Anti-Icing Mechanism for a Novel Slippery Aluminum Stranded Conductor

The icing of transmission conductor seriously threatensthe safeoperation of power grids. Slippery lubricant-infused porous surface(SLIPS) has shown great potential for anti-icing applications. However,aluminum stranded conductors have complex surfaces, and the currentSLIPSs are almost prepared and studied on small flat plates. Herein,the construction of SLIPS on the conductor was realized through anodicoxidation and the anti-icing mechanism of the slippery conductor wasstudied. Compared to the untreated conductor, the SLIPS-conductorreduces the icing weight by 77% in the glaze icing test and showsvery low ice-adhesion strength (7.0 kPa). The excellent anti-icingperformance of the slippery conductor is attributed to the dropletimpact dynamics, icing delay, and lubricant stability. The dynamicbehavior of water droplets is most affected by the complex shape ofthe conductor surface. Specifically, the impact of the droplet onthe conductor surface is asymmetric and the droplet can slide alongthe depression in low-temperature and high-humidity environments.The stable lubricant of SLIPS increases both the nucleation energybarriers and the heat transfer resistance, which greatly delays thefreezing time of droplets. Besides, the nanoporous substrate, thecompatibility of the substrate with the lubricant, and the lubricantcharacteristics contribute to the lubricant stability. This work providestheoretical and experimental guidance on anti-icing strategies fortransmission lines.

Automated summary

The construction of a slippery lubricant-infused porous surface (SLIPS) on transmission conductor via anodicoxidation was achieved, and the anti-icing mechanism of the slippery conductor was studied. Compared to the untreated conductor, the SLIPS-conductor reduces the icing weight by 77% in the glaze icing test and exhibits very low ice-adhesion strength. The excellent anti-icing performance of the slippery conductor is attributed to droplet impact dynamics, icing delay, and lubricant stability.