CHAPLIN will develop a non-destructive testing (NDT) technique, integrated with other technologies, in order to provide an automated condition monitoring system to gather quantitative information about the presence of defects in high power transmission line cables. The proposed NDT technique for this project is Long Range Ultrasonic Testing (LRUT). This technology will allow inspection of the full volumetric cross section area of a cable for many metres with minimum number of points of access. NDT data as well as defect Global Positioning System (GPS) information will be transmitted over wireless communications links to a data centre for analysis.
The system will be capable of being installed in inaccessible areas, where visual inspection cannot be conducted and the system will be able to harvest energy, by utilising the surrounding magnetic field to regenerate power, which will feed the condition monitoring system. This will lead to a self-powered condition monitoring system.