Abstract: In order to overcome the defects of the application of hidden lines elimination to large-scale 3D scene models, such as high complexity calculation and high time consumption, in this article, a time efficient visualization method was presented for the hidden-line elimination of large substation scenes based on the improved Z-buffer algorithm. First, the original scene model data was integrated and then restructured to simplify the calculation. Secondly, the substation scene model was pixelated through perspective projection transformation. Then a Z-buffer algorithmbased model selection method was proposed to obtain the occlusion relationship of the sub-model of the substation scene, which took the advantage of its pixilation property. Finally, the obtained occlusion relationship lists were merged to the existing hidden line elimination algorithm. Our experimental results prove that the proposed approach can greatly enhance the computing performance of the application of hidden lines elimination to large-scale 3D scene models. Finally, the sub-model occlusion relationship of the substation scene was obtained. 

Key words:  large-scale substation scene, hidden-line, Z-buffer algorithm, model selection, computing performance