The Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory at the University of Southampton is an active centre for research into dielectric materials and insulation systems, as well as high voltage and related phenomena. It is also a commercial testing house and consultancy service and has state-of-the-art facilities, supported by a specialist engineering team who are all actively involved in internationally leading research.
The Tony Davies High Voltage Lab facility supplies commercial testing and is home to world class research including...
Environmental Modelling
In order to ensure that electrical plant performs reliably it is necessary to determine the environmental conditions under which it is operating or likely to operate. It is important that plant operates within its design parameters in order to maximise its useful lifetime. For example, with buried cables the main design parameter that limits the bulk transmission of electrical power is the core conductor temperature of the cable... Read more
Solid Dielectrics
A wide range of different materials are used as solid dielectrics in high voltage plant. Although much use has been made of paper and oil as insulation, the tendency is now to move towards synthetic polymers. As a result, understanding the effects of temperature, mechanical loadings and electrical stresses on polymeric insulation is technologically important and presents numerous scientific challenges... Read more
Marine Energy- subsea power transmission
The Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory and the National Oceanography Centre Southampton are further developing their links to tackle a number of interdisciplinary issues in the area of subsea power transmission. Significant activity is ongoing in the area of subsea, high voltage power cables - an element of our electricity infrastructure which is becoming more and more critical as the levels of offshore renewable energy installations increase... Read more.
