role in the human perception of hybrid EFs as increased AC EF strengths lowered detection thresholds of hybrid EFs
Summary
The technology for energy production and delivery has remarkably changed. Increased sensation levels in hybrid EFs were assessed when exposing four participants in a hybrid environment c hamber[11] In line with these findings, Kursawe et al determined decreased detection thresholds of 6.76 kV/m DC combined with 4 kV/m 50 Hz AC under hybrid condition compared to detection thresholds of single DC EF or AC EF presentation (DC: 18.69 kV/m, AC: 14.16 kV/m) testing 203 participants in a well-controlled, double-blind laboratory study[8]. The results confirm differences between single EF and hybrid detection threshold estimates as described in our preliminary s tudy[12] This synergistic effect of the combined exposure of DC and AC EFs on human perception was supported by 40% of the participants being able to detect the lowest EF strength combination of 2 kV/m DC and 4 kV/m A C8. A secondary objective was to evaluate the influence of vibrotactile perception and skin moisture on EF perception, whereby skin moisture was repeatedly measured throughout the test day
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