Abstract
In the last decades, strengthening the high voltage transmission system through the installation of new overhead power lines has become critical, especially in highly developed areas. Present laws concerning the human exposure to electric and magnetic fields introduce constraints to be considered in both new line construction and existing systems. In the paper, a technique for passive magnetic field mitigation in areas close to overhead power lines is introduced, fully modelled and discussed through a parametric analysis. The investigated solution, which basically consists in approaching line conductors along the span making use of rod insulators, is applicable on both existing and under-design overhead lines as an alternative to other mitigating actions. Making use of a 3-dimensional representation, the procedure computes both positions of phase conductors and forces acting on insulators, towers, conductors and compactors, with the aim of evaluating the additional mechanical stress introduced by the compactors. Finally, a real case study is reported to demonstrate and quantify the benefits in terms of ground magnetic field reduction achievable by applying the proposed solution, in comparison to a traditional configuration. Furthermore, using compactors to passively reduce the magnetic field is simple to be applied, minimally invasive and quite inexpensive as regards to alternative mitigating actions.
Highlights
The human exposure to electro-magnetic (EM) fields and its consequences on health have been addressed in depth in several scientific research works
The evaluation of the conductors distance trend along the span can be obtained a the evaluation of the conductors distance trend along the span can be obtained a posteriori in two steps: (i) imposing the forces exerted by the insulators; posteriori in two steps: (i) imposing the forces exerted by the insulators; and (ii) computing the resulting layout of each phase conductor through the single wire modelling and (ii) computing the resulting layout of each phase conductor through the single wire modelling
The proposed procedure is applied to a real case study in which the ground level magnetic field is not compliant with legislation constraints despite the tower height has been sensibly increased and the tower has been converted into the compacted configuration, i.e., the tower type which minimizes the magnetic field without using compactors
Summary
The human exposure to electro-magnetic (EM) fields and its consequences on health have been addressed in depth in several scientific research works. The potential health hazards caused by prolonged exposures to EM fields at extremely low frequencies (ELFs) are statistically characterized. The high number of results, obtained from epidemiological studies and statistical evaluations, bring one to very contrasting conclusions. A significant lack of homogeneity among obtained conclusions is appreciable, ranging from the hypothesis of zero risk to the evident danger, e.g., the quite strict correlation between the magnetic field exposure and cases of leukemia and cancer [4,5,6]. Physic laws establish that ELF EM fields are ‘non-ionizing’ radiations due to their extremely low energy density, they are not able to break bonds between molecules and to cause DNA alterations. Induced currents on human tissues may increase the cellular temperature, acting as catalysts in particular biological processes, with indirect but not negligible effects on health
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