Fiber optic overhead ground wire (OPGW) design
| OPTEN Limited since 1993 takes part in construction of practically all main Fiber-Optic Communication Lines using Overhead Power Transmission Lines (FOCL-OHL) in Russia. Among the projects implemented by OPTEN Limited are telecom network of Kemerovo region of 600 km long, per contract with Kuzbassenergo (Fig.1), two FOCL of total length about 400 km in North-West of Russia, per contract with power utility Lenenergo jointly with telecom companies RosTelecom and IVO International (Finland), telecom networks in power utilities Ivenergo (Central Russia) and Odessaenergo (Ukraine). TSL (Fig.2) is one of the biggest of projects implemented by OPTEN. Accurate and detail information on line's actual condition is required to achieve high efficiency of OHL upgrading aimed on replacement of existing groundwire with OPGW. Unfortunately, necessary information is often not available at power facilities maintaining OHL. Changes in OHL elements occurred due to climatic and operation conditions affection (damage or expansion of wires, extra towers erection), are far not always recorded in utilities' papers with sufficient accuracy. Inventorying a OHL and specifying its parameters like span, sag of wires and groundwire, type and accurate location of towers, given significant length of line and traditional survey methods applied, is very time and cost consuming. High accuracy of FOCL route aerial survey results being presented in digital form allows not only quick and efficient determining OPGW cut lengths required for ordering specification on optic cable. Digital data of aerial survey make it possible to introduce a complete automated system of FOCL design. A digital map of FOCL route produced upon aerial and ground based survey, plays important role in this system. All kinds of data could be delivered in digital form to the specialized software as well as to various standard applications such as AUTOCAD, PLG-CADD, POLE-CAD, ArcVieW, MapInfo etc. Software package used for design work performance allows compilation of electronic listing indicating numbers and types of OHL towers, span lengths, pivot angles, objects crossed by the line (power lines, roads, etc.), select and indicate cable joint boxes location. A calculation of mechanical load, check of cable's resistance, towers' bearing capacity for various combinations of wind and ice loads is performed within automated system. One of important stages of design works is calculation of fault current values on various segments of line (especially close to substations), and check of cable's thermal resistance. With automated design system, OPGW installation records, listing of vibration dampers, joint boxes, etc. required for construction performance, are compiled. The same system is used to produce as-built documentation in any format convenient for customer (printed or electronic). |
Fig. 1. Plan of regional telecommunication network  Fig. 2. Fiber Optic Communication Line Birusinsk - Belogorsk |
News
19.02.2019
OPTEN completed another data acquisition stage of LIDAR survey of 2000 kms of power transmission lines in New Zealand for national electric network operator Transpower within schedule and planned budget despite of bushfires in the area of survey.
18.12.2018
Another successful LIDAR survey project completed in France. OPTEN surveyed 100 kms of power transmission lines for RTE in Toulouse region.
