|
Publication Number: CEC-500-2007-076
Abstract:
The Bird Strike Indicator (BSI) is an impulse-based vibration sensing and recording tool to detect bird strikes on aerial cables. This project was designed to perform the first field trial of the BSI on an energized power line. The objectives were to test the BSI sensor effectiveness in detecting bird collisions with power lines and to evaluate the overall BSI design and performance on energized lines. Three power line spans located near the Audubon National Wildlife Refuge in North Dakota were instrumented with 30 BSIs. Regular ground searches were performed under the lines to relate detected carcasses with recorded strikes. The results of the field testing of the BSI sensors proved that the BSI sensors are able to successfully detect and record bird collisions with power lines. During the monitoring season, 71 collisions were recorded, and 35 were successfully correlated with ground searches. The BSIs recorded some collisions that could not be correlated with carcasses found by the surveyors, indicating that some of the carcasses might have fallen outside the search area. Some bird collisions were likely missed by malfunctioning sensors. Throughout the six month trial, the battery life was within the expected tolerances and wireless communication between the sensors and base station was functional. Additional testing of the BSI sensors is recommended to further prove the effectiveness and sensitivity of the BSI sensors to detect bird collisions. Keywords: Avian collisions, power lines, BSI, bird strike indicator, bird searches, accelerometers, vibration recorder
Author(s): EDM International Inc., Arun Pandey, Richard Harness, Misti Kae Schriner Commission Division: Technology Systems Division - R&D, PIER (500)
Office/Program: PIER: Public Interest Energy Research
PIER Program Area: Energy-Related Environmental Research
Date Published: July 2007
Date On Line:
09/07/2007
Acrobat PDF File Size: 57 pages,
1,500 kilobytes**
| 
