Development of New Diagnostic Method for Hot-Line XLPE Cables with Water Trees

A new insulation diagnostic method for XLPE cables containing water trees is presented. A dc component in the ac charging current of these cables was found to be a significant sign of the existence of water trees. The dc component has good correlations with such insulation characteristics of aged XLPE cables as ac breakdown voltage and dc leakage current. Criteria for insulation diagnosis of 6.6kV XLPE cables have been established. An automatic insulation diagnostic device has been developed. It is now being applied to hot-line XLPF cables in distribution systems of TEPCO (The Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc.).     

Application of the AC Superposition Method to Degradation Diagnosis of 22/33‐kV Class XLPE Cables

Water trees in the insulator of XLPE cable may considerably reduce the dielectric breakdown voltage, thus being an important lifetime‐governing factor. The ac superposition method we have investigated is a new technique for hot‐line diagnosis of 6.6‐kV XLPE cables, and the diagnostic apparatus using this technique is now widely used in the distribution line field. In order to study the application of the ac superposition method to degradation diagnosis of 22/33‐kV class XLPE cables, we measured deterioration signals of the cables with water trees by a modification of the above diagnostic apparatus. The deterioration signals, hereafter called “ac superposition current”, were generated by an amplitude modulation effect due to the nonlinear resistance of water trees. Moreover, we evaluated the relationship between the ac superposition current and the ac breakdown voltage. It is difficult to judge whether a correlation between then is present or not because of the uneven distribution of the measured data. However, the ac superposition current tends to increase linearly with a decrease in the residual thickness of the insulator. For example, the ac superposition current was about 40 nA when the residual thickness decreased to 3 mm. Thus, we consider that the ac superposition method is effective for degradation diagnosis of 22/33‐kV class XLPE cables.     

Development of a hot-line diagnostic method for XLPE cables and themeasurement results

Hot-line diagnosis is needed to avoid breakdowns of XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) cables due to water trees. The authors superposed a low DC voltage on an AC commercial voltage, measured the DC component of the current which passed through the insulation, and discovered that the DC component had a close relationship with the degradation caused by water trees. A hot-line diagnostic measurement system based on this DC superposition method was developed. The old cables that were removed and cables now in use were measured with the system; the results are reported     

A new partial discharge detection method for live UHV/EHV cable joints

Partial discharge (PD) detection on live UHVEHV power cables and accessories is one of the most important techniques to prevent cable systems from serious difficulties caused by slight errors in joining the cables. A new PD detecting method is proposed in this paper. A resonance-type partial discharge (REDI) sensor is developed for detecting PD occurring inside the joints of live XLPE insulated cables. This sensor picks up the high-frequency components of PD current pulses on the surface of live cables, hence the output signals can clearly be observed at the noiseless area (for example, 10-60 MHZ). This new method was applied to the initial ac breakdown tests with three different types of joints of UHV/EHV power cables. The PD pulse sequence was detected before their breakdown in all cases. The charge quantity and the number of pulses increased tremendously just before the breakdown. In addition, the phase of PD pulse against the applied voltage (?-q characteristics) changes with time or with the progress of deterioration. According to these experimental results, the REDI sensor can be applied to the insulation diagnosis of live power cable joints.     

Condition assessment of 12- and 24-kV XLPE cables installed during the 80s. Results from a joint Norwegian/Swedish research project

This paper reports the results from the condition assessment of 12- and 24-kV cross-linked polyethylene (XPLE) cables using a technique based on dielectric spectroscopy initially developed at KTH in Sweden. The work aims to examine whether the method could detect water tree degradation for the second generation medium voltage (MV) cables with long, but not bridging, water trees. While the overall cable condition was better than expected for second generation XPLE cables, water trees were found in most of the selected cables. The diagnostic method based on the measurement of the dielectric response could only detect water tree degradation in the examined second generation cables when the water trees bridged the insulation wall. Condition assessment above service stress may, in some cases, be required to detect bridging water trees. The results indicate that there is a correlation between the voltage level and the breakdown voltage of the cable. This can be used as a diagnostic criterion for this group of cables.     

红外热成像技术在500kV繁昌变电站的应用

文中阐述了500 kV繁昌变电站应用红外热成像技术检测运行电气设备缺陷的经验,采用红外热像仪可以直接检测变电站内变压器绕组及油冷系统、闸刀、高压断路器、电流互感器、电压互感器、避雷器、高低压电抗器、电容器、耦合电容器、高压导线的接头、电力电缆、母线、导线、绝缘子串、设备二次配线端子箱及照明配电盘等设备的电流、电压致热现象。根据电流致热设备缺陷诊断判据和电压致热设备缺陷诊断判据分析,可及时发现设备缺陷,提高运行人员的设备巡视效率。     

Condition assessment of distribution PILC cables from electrical, chemical, and dielectric measurements

A study was conducted to evaluate some new diagnostic techniques enabling users to effectively manage their paper-insulated, lead-covered (PILC) cable assets. The objective is to present the results obtained with four diagnostic techniques designed for use on in-service cables, but used only to a limited extent on PILC cables. These techniques are LIpATEST leakage current test method, isothermal relaxation current (IRC), return voltage method (RVM), and dielectric spectroscopy. In addition, the AC breakdown strength of the cable was also measured. The differences between the titration measurements and the predictions made by AC breakdown and the non-destructive techniques, such as RVM and dielectric spectroscopy, were noted with specific reference to moisture content in the cables. The different diagnostic techniques used in the study gave a reasonably consistent and coherent evaluation of the insulation condition of several field-aged PILC cables. The moisture content deduced from RVM and dielectric spectroscopy does not agree with Karl-Fischer titration of the same samples. It is suggested that aging induces more detrimental polarization processes in the cable oil, whose impact on electrical properties is still unknown but appears to be much more influential than moisture for the cables tested. The results confirm a previous suggestion that PILC cables kept under load are not significantly affected by water ingress.     

XLPE电缆绝缘老化测试数据库管理系统

采用现代化的管理方法、手段和工具已成为技术发展和技术管理的重要条件。基于绝缘老化数据图片存储的交联聚乙烯 (XLPE)电缆绝缘老化测试数据库管理系统的开发 ,就是对高压交联聚乙烯电缆绝缘老化测试进行技术管理和分析的一种尝试。本文述评了国外在绝缘老化测试和统计方面已取得的成果 ;详细论述了本数据库管理系统的可行性分析、模块设计和主要功能     

基于空间矢量复合判断指标的变电站动力电缆漏电检测算法

为提高变电站长段动力电缆漏电监测水平,提出了一种基于空间矢量复合判据的变电站长段动力电缆漏电检测算法。首先对现有方法中无法检测三相漏电故障的问题进行了分析。然后,引入空间矢量的概念,将剩余电流数据转换为空间矢量圆,提出了剩余电流差流、A相漏电流以及空间矢量圆半径变化率3个漏电状态判断指标。并建立了针对电缆不平衡漏电及三相漏电故障的类型判断机制,实现了对长段动力电缆漏电状态及类型的准确检测。最后,通过仿真及江苏电网某500 kV变电站实际数据对所提方法的有效性与优越性进行验证。结果表明,该方法能够准确实现对不平衡漏电故障、故障演变过程以及三相漏电故障的判断,丰富了电缆漏电故障的诊断信息,有效提高了对变电站漏电问题的分析处理效率。     

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.     

Investigation of Water Tree Degradation in Dry‐Cured and Extruded Three‐Layer (E‐E Type) 6.6‐kV Removed XLPE Cables

Dry‐cured and extruded three‐layer (E‐E type) 6.6‐kV cross‐linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables were introduced into electric power systems more than 30 years ago, but they do not experience failures because of water tree degradation. Also, the degradation index of water treeing for these cables has not been established. Therefore, investigating results of residual breakdown voltage and water tree degradation of these cables will help us plan for cable replacement and determine water tree degradation diagnosis scheduling, and will be fundamental data for cable lifetime evaluation. In this study, the authors measured the ac breakdown voltages of dry‐cured and E‐E type 6.6‐kV XLPE cables removed after 18 to 25 years of operation and observed the water trees in their XLPE insulation. As a result, it was observed that breakdown voltages were larger than the maximum operating voltage (6.9 kV) and the ac voltage for the dielectric withstanding test (10.3 kV). Water trees were mainly bow‐tie water trees and their maximum length was approximately 1 mm. Although the number of measured cables was limited, the lifetime of this type of cable was estimated to be approximately 40 years, even experiencing water immersion.     

Investigation of diagnostic techniques for metal oxide surge arresters

Gapless metal oxide surge arresters (MOSA) have been available in the market for many years since they were first introduced in the 1970's. The aim of this study is to investigate some reliable diagnostic techniques to assess the condition of a metal oxide surge arrester when subjected to severe lightning strikes in the field. A number of nondestructive and destructive diagnostic techniques for metal oxide surge arrester (MOSA) are discussed in this paper. The nondestructive techniques include the standard 1 mA reference voltage, lightning impulse discharge residual voltage and a number of modern diagnostics based on polarization methods: Return voltage and polarization/depolarization current measurements. In order to observe, analyze and correctly explain the degradation phenomena, a number of destructive techniques based on microstructure observation are also conducted. The techniques include optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-Ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectrometry. The single and multipulse currents of 8/20 mus wave shape were used to artificially degrade the MOSA. The before and after diagnostic results of the nondestructive and destructive techniques are presented and interpreted to understand the aging mechanism in MOSA. The importance of modern nondestructive electrical diagnostics based on polarization methods is validated by test results and is highlighted in detail in this paper. Finally the correlation of the results of different diagnostic techniques with each other and with the results of standard techniques is discussed     

光学方法在电力电缆局部放电测量中的研究现状

介绍了光学传感器的原理及其用于电气设备局部放电监测的依据, 重点比较了基于Michelson、Mach-Zehnder 和Fabry-Perot3种干涉原理的光纤传感器在电气设备局部放电检测中的应用。 结合电力电缆局部放电超声波检测法目前存在的问题及发展方向,推荐了利用光纤Fabry-perot干涉法实现电力电缆绝缘在线监测的构想。     

Evaluation of field aged crosslinked polyethylene cables by partialdischarge location

Partial discharge sites were located in several field aged crosslinked polyethylene insulated medium voltage power cables, using a newly developed instrument. Subsequent AC breakdown tests indicated that, with partial discharge inception voltages lower than 3 times operating voltage, the failures occurred at the partial discharge sites. In all cases, the failures originated at the sites of long water trees which affected the cables at discrete locations rather than uniformly over their entire lengths. Attributes of a partial discharge locator capable of performing in-situ nondestructive diagnostic tests on cables are discussed and field application procedures are described     

利用非线性动力学研究覆冰绝缘子表面泄漏脉冲电流

笔者通过研究常温下,覆冰绝缘子各融冰阶段不同交流电压等级下表面临闪泄漏脉冲电流时域波形的变化规律,利用非线性动力学理论分析了各阶段泄漏脉冲波形的非线性特性,通过比较波形的最大幅值变化和Lyapunov指数(LE),得出了融冰过程绝缘子表面泄漏脉冲的变化特性,结果表明,不同融冰阶段及其不同电压等级下的泄漏放电脉冲波形具有不同的非线性特性,因此可为覆冰绝缘子的故障监测提供新的诊断方法。     

Fault Development in Wet, Low Voltage, Oil-Impregnated Paper Insulated Cables

Few studies have been carried out on the failure processes of low voltage distribution cables. This is mainly due to their excellent track record of high reliability, and their use of traditional technologies. Growing quantities of aged cable within the network now make management of these assets an important issue. This paper describes measurements of leakage current, partial discharges and arc formation within 400 V oil-impregnated paper insulated cable structures which have been artificially wetted by immersion in bulk water. A generic picture is produced to show the gradual evolution from a leakage current through discharge growth to final catastrophic failure. Rapid changes to the core temperature of a wet cable are shown to produce transient, high levels of leakage current. It is also shown that by increasing the core temperature more slowly these high levels can be reduced. It is suggested that the characteristics of individual arcs within successive half cycles may provide a basis for predicting whether an incipient fault will lead to failure in the short term.     

多间隙气体放电管研究及其应用

为了解决气体间隙放电在雷电防护应用中存在击穿电压高、工频续流大的问题,通过对汤森理论与帕森定律的分析,设计了一种多间隙气体放电管,并在帕森定律的基础上提出了单个间隙击穿电压乘以系数β(β1)为多间隙气体放电管的击穿电压。采用模拟雷电流对多间隙气体放电管做冲击试验,结合气体放电理论与试验结果分析得出:与相同材料及极间距的传统气体放电管相比,多间隙气体放电管的击穿电压为其1/5左右,响应时延可缩短至200ns左右,残压上升陡度最大可减小0.3k V/μs;多间隙气体放电管在一定的雷电流范围内能够减少甚至消除工频续流,具有一定的实用价值。     

10￣35 kVXLPE电缆在线监测技术

对用于配电电网的交联聚乙烯(XLPE)电力电缆绝缘在线监测技术的研究现状进行了回顾,对各种在线监测技术的技术特点和问题作了分析比较,包括直流分量法、直流电压叠加法、电桥法、交流叠加法、低频叠加法、损耗电流测量法、接地线电流测量法及局部放电法。探讨了XLPE电力电缆绝缘在线监测技术的发展方向。     

Electrical tracking performance of LLDPE-natural rubber blends by employing combination of leakage current level and rate of carbon track propagation

Electrical tracking develops from surface discharge activity associated with the flow of leakage current on insulator surface under wet and contaminated conditions. Arcs created from this surface discharge phenomenon burn the polymer insulator material and create carbonized tracks in the long run. This paper reports on electrical tracking performance through the observation of leakage current and carbon track development of blends of linear low-density polyethylene with natural rubber (LLDPE/NR) either filled with or without alumina trihydrate. An electrical tracking and erosion test using the inclined-plane tracking method is conducted to study the overall performance of surface tracking properties. The combined effect of leakage current level and carbon track propagation rate is used as a new technique for describing the level of electrical tracking performance based on the proposed normalized degradation index. Morphological analysis is also carried out to investigate the surface microstructure before and after the tracking test. The experimental results show that different material compositions affect the leakage current and carbon track development. In addition, the calculated normalized degradation index has shown some correlation with the degree of surface deterioration.     

污秽绝缘子泄漏电流特性研究

为提高泄漏电流评估绝缘子污秽度的可靠性,综述了污秽绝缘子泄漏电流特性问题20余年的研究成果,其内容包括临闪前泄漏电流和污闪电压的关系;在运行电压下及绝缘子表面污层饱和受潮时泄漏电流和放电现象间的关系;泄漏电流和等值附盐密度(ESDD)、绝缘子形状、片数、污秽状况以及污闪电压的关系;以及在绝缘子表面污层未达到饱和受潮条件时泄漏电流和雾浓度、相对湿度、ESDD间关系的研究。基于泄漏电流与其他污秽度参数之间关系的研究开发出在实验室及变电站测量多参量泄漏电流的仪器,并在现场测量了大量泄漏电流及气象条件的数据。根据研究成果提出了利用运行电压下的泄漏电流最大值进行污闪预警的方法。