Press Release
Issued by Ecocopter.
May 9, 2022
The Chilean operator Ecocopter is working in collaboration with bbosch, a leading company in the metallurgical and electrical infrastructure industries, to optimise the cleaning of electrical insulators in Chile's electric power distribution network. The use of helicopters facilitates faster access to high and medium voltage electrical transmission lines, located in all types of areas. This washing system uses between 60% and 85% less water, and it is estimated that this method is 500% more effective than the traditional terrestrial method, which consumes a lot of time.
Although already an established practice in Europe, Africa and North America, this is the first time that this technique has been deployed in Latin America, and the method will significantly improve the efficiency of cleaning 35,501 km of electrical lines over a distance of 3,100 km in Chile.
Once installed on the helicopter, the washing process is controlled by an operator who is positioned on the side of the helicopter. The system tank fills with demineralised water and the helicopter flies to the electrical lines. Upon arrival, the aircraft is located on one side of the tower and the line is washed by means of a turret that shoots water under pressure on the insulator, eliminating the dirt and the residue accumulated by pollution, the passage of the time and the high levelss of salinity that occurs in the north of the country.
The National Electric System (SEN) of Chile includes installations for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, which extend from the regions of Arica Parinacota to Los Lagos. The objective is to keep the insulation chains along this network in an optimal state of cleanliness, to avoid possible line cuts that could affect the population.
“For us it is a great milestone to incorporate this technology in Chile. We acquired a washing system with international and exclusive certification to install it on any helicopter in our AS350 fleet, in addition to training our crews with experts from Europe. With this, we aim to have a world-class technical and human capacity, in order to carry out a job of excellence in terms of productivity, efficiency and prevention of occupational risks, responding to the needs of our clients safely and in the expected times,” says José Tomás Díaz, head of business development at Ecocopter.
It could be that this mission is not the first one that cones to mind when thinking about the roles that helicopters perform, but it represents another example of the versatility of the Airbus H125, which regularly carries out operations as diverse as operations with cranes, extinguishing fires, crop fumigation, geological and fauna studies, agricultural activities and much more. This versatility is due to the profitability and the powerful performance of the helicopter. Fast, manoeuvrable and with enough power and capacity to support the necessary weight, it has proved to be the ideal helicopter for aerial work yet again.
For operators like Ecocopter, this adaptability is extremely important, as Díaz explains; "We offer an important range of services to our customers, which is why we need a helicopter that is versatile enough to perform each one of them with world-class performance. Our fleet of H125 is crucial for us because it constantly offers optimal results."
“The alliance with Ecocopter reinforces our vision of innovation and exploration of new business in order to be more competent with our customers. We are specialists in the industry, and we incorporate into our processes solutions that integrate quality, compliance and innovation to respond in a sustainable way to the needs of a connected, competitive and dynamic world. We will carry out the cleaning of high voltage line insulators with the highest electrical and aeronautical safety standards in the market,” highlights Pablo Bosch Kreis, manager of planning, development and new business at bbosch.
Commenting on the announcement, Jerome Ronssin, general manager of Airbus Helicopters Cono Sur, said: "This mission is fundamental, as it aims to guarantee the continuous supply of electricity to the country and its population. We are very proud that Ecocopter and our H125 were elected to carry out a mission that is both essential and challenging and that, together contributes to the overall efficiency of Chile's energy infrastructure."
