Influence of AC electric field on conductor icing

Atmospheric icing of conductors is a major issue for the safety, design and operation of transmission lines. In the presence of an electric field on the surface of the conductor, ice accretion mechanism behaves differently compared to non-energized state. To investigate the influence of AC electric field on conductor icing, laboratory experiments were carried out in a cold climate room. The experiments dealt with hard rime and glaze ice because these two types of ice are among the most dangerous ones to a power system. The experimental results showed that the AC electric field has a significant influence on the ice weight, icicle spacing, length, and the deviation angle. Based on the experimental results, the influence of AC electric field on ice accretion of energized conductors was then analyzed and discussed.