Scientists from Dartmouth College and Ice Engineering LLC have invented a way to cheaply and effectively keep ice off power lines. Called a variable resistance cable (VRC) de-icing system, the technology switches the electrical resistance of a standard power line from low to high. The high resistance automatically creates heat to melt ice build-up, or keeps it from forming in the first place.
"The beauty of the VRC system is that it's fully customizable and is an affordable addition to the current manufacturing and installation process," said Gabriel Martinez, Ice Engineering's Vice President, who worked with Dartmouth Professor Victor Petrenko on the project. Martinez added that manufacturing and installation changes required to implement the VRC system would result in a less than 10 percent increase in overall cost.
Moreover, the life span of the de-icing system would match or exceed the life-span of the utility cable, approximately 30-50 years. The system would pay for itself during the next storm by practically eliminating the cost of fixing downed cables and power outages due to ice and snow, according to Martinez. Another benefit is that utility companies using the system would have full control over its functionality. Time, temperature, and location can all be adjusted manually, or be set and controlled automatically with electronic sensors.
