Interesting pic

[BoatBuoy]

I thought this was an intersting pic. It's from a newsletter that I get. A power system line construction crew is using an implosive device to fuse a high-voltage transmission line to a dead-end device which is mounted to the transmission tower.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Interesting pic

Rather them than me !!!!

 

[Splat]

Re: Interesting pic

The picture your looking at makes it seem much worse than it really is. I think we just used a system like this when installing a grounding HALO system for a new 2-way radio system at work.

Basically its a fancy way of soldering or fusing copper cables together by using magnesium, with a gun powder primer. In the picture your seeing is the gunpowder primer going off. The gun powder stars the reaction with the magnesium which burns hot enough to melt or fuse the 2 cables together. It's actually rather neat to watch with all the smoke.

Bill

 

[rusirius]

Re: Interesting pic

The picture your looking at makes it seem much worse than it really is. We just used a system like this when installing a grounding HALO system for a new 2-way radio system at work.

Basically its a fancy way of soldering or fusing copper cables together by using magnesium, with a gun powder primer. In the picture your seeing is the gunpowder primer going off. The gun powder stars the reaction with the magnesium which burns hot enough to melt or fuse the 2 cables together. It's actually rather neat to watch with all the smoke.

Bill

Actually the process you're refering to is CAD welding... I'm pretty sure that's not what's pictured in the OP's post... To begin with, high tension wires wouldn't be copper in the first place...

I believe what's being shown is a process where a "connector" is put on high tension lines... I can't remember what it's called off the top of my head... It actually doesn't "fuse" the metal... The explosive blast required for that would be far to much to be safe to use in that environment. The "connectors" in question I believe are sort of like what we would consider a "crimp on" connector... The difference is, because of the extremely large diameter of the cable combined with the massive tension and weight, it would take something like 60-100 tons of pressure in order to "crimp" the connector... Not exactly an easy tool to drag up a tower! These connectors in question have a "layer" of explosive packed around the outside and is shaped to be implosive... Basically the charge is set off and a 60-100 ton crimp is made...

 

[Splat]

Re: Interesting pic

Well that's even cooler than what I witnessed our guys using. I stand corrected.

And your correct, primary transmission lines are not copper. They wouldn't hold up for very long.

Thanks for the info.
Bill

 

[rusirius]

Re: Interesting pic

Well that's even cooler than what I witnessed our guys using. I stand corrected.

And your correct, primary transmission lines are not copper. They wouldn't hold up for very long.

Thanks for the info.
Bill

I was trying to remember or find the name of the process... Was thinking about it all day... Bugged the crap out of me that I can't remember the name, but for the life of me I can't... If I find it I'll post it up so you can google it... Pretty cool stuff! Most people consider explosives to be only destructive by nature, but it's pretty amazing what sorts of things you can do with 'em!

 

[SS MAYFLOAT]

Re: Interesting pic

Here is some more info on this technique
http://tdworld.com/overhead_distribution/nu_finds_success_splicing/index1.html

I think the word to use in this type of splicing is fusion as the materials are fused together after the discharge of the explosive.

 

[fdmsiv]

Re: Interesting pic

Its (implosion) is used in ship building to attach/weld aluminum and steel. Only heard about it, never seen it. Very cool