TECCON II – Technology for Smart Grids, is a research project led by INESC P&D Brasil, framed within the R&D program of Transmissora Brasileira de Energia (TBE), and aims to increase the efficiency, reliability and safety of electrical transmission lines by using fiber optic sensors.
The team involved in the project will be responsible for the development of a polymeric insulator with 230 kV insulation class, instrumented with fiber optic sensor technology. In addition, a supervisory system based on computational intelligence models for data retrieve and processing will be developed. The system provides an innovative solution for real-time monitoring of transmission lines.
To achieve this goal, the project is divided into ten modules as described below:
- M1 – Project management, responsible for controlling the technical and financial execution of the project, as well as the documentation and dissemination of results.
- M2 – Requirement analysis, deals with the study and documentation of requirements and technical specifications of the monitoring system to be developed.
- M3 – Insulator modeling and development, 3D modeling and development of a polymeric insulator, with 220 kV insulation class, with optical fiber passage that serves as an interface between the sensors and the line.
- M4 – Sensing systems, development of sensing systems for real-time monitoring of current, temperature and traction of the line.
- M5 – Communication systems, responsible for implementing a data transmission system using OPGW (OPtical Ground Wire) cable.
- M6 – Power supply system, responsible for the implementation of a subsystem based on solar panels, to supply power to the monitoring devices.
- M7 – Supervisory system and computational models, whose purpose is to develop a tool capable of processing the acquired data and convert it into useful information for grid operation.
- M8 – Integration and high voltage tests, responsible for integrating subsystems and subsequently subject it to laboratory tests, for evaluation of its electrical and mechanical supportability.
- M9 – Field test, after laboratory tests the monitoring system will be evaluated on a pilot line.
- M10 – Innovation management, devoted to prospect a national industrial partner and manage intellectual property arising from developments.
The project counts with the participation of a multidisciplinary team, involving researchers from several fields, including: photonics, instrumentation, communications, computing, power systems, management and innovation management. Besides INESC P&D Brasil, the consortium includes the Federal University of Campina Grande, Federal University of Pará, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Federal Technological University of Paraná, Federal University of Itajubá, State University of Campinas and INESC TEC (Portugal).
The kick-off meeting of TECCON II was held in Florianópolis, on November 19, 2015. The TECCON II will take three years and a budget around of 3.6 million Brazilian Reais.