Flame retardant power pole coating will ensure reliable energy delivery, save lives, property and the environment.
Widespread and significant damage caused by power pole fires may soon become a thing of the past, thanks to a new ARC research grant awarded jointly to RMIT University and Flame Security International (FSI).
Thanks to the Australian Research Council (ARC) Early Career Industry Fellowship grant of $425,691, Dr Tariq Nazir will work with a globally accoladed Australian coating manufacturer, FSI, to create a practical solution.
Pole-top fires often start when airborne soot and pollutants settle on power poles, which are a vital component of the electricity network infrastructure. As well as triggering power blackouts, the flames can then spread to nearby buildings and vegetation, causing widespread loss, damage and risk to life.
Dr Nazir has thought of a solution that will not only reduce the very real risk of bushfire damage, but also alleviate the economic impacts on electricity operators, businesses and consumers of power outages and network maintenance.
‘Pole top fires stemming from insulator failures of electricity assets are catastrophic events that can result in real damage to assets, cause power outages and harm to vegetation, trigger bushfires, and endanger lives,’ says Dr Nazir, a Fulbright Fellow and Vice Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow in the School of Engineering.
‘The grant will allow us to develop a commercial-grade, flame-resistant silicone coating product that electricity operators worldwide can use, thereby avoiding pole-top fires and unplanned power outages.
‘When the reduced cost of network maintenance is added in, the economic benefits will be significant.’
FSI is the perfect partner for innovative product development in fire safety. Its revolutionary fire retardant FIRECOAT coatings have achieved extreme fire certifications including a world first BAL-40 fire protection certification as a simple and easy to use exterior paint product.
‘FSI is very pleased to be working with RMIT and Dr. Nazir to develop this much needed solution. We are confident that our collaboration will lead to a practical cost-effective coating that is safe for the applicator and the environment whilst providing essential protection from pole top fire threats’ says Tony Overstead, FSI’s CEO and cofounder.
As well as saving lives, property and money, the new product will also enhance Australia’s industrial growth and boost advances in electricity infrastructure resilience, high-performance composites, and polymers.
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