Case Study: POWER Engineers achieves optimized transmission-line corona performance and reduced testing time with COMSOL Multiphysics

Enhancing Transmission Line Performance: Using Simulation to Optimize Design

POWER Engineers, a global consulting engineering firm, needed to predict and minimize corona discharge on a special 345‑kV dead-end insulator assembly while meeting complex electrical, mechanical, and environmental constraints. To avoid costly and time‑consuming iterative high‑voltage lab tests, POWER turned to Comsol’s COMSOL Multiphysics software to analyze electric fields and corona behavior before hardware manufacture and testing.

Using Comsol, POWER built efficient 2‑D axisymmetric and 3‑D finite‑element models and added custom postprocessing with empirical ionization equations to estimate corona probability and map high‑field regions. The simulations identified two hotspots—the insulator pins (significant risk) and the outer corners of the square mounting pads (marginal risk)—allowing design changes prior to lab testing, reducing the likelihood of retesting, shortening development time, and lowering testing costs and schedule risk.

POWER Engineers

Jon Leman

Senior Project Engineer