Remote laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for the detection and removal of salt on metal and polymeric surfaces.
The detection of contamination such as salt in outdoor high-voltage insulator systems and its subsequent removal are vital for a reliable transmission of electric power. Remote detection of salt on a copper metal surface was carried out by using a mobile laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) Lidar system with a laser wavelength of 355 nm. Detection of salt on a polymeric high-voltage insulator was obtained when an additional lens was inserted into the beam path, and the number of photons that was detected could be calculated by using a calibrated white light source. Ablative cleaning could readily be carried out with LIBS and was verified by observing the disappearance of the sodium D-line emission.
Bengtsson
M
M
Department of Physics, Lund Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 118, SE-22100, Lund, Sweden. magnus.bengtsson@lan.se
Grönlund
R
R
Lundqvist
M
M
Larsson
A
A
Kröll
S
S
Svanberg
S
S