A Study of Ice Accretion Shape on Cables Under Freezing Rain Conditions

2002 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Szilder ◽  
Edward P. Lozowski ◽  
Gerhard Reuter

The influence of atmospheric conditions (specifically precipitation rate and external heat flux) on the freezing rain ice accretion forming on a non-rotating, horizontal cylinder is studied, using an analytical model based on a simple form of the equations for conservation of mass and heat balance. In keeping with the freezing rain application, but in order to simplify this first step, we have assumed vertical incidence of precipitation (no wind) and no dripping from the accretion (hence light to moderate precipitation rates with relatively low air temperatures). The initial ice accretion shape and the location of its center of mass are examined as a function of the ratio of the precipitation mass flux to the total heat flux lost from the ice surface. An increase in the flux ratio leads to a quantifiable downward displacement of the accretion center of mass. We complement this analysis with numerical simulations, using an improved, two-dimensional version of the Szilder-Lozowski morphogenetic model that predicts the evolution of the accretion shape. For the first time, the freezing probability, which is the critical model parameter, is expressed as a function of location and atmospheric conditions for an accretion shape evolving with time. Using the morphogenetic model, we examine the influence of atmospheric conditions on the accretion shape and ice load. In particular, we address the question of what gives rise to extreme ice loads by identifying the range of atmospheric conditions that tends to maximize (or minimize) the ice load for a given amount of precipitation. The results of this research are applicable to predicting ice formation on overhead transmission lines.

Author(s):  
Heyun Liu ◽  
Xiaohui Ma

Atmospheric ice accretion on structures is a problem of fundamental importance to a number of industries. Examples of engineering problems caused by ice accretion involving aircraft, power transmission lines, telecommunication towers, electrical railway contact-wires, and other structures. Under atmospheric icing conditions two basic types of ice may form; rime or glaze. The supercooled micro-droplets in clouds are an important factor in icing. The objective of this study was to develop a new experimental method to investigate a single supercooled micro-droplet freezing process, in order to better understand the mechanism of rime or glaze ice accretion. The experimental device and principles are described in this paper. The experimental set has two small cold rooms, which is separated by a board with a central hole. A droplet with diameter of 15∼40 μm, temperature of 0∼−5°C was levitated in the cold air stream by electrostatic force. A CCD camera tracked its trace. The air temperature is from 0∼−10°C, the micro-droplet diameter is from 15∼40μm, and its temperature is from 0∼−5°C in the experimental study. This article focused on the experimental set and the experimental principles, and the next article will focus on the experimental data analysis.


1994 ◽  
Vol 40 (136) ◽  
pp. 586-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Szilder

AbstractA hybrid analytical and random-walk model has been developed to predict the shape of ice accreted on a horizontal cylindrical insulator due to freezing rain. The freezing rain occurs with the temperature of the vertically falling raindrops above the freezing point and the air temperature below freezing. The analytical model calculates the angular distribution of the water-film temperature and the location where freezing begins. The random-walk model predicts the accretion shape. The two random-walk model parameters, the freezing probability and the shedding parameter, are expressed as functions of the atmospheric conditions. The model predicts a variety of realistic accretion shapes from cylindrical to icicle-like. Model verification based on comparisons with other models and with experimental results demonstrates quantitatively and qualitatively the credibility of this new modelling approach.


1983 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 302
Author(s):  
Lasse Makkonen

A time-dependent numerical model of ice accretion is used to simúlate the growth of ice loads on wires. Both dry growth (rime) and wet growth (glaze) are modelled in order to examine the dependence of the growth rate of ice load on atmospheric conditions. The results show that during dry growth under constant atmospheric conditions the growth rate of an ice load slightly decreases. In conditions of wet growth, however, the growth rate increases until the process turns to dry growth after reaching the critical deposit diameter. The effect of air temperature on the growth rate in dry growth turns out to be rather small. However, the final ice load after long-term rime formation is temperature-dependent, because the limiting deposit diameter, at which the collection efficiency becomes practically zero, is reached at different ice masses depending on the ice density. The modelled relationships between the growth rate of ice load and the atmospheric variables are compared with observational data and with proposed formulae for the calculation of the intensity of wire icing. The possibilities of estimating the formation of ice loads for practical purposes with a simple method, using the routinely measured meteorological parameters only, are discussed.


Author(s):  
Kathleen F. Jones

AbstractFreezing rain can cause significant tree damage with fallen trees and branches blocking roads and taking power distribution lines out of service. Power transmission lines are designed for ice loads from freezing rain, using models to estimate equivalent radial ice thicknesses from historical weather data. The conservative simple flux model assumes that all the freezing rain that impinges on a horizontal cylinder, representing vegetation or components of the built infrastructure, freezes. Here I present a simplified heat-balance formulation to calculate the fraction of the impinging precipitation that freezes, using parameters measured at ASOS weather stations and an estimate of solar heating. Radial ice thickness estimates from this approach are compared with the simple model and those generated from the ASOS icing sensor. These estimates can all be tested by comparing to measurements on cylinders at weather stations. A link to an Excel spreadsheet that calculates freezing fraction using user-input weather data is provided. In forecast freezing rain events, this tool could be used by utility crews and emergency response teams to estimate the likely range of equivalent radial ice thicknesses over the affected region and plan their response accordingly.


1983 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 302-302
Author(s):  
Lasse Makkonen

A time-dependent numerical model of ice accretion is used to simúlate the growth of ice loads on wires. Both dry growth (rime) and wet growth (glaze) are modelled in order to examine the dependence of the growth rate of ice load on atmospheric conditions.The results show that during dry growth under constant atmospheric conditions the growth rate of an ice load slightly decreases. In conditions of wet growth, however, the growth rate increases until the process turns to dry growth after reaching the critical deposit diameter. The effect of air temperature on the growth rate in dry growth turns out to be rather small. However, the final ice load after long-term rime formation is temperature-dependent, because the limiting deposit diameter, at which the collection efficiency becomes practically zero, is reached at different ice masses depending on the ice density.The modelled relationships between the growth rate of ice load and the atmospheric variables are compared with observational data and with proposed formulae for the calculation of the intensity of wire icing. The possibilities of estimating the formation of ice loads for practical purposes with a simple method, using the routinely measured meteorological parameters only, are discussed.


1994 ◽  
Vol 40 (136) ◽  
pp. 586-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Szilder

AbstractA hybrid analytical and random-walk model has been developed to predict the shape of ice accreted on a horizontal cylindrical insulator due to freezing rain. The freezing rain occurs with the temperature of the vertically falling raindrops above the freezing point and the air temperature below freezing. The analytical model calculates the angular distribution of the water-film temperature and the location where freezing begins. The random-walk model predicts the accretion shape. The two random-walk model parameters, the freezing probability and the shedding parameter, are expressed as functions of the atmospheric conditions. The model predicts a variety of realistic accretion shapes from cylindrical to icicle-like. Model verification based on comparisons with other models and with experimental results demonstrates quantitatively and qualitatively the credibility of this new modelling approach.


1983 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 174-179
Author(s):  
P. McComber ◽  
J.-L. Laforte ◽  
D. Bouchard ◽  
D. D. Nguyen

There is at present a need to develop a better technique for measuring the rate of icing on structures such as, for example, overhead transmission lines. For aircraft and helicopter icing, the most widely used method of measurement is the rotating cylinder. However, for measuring the icing of structures, this method is difficult to apply and also less accurate due to lower wind velocities. Different approaches are now being developed using fixed cylinders.Icing tests were conducted with fixed and rotating cylinders in a wind tunnel. The rate of icing was obtained through measurements of volume, accretion cross-section and time of deposition. Tests were made using five different liquid water contents and droplet diameter spectra, and four cylinder diameters, keeping the wind velocity and temperature constant. The rate of icing is presented as a function of the diameters of the fixed and rotating cylinders for each of the liquid water contents tested. Results indicate that at lower wind velocities the accretion rate is overestimated for the smaller rotating cylinders. This difference is probably due to the variation of the collection efficiency with diameter. From these results it is suggested that the rate of ice accretion on structures should be based on at least two fixed cylinders of different small sizes in order to take into account the effect of the collection efficiency.


2016 ◽  
Vol 117 (7) ◽  
pp. 1163-1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles A. Nock ◽  
Bastien Lecigne ◽  
Olivier Taugourdeau ◽  
David F. Greene ◽  
Jean Dauzat ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Mir-Akbar Hessami ◽  
Arnd Hilligweg

The energy efficiency of refrigerators not only depends on the efficiency of the various components used in the cycle but also on their thermodynamics cycle efficiency as well the thermal efficiency of the cabinet housing the components. Efficiency improvements to the thermodynamics cycle and refrigerator components have been the subject of various papers published in the open literature. Not many researchers have looked at reducing the heat leakage into the refrigerator cabinet with the explicit objective of reducing the power consumption of the unit and hence improving its thermal efficiency. This paper is based on an experimental study of this topic, and includes information on the experimental rig used and the results obtained. This research was performed in two stages: The first stage was focused on improving the energy efficiency by changing wall insulation while the second stage was to study the heat transfer through the doors’ gaskets. For the first part, a domestic refrigerator was instrumented with many thermocouples and heat flux meters to measure the inside and outside air temperatures and the heat transfer through the wall of the unit, respectively. These measurements were taken under different environmental conditions as well as different insulation thickness in the walls of the cabinet. For the second part, using a specially designed and manufactured experimental rig, various door gaskets were placed between a warm and a cold chamber and heat transfer through the gasket was measured. The results showed that by adding 30 mm polystyrene insulation to the walls of the refrigerator, the heat transfer through the walls reduced by around 35%. The power consumption data agreed very well with the measured heat flux through the walls. The percentage heat transfer through the doors’ gaskets was confirmed to be about 13% of the total heat transferred into the unit.


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