Malfunction analysis of OPGW of stainless steel-unit structure

Abstract

Composite fiber optic overhead ground wire (OPGW) is increasingly applied in China’s overhead transmission lines. The stainless steel structure is adopted by most OPGWs as it is very small and easy to match the existing ground wire. The malfunction of OPGW in Beijing-Shanghai Optical Communication Project was analyzed through the chemical composition method and spectrum semi-quantitative method. The analysis indicates that the cable fault was due to the failure of seepage and irregular holes in the steel pipe of the optical unit. The rain water and the watery air entered into the optical units, and the water in turn became ice when temperature dropped. The occurrence of ice led to the acceleration of attenuation of the fiber. The results show that the rupture of stainless steel tube is mainly due to the instability of welding technique. The malfunction of OPGW is due to the local defects of welding seam because of local stress concentration in the manufacturing process.

Keywords

OPGW / laser welding / stainless steel / fault analysis