Grid Defender

Every year, millions of dollars are spent repairing power line infrastructure and restoring power when adverse weather strikes. Power lines and utility poles can be broken due to high winds, ice buildup, or other severe weather conditions. There needs to be a way to protect the power lines and the utility poles from breaking under these conditions.

Background
The grid defender is the proposed solution that adds security to the power infrastructure. Grid Defender (GD) is a utility pole support system invented and patented by Dennis Bell. This design allows the cross arms of utility poles that support power lines to be lowered to the ground if there is a dangerous load on the poles or lines. When the cross arm is lowered, the flow of electricity is automatically cut within the sector. Once the storm or danger has passed, a single lineman can raise the cross arms back into place with the use of a small motor.

Deliverables
By the end of the Spring semester, we plan to build and test a full-scale 5 pole prototype on campus. This prototype will showcase the lines dropping under a specific weight limit at the desired descent rate, as well as the method of resetting the entire system.

Specifications
The system is set to release once a 4000 pound threshold is reached, and descend at a rate of 8 ft/sec. Once the system starts dropping, a signal will be sent to the breakers on the ends of the GD sector to cut power in the lines. At the same time, a GPS node that is on each pole will send a signal to control indicating each dropped pole's location so a technician can easily locate and reset the downed poles.

Selection
The team has decided to go with a class 4, 35 foot pole, with the help of the inventor.

Details
Most mechanical components will be built with corrosive resistant materials as the system will have to withstand weather effects.

We have opted not to design our own breaker. Instead, we will be looking to purchase breakers that have already been tested and rated to handle the correct current loads.

Most of Grid Defender's communications will take place locally through a dedicated cable. Control units at the end of each sector will keep tabs on the standard units mounted on poles within the sector. When a problem is detected, the control unit will send a detailed report to the nearest substation through a different, long-range communications medium. Some methods we are investigating include radio, microwave, and power line carrier.

Implementation & Testing
In order to test the system 5 poles will be mounted on campus by Avista. We will then overload the system with a winch or concrete block to test the breakaway and descent of the system.

Team Information
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CodeSculptor
''Engineering Major: Computer Science (Cybersecurity)

Project Responsibilities & Goals: Bio: CodeSculptor has a strong interest in data privacy. She takes care to protect her information whenever possible and is the sort of person who reads EULAs in full before agreeing to them.
 * Develop and implement Grid Defender's communications system and logic processing.
 * Organize/manage project documentation.
 * Help design Grid Defender to be robust, reliable, and secure.

Lexi Turkenburg
''Engineering Major: Electrical Engineering (Power)

After graduating from the Coeur D Alene Charter Academy in 2013, Lexi started her college career at Montana Tech of the University of Montana. She then transferred to the University of Idaho where she is currently a senior in the Electrical Engineering department. Lexi will be graduating in May with her bachelors in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis in power.

Austin Amrein
''Engineering Major: Electrical Engineering (Power)

After graduating from the Snohomish High School in 2013, Austin started college at The University of Idaho for Electrical Engineering. Austin will be graduating in May with his bachelors in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis in power. He has interned the past two summers at the Naval Reactors Facility (a facility that is part of the Idaho National Labratories working for the Navy and Department of Energy), in Scoville, Idaho and upon graduating from college he will be starting his career there in Power Engineering.

Shane Doll
''Engineering Major: Mechanical Engineering

Born and raised in Post Falls Idaho. Mechanical Engineering major. Graduating in spring 2017 and wants to work in the field of engineering design with an emphasis in solid modeling. Likes sunsets and long walks on the beach.

Daniel Schlittler
''Engineering Major: Mechanical Engineering

Daniel is a Mechanical Engineering major who loves Solid Modeling and Machining. He also loves Mechanics of Materials. Outside of school Daniel loves the outdoors. He loves to hunt and fish. Daniel will graduate in May with his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering and hopes to work somewhere involving cars or atvs.

Justin Puryear
''Engineering Major: Mechanical Engineering

Justin is a Senior Mechanical Engineer at the University of Idaho. He plans on graduating this May. His dream job is to start a Think Tank type of partnership with a few other engineers/business professionals and working on brainstorming  and innovating products that could be implemented  throughout society.
 * }