Belleville Washers Supercharge Grid Reliability

5 Ways Belleville Washers Supercharge Grid Reliability

Upgrades to the electrical grid can benefit from Solon Belleville springs and washers by leveraging their unique mechanical properties, including high-load capacity in a compact design, enhanced reliability, and vibration damping. Here are five ways they enhance performance in different grid equipment.

1. Circuit Breakers & Switchgear

• Challenge: Circuit breakers and switchgear experience wear and tear from frequent mechanical movements, vibration, and temperature changes. Consistent contact pressure is crucial to ensure reliable electrical performance and prevent arcing.
• Solution: Solon Belleville springs and washers maintain consistent contact pressure even under variable load and temperature fluctuations, preventing loosening of electrical contacts. By reducing micro-movements, these springs minimize the risk of contact wear, improving lifespan and reliability of the circuit breaker or switchgear.

2. Transformers & Bushings

• Challenge: Power transformers and high-voltage bushing experience thermal expansion and contraction due to electrical load variations, which can loosen connections over time.
• Solution: Using Solon Belleville springs and washers in bolted connections compensates for material expansion and contraction. This ensures stable clamping force and prevents bolt fatigue and loosening over time, improving the safety and operational lifespan of transformers.

3. Vibration Management in Power Distribution Systems

• Challenge: Electrical substations and renewable energy installations (like wind turbines) are prone to vibrations, which can loosen fasteners and degrade electrical connections.
• Solution: Solon Belleville washers act as vibration dampers, absorbing energy from vibrations and maintaining bolt tension over time. This is particularly important for equipment like busbars, inverters, and PV racking systems in solar or wind installations.

4. Lightning Protection Systems

• Challenge: Lightning arrestors need secure electrical connections to ensure that surge currents are efficiently grounded. These connections must withstand large forces from sudden energy discharges.
• Solution: Solon Belleville washers provide a consistent and strong clamping force, preventing joint loosening under extreme mechanical and electrical stress. This ensures that the ground path remains reliable over time.

5. Energy Storage Systems (Batteries & Supercapacitors)

• Challenge: Fasteners in battery packs and supercapacitor arrays need to withstand thermal cycling and vibrations, which can loosen connections over time and lead to failures.
• Solution: Solon Bellevilles ensure continuous contact pressure in battery pack’s bolted connections, enhancing energy efficiency and reducing maintenance needs by preventing voltage drops caused by loose connections.

Using Solon Belleville springs and washers during electrical grid upgrades ensures more reliable, lost-lasting connections that withstand environmental, mechanical, and thermal stresses. This leads to reduced maintenance, improved equipment uptime, and better grid stability. These components are critical in areas where precision clamping is required, enhancing the overall safety and performance of the upgraded infrastructure.

Learn more about the use of Belleville Washers in Electrical Applications

Solon Manufacturing Co. provides high quality engineered solutions for a variety of industries. Belleville springs & washers for electrical connections are the ideal solution for utility workers, distributors, and subcontractors working with electrical connections.

To learn more about our washers for electrical connections, view our resources:

Product-selection Tool: Bolted Electrical Connections Calculator
Technical White Paper: Maintain Bolt Preload on Electrical Connections
Case Study: Solon Belleville Springs Maintain Bolt Preload on Electrical Connections
 
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