Effect of water on aging of XLPE cable insulation

Cables as elements of power distribution system have great influence on its reliable service and overall planning requirements. During last years, crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) cables have been more and more used in power systems. This paper presents the results of an investigation of changing of (XLPE) cables insulation breakdown stress (AC BDS) due to water absorption. The paper deals with AC BDS of the following kinds of XLPE cable insulations: steam and dry cured with water tree retardant crosslinked polyethylene (TR-XLPE) and non-tree retardant crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE). During tests, the tap water was injected into, (1) conductor with cable ends closed; (2) into cable conductor with ends opened; and (3) into metallic screen with cable ends opened. The presence of water in XLPE cables was subjected to electrical stress and heating. AC BDS tests were performed as a function of aging time and water content in the cable insulation at different aging temperatures. Also, in this investigation, tests with the changing of AC BDS in the radial direction of unaged and aged XLPE cable insulations were carried out.     

The influence of the water on water absorption and density of XLPEcable insulation

This paper presents the results of a continuing investigation into effect of water on water absorption and density of crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE). The experimental set up was made for the following XLPE cable insulations: steam and dry cured with water tree retardant crosslinked polyethylene (TR-XLPE) and without water tree retardant crosslinked polyethylene (natural XLPE). During tests, the tap water was injected (1) into the cable conductor with cable ends closed, (2) into the cable conductor with cable ends opened, and (3) into the metallic screen with cable ends opened. The XLPE cable insulation together with the water present in the cable was subjected to electrical stress and heating. The results were analyzed theoretically and experimentally. The aim of this paper is to present the results of the influence of the water on water absorption and density of various kinds of XLPE cable insulation in different service conditions     

Investigation of water effects on degradation of crosslinkedpolyethylene (XLPE) insulation

This paper presents the results of the study of the influence of moisture on the electrical characteristics of XLPE power cable insulation under various service conditions. Tap water was put into the cable conductors and the ends were properly closed by terminal boxes in the first case, and opened in the second case. The samples of cables were subjected to electric stress and heating. Results from the accelerated aging tests of XLPE cables in these conditions are reported with reference to the changing of the XLPE's electrical characteristics. On the basis of the compared performances of XLPE cables given by this investigation, the lifetime of XLPE cables was estimated in the case of service under these conditions. Results of testing indicate that the combined effects of pressure of water or water vapour, electric field and temperature will greatly accelerate the deterioration of XLPE insulation     

Evaluation of service aged 35 kV TR-XLPE URD cables

This paper provides information on the aging of URD power cable insulated with a tree-retardant crosslinked polyethylene (TR-XLPE) compound, installed in a typical utility environment, Numerous evaluations were performed on samples of power cables aged up to 7 years in-service. AC and impulse voltage breakdown data are compared with data for similar 35 kV ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) and crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) insulated cables removed from the same utility system. The data show that, to date, the rate of degradation of TR-XLPE cables is less than that of the EPR and XLPE insulated cables. Extrapolation of the data, assuming the same rate, indicates TR-XLPE cable will have the longest life     

Performance characteristics of XLPE versus EPR as insulation forhigh voltage cables

The physical and electrical properties of crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) are compared in the context of their use in transmission class cables. Results indicate that the 138-kV XLPE cable has AC withstand/breakdown strength at least 25% higher than the 150-kV EPR cable. The XLPE cable exhibits about 70% higher impulse strength than the EPR cable. The loss factor of the XLPE cable is at least 20 times lower than that of EPR cable. Thus with XLPE cables, the yearly energy savings can be on the order of 15 MWh/cct. km for a 69-kV system, 52 MWh/cct. km for a 138-kV system and 127 MHh/cct. km for a 230-kV system     

水树老化XLPE电缆绝缘温度特性的研究

为了确保电力系统的安全可靠运行,运行中的XLPE绝缘电力电缆老化状态的评价和估计具有十分现实的意义。本文通过实验,研究了温度对水树老化XLPE电缆绝缘的tgδ、损耗电流谐波分量的影响,并探讨了采用电缆绝缘的交流不平衡分量来诊断电缆中水树状态的可行性。     

Comparative laboratory evaluation of TR-XLPE and XLPE cables with Super-smooth conductor shields

This paper provides data on four commercial tree retardant crosslinked polyethylene (TR-XLPE) and one cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulated 15 kV cables supplied by three manufacturers. The cables have "super-smooth" conductor shields and "extra-clean" insulation and insulation shields. AC and impulse voltage breakdown and selected other characterization data are presented for cables that were aged immersed in room temperature water (15-30/spl deg/C) up to 24 months of a planned 48 months aging program. The five cables have high ac voltage breakdown strength, three of the TR-XLPE cables, actually increased in breakdown strength during aging. The one TR-XLPE cable that had the lowest ac voltage breakdown had vented trees at the insulation shield and high dissipation factor, which the other cables did not have. The impulse voltage breakdown strength of all cables decreased during aging; the cable with the lowest ac voltage breakdown also has the lowest impulse voltage breakdown. The dissimilar performance of the TR-XLPE cables and the excellent performance of the XLPE cable indicates evaluations at longer times are required to differentiate between modern TR-XLPE and XLPE insulated cables.     

高压XLPE电缆绝缘多参数在线监测

建立了在交流电压作用下高压交联聚乙烯(XLPE)电缆绝缘的参数模型,并分析了电缆绝缘劣化时绝缘参数的外在表现.提出通过监测XLPE电缆的工作绝缘电阻、等值电容、介质损耗因数及各参数的变化趋势来综合评定电缆的绝缘状况.并分析了该方法的有效性及合理性.设计了高压XLPE电缆在线监测装置.在数据处理方面,采用基于LM(Levenberg-Marquardt)算法的非线性最小二乘拟合法对采样信号进行拟合,将信号进行快速傅里叶变换得到的谐波分析结果作为LM算法的迭代初值,并利用拟合结果计算出电缆绝缘的被监测参数.仿真分析表明,该算法收敛速度快、精度高,能很好地抑制电网频率波动、直流分量以及谐波含量对被监测参数的影响.     

便携式电缆局部放电检测系统的研制

局部放电是造成XLPE电缆绝缘劣化的主要原因。检测局部放电信号能判断电缆绝缘状态,减少电力绝缘击穿事故发生。研制了一套新型便携式电缆局部放电带电检测系统,阐述了工作原理与硬件设计。系统基于高频电流法、特高频法和超声法,对电缆的绝缘状态进行评估,通过结合三种检测方法的数据分析,大幅提高了系统抗干扰能力和检测结果的可靠性。     

Development of a method of partial discharge detection inextra-high voltage cross-linked polyethylene insulated cable lines

Deterioration in the insulation performance of extra-high voltage XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) cables is believed to be attributable to the deterioration caused by partial discharges. After using an XLPE cable to investigate the behavior of partial discharges under various adverse conditions, the authors succeeded in developing a highly sensitive novel method of measuring partial discharge in XLPE cable lines. Partial discharges in a 275 kV XLPE cable live line have been measured using this method. As a result, a detection sensitivity of 1 pC has been achieved     

Generation and Dissipation of Negative Heterocharges in XLPE and EPR

Charge generation in cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) under dc stress are influenced strongly by inclusions. The inclusions influencing charge generation are cross-linking byproducts, antioxidants, and moisture. These inclusions particularly influence the generation of negative heterocharges observed near positive electrodes, which produce high electric stress regions in XLPE cable insulation under dc voltage. Because a high electric field might cause dielectric breakdown of high-voltage equipment, it is important to minimize negative heterocharge accumulation. Consequently, the authors performed experiments to clarify the negative heterocharge generation mechanism in XLPE and EPR. The authors first studied the influence of cross-linking byproduct and moisture on negative heterocharge generation to clarify the mechanism. The authors next performed experiments to elucidate the effect of antioxidants on heterocharge generation, which revealed that the negative heterocharge is generated in XLPE insulation containing sulfur-containing phenolic antioxidant, or sulfur-type antioxidant. This heterocharge is presumed to be created by the combined effect of the antioxidant and acetophenone. Furthermore, the authors studied the dissipation of negative heterocharges in XLPE and EPR, clarifying that the dissipation of negative heterocharges in EPR is much faster than that in XLPE. This paper presents results of these studies.     

交流电压下基于空间电荷效应的XLPE电缆绝缘老化研究现状

交联聚乙烯(XLPE)电缆以其优良的机械和电气性能广泛应用于现代电力系统。研究表明,在直流电压作用下绝缘中容易形成空间电荷,导致电场畸变,加速绝缘老化。国内外很少关于交流电压下空间电荷对XLPE电缆绝缘影响的研究。本文综述了交流电压下空间电荷对XLPE电缆绝缘老化的影响及其作用机理,并介绍了交流电压下测量空间电荷分布的改进的电声脉冲法。结果表明,交流电压下,空间电荷分布特性影响XLPE电缆绝缘老化。     

XLPE电缆线路局部放电量指标的分析

结合检测经验,分析了局部放电量的检测和相关标准规定指标的意义,提出了局部放电量与XLPE绝缘 电缆线路其它主要性能相关性的论据,特别指出现有XLPE绝缘电缆线路局部放电量检测指标的规定只是对检测 系统的要求,完全受检测仪器技术的局限,只能保证XLPE电缆的最基本要求。为保证其长期性能(安全运行>30 年),在现有局部放电量检测指标下应无可分辨的局部放电。     

Polymer insulated cable systems up to 220 kV

The state-of-the-art of polymer insulated cable systems in Switzerland is presented. The construction and the features of high-voltage power cables with crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) or ethylene-propylene rubber (EPR) insulation, accessories such as joints and terminations, and some special laying techniques are discussed. Results of type tests, long duration tests, and field tests are presented     

EPRI report-characterization of cable insulation materials bydynamic mechanical spectroscopy

A project that is part of a broad effort to apply nonelectrical diagnostics to the study of aging-induced changes in solid dielectric cables is described. The technique of dynamic mechanical spectroscopy is explained. The goal of the work described was to determine whether aging in high-molecular-weight polyethylene (HMWPE) or crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) insulated distribution cable insulation could be detected by solid-state rheological measurements. Insulation from seven HMWPE and five XLPE cables were studied. The results and their interpretation are summarized. They suggest that a more detailed study of a number of service-aged and laboratory aged XLPE's, tree-resistant XLPEs, and EPR would be highly beneficial     

交联聚乙烯电缆附件局部放电的联合检测方法研究

随着交联聚乙烯（XLPE）电缆线路的增多和投运时间的逐年增长,各类问题逐渐凸显,尤其是电缆附件的绝缘事故不断增多,而局部放电是评价XLPE电缆绝缘状况的重要指标,也是诊断电缆故障的有效方法。简要介绍当今常用的2种电缆局部放电在线监测方法,即电容差分法和特高频法（UHF）,重点介绍了它们的联合检测,利用差分传感器解决局部放电标定问题,利用UHF特高频传感器进行抗干扰处理。运用联合检测方法对现场运行的XLPE电缆进行了局部放电在线监测,取得了良好的效果。     

高压交联聚乙烯电缆绝缘老化检测技术调研

概述了国内外高压交联聚乙烯(XLPE)电缆线路在运行中绝缘损坏的统计情况和主要事例，就XLPE电缆及其附件的绝缘老化现象进行了剖析，对电缆绝缘老化检测方法作了扼要叙述，并就现场用局部放电测试的部分方法及其特点作了简要评述。对于一般高压XLPE电缆，迄今未发现因水树生成延展而导致绝缘损坏的现象。包括预制式在内的接头和终端。往往是绝缘老化的薄弱环节，因而应重视对其进行现场的局部放电检测。     

Selectivity of damped AC (DAC) and VLF voltages in after-laying tests of extruded MV cable systems

The purpose of HV after-laying tests on cable systems on-site is to check the quality of installation. The test on extruded MV cable systems is usually a voltage test. However, in order to enhance the quality of after installation many researchers have proposed performance of diagnosis tests such as detection, location and identification of partial discharges (PD) and tan /spl delta/ measurements. Damped AC voltage (DAC) also called oscillating voltage waves (OVW) is used for PD measurement in after-laying tests of new cables and in diagnostic test of old cables. Continuous AC voltage of very low frequency (VLF) is used for withstand voltage tests as well as for diagnostic tests with PD and tan /spl delta/ measurements. Review on the DAC and VLF tests to detect defects during on-site after-laying tests of extruded MV cable systems is presented. Selectivity of DAC and VLF voltages in after-laying testing depends on different test parameters. PD process depends on type and frequency of the test voltage and hence, the breakdown voltage is different. The withstand voltage of XLPE cable insulation decreases linearly with increasing frequency in log scale. Experimental studies with artificial XLPE cable model indicate that detection of defects with DAC or VLF voltage can be done at a lower voltage than with DC. DAC voltage is sensitive in detecting defects that cause a breakdown due to void discharge, while VLF is sensitive in detecting defects that cause breakdown directly led by inception of electrical trees.     

XLPE电缆绝缘中水树的形成机理和抑制方法分析

叙述了交联聚乙烯电缆中的水树对中高压XLPE电缆的危害性;介绍了水树的本质、水树生长特性,引发水树的电-机械理论和化学反应理论;分析了影响水树生长的因素和国内外抗水树电缆料的研究情况。