Finite Element Analysis of Mitigation Measures for AC Interference on Buried Pipelines

Abstract

This paper deals with the problem of AC interference on buried metallic pipelines located in proximity of HVAC power lines. A numerical technique for the assessment of the induced electromagnetic variables on the conductors of the right-of-way is introduced and applied to a realistic interference case, involving a non-parallel routing of the pipeline with respect to the power line. The presented approach is then employed to evaluate the efficacy of mitigation measures that can put in place to suitably lower the electromagnetic impact on the considered metallic pipeline. Finally, a dedicated interpolation technique is applied to the gathered data, and it is shown how it can consistently be used to extend the range of applicability of the computed results.