SUPPORT TOWERS, INSULATING CROSS-ARMS AND INSULATING MEMBERS FOR HIGH VOLTAGE POWER NETWORKS

摘要

An electrically insulating cross-arm is disclosed for a tower for high-voltage power networks. The cross-arm includes an insulating structural member for attachment to the tower body and to support a conductor cable. The insulating structural member comprises a solid rigid spine extending along a long axis having cross sectional profile, normal to the long axis, having a second moment of area of its cross sectional profile about every axis normal to the long axis and dissecting its centroid has a value of A2/2p or more, where A is the area of the cross sectional profile. The structural member provides resistance to bending and to compressive buckling and allows conductors to be safely supported at reduced tower height. T and Y shaped cross sections provide particularly good water run-off and inhibition of organic growth on the structural member. In addition to use in tower cross arms, the structural members are generally useful as insulator members in high voltage power networks.