A line trap (high-frequency stopper) is a maintenance-free parallel resonant circuit, mounted inline on high-voltage (HV) AC transmission power lines to prevent the transmission of high frequency (40 kHz to 1000 kHz) carrier signals of power line communication to unwanted destinations. Line traps are cylinder-like structures connected in series with HV transmission lines. A line trap is also called a wave trap.[1]
The line trap acts as a barrier or filter to prevent signal losses. The inductive reactance of the line trap presents a high reactance to high-frequency signals but a low reactance to mains frequency. This prevents carrier signals from being dissipated in the substation or in a tap line or branch of the main transmission path and grounds in the case of anything happening outside of the carrier transmission path. The line trap is also used to attenuate the shunting effects of high-voltage lines.
Line trap also is known as Wave trap. What it does is trapping the high frequency communication signals sent on the line from the remote substation and diverting them to the telecom/teleportation panel in the substation control room (through coupling capacitor and LMU).
This is relevant in Power Line Carrier Communication (PLCC) systems for communication among various substations without dependence on the telecom company network. The signals are primarily teleportation signals and in addition, voice and data communication signals. Line trap also is known as Wave trap.