New advances in mitigating environmental impact of pipe-type cables

Through a comprehensive and aggressive research program, the Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con Edison) has designed, developed and installed several new products to address the environmental impact of leaked dielectric fluid from pipe-type cable systems. These include online leak detection, leak location, retractable flow direction indicator, full stop joints and transition joints. This paper describes the application of the aforementioned products on the Con Edison underground transmission system     

Committee Report-recommended Practice on Specific Aspects of Cable Installation in Power-Generating Stations

In the late 1940's high voltage pipe-type feeders were first installed in the United States. Since that time, over 2360 circuit miles of underground high voltage pipe-type cables have been installed throughout the country. Con Edison has approximately 652 circuit miles of high pressure pipe-type cable on its system, operating at 69, 138 or 345 kV. The typical pipe-type cable system is comprised of a steel pipe, containing 3 cables, with splices located at intervals of approximately 2000 feet. The pipe is filled with dielectric fluid which is maintained at a nominal operating pressure of 200 psig. Pressurization on the feeder is maintained automatically by pumping plants. For the 345 kV system, these plants sometimes include cooling capability. As the pipe type cable system grows older, leaks of dielectric fluid develop. The major causes of leaks are corrosion, contractor damages, effects of stray currents and localized pipe wear due to vibration. Quick detection and location of dielectric fluid leaks, particularly without the need to deenergize the feeder, is of prime importance to the utility industry. Raychem Corporation has been involved with the development of sensor cables for the detection and location of fluid leaks such as water and gasoline. This technology has been enhanced to address the problem of pipe type cable dielectric fluid leaks and a new system has been developed. The new system uses a sensor cable which is buried in the trench with the pipe type cable.     

Transient Stability Program Output Analysis

The output of a conventional transient stability program is analyzed using transient energy functions for individual machines. The analyst is provided with a quantitative index of the degree of stability or instability for each generator. This index is useful for guiding the selection of subsequent case studies. The transient energy consists of two components: kinetic and potential energy. In the post-disturbance period, profiles of the kinetic energy (VKE), the potential energy (VPE), and the time derivative of the potential energy (V?PE) are obtained. These are used to develop a criterion for the degree of stress on a disturbed but stable machine, and to assess the extent of instability for an unstable machine. The method of analysis has been tested on two power networks representing the system of the state of Iowa, and validated by studies on a Philadelphia Electric Co. network.     

Application of coherency and reduced order models to transient stability studies

Study of the transient stability of a large and interconnected power system requires a great deal of computational time. To reduce that time, power system equivalents are employed. A simplified transient stability method, based on the values of the ‘stability measures’, is presented in which generators with small swing are replaced by a new equivalent model, and appropriate simplified models are used for the rest of the generators. Results of this study are used to identify coherent groups of generators. Replacing coherent sets by their equivalent generators will further reduce the size of the system. The validity and accuracy of the method is demonstrated by stimulated tests on a sample power system.     

Representation of coherency-based equivalents in transient stability studies

An equivalent generator model designed to replace a group of coherent generators is discussed. The equivalent generator incorporates the equation of one of the generators in the corresponding coherent group. Any degree of detail is possible in the model representation of the group.Application of the coherency-based equivalent to reduce the size of a given power network is demonstrated in the paper, and results are presented which indicate the performance of the reduced-order model.     

Calculation of Generation-Shedding Requirements of the B. C. Hydro System Using Transient Energy Functions

The Transient Energy Function method is applied to assess the transient stability of a power network at the end of a complex disturbance sequence. Following this assessment, a method is devised for estimating the amount of generation-shedding required, early in the disturbance sequence, to prevent loss of synchronism. The technique developed for the above assessment is applied to a reduced model of the B. C. Hydro system.     

Novel leak detection system for pipe type cable installations

This paper presents a new application of modern numerical algorithms, such as neural and probabilistic networks, for monitoring pressure system installations. Theoretical background as well as custom implementation of the algorithms is presented, and a complete system for monitoring high-pressure, fluid-filled (HPFF) cables is described.     

A stability measure for use in power system transient stability studies

Large system transient stability calculations may be carried out using network equivalents, and generator grouping, and by reducing the order and complexity of the system representation. Engineering judgement and, in most cases, prior knowledge of transient system performance is required to implement the models.In this paper a new parameter called ‘stability measure’ is introduced. The stability measure can easily be calculated on the basis of load flow and short-circuit results. Upon calculation of the stability measure set for a given fault condition, an estimate of the likely response of the respective generators to the fault is obtained.The validity and generality of the stability measure has been demonstrated by simulated tests on a sample power system.Application of the method with respect to grouping of generators in transient stability studies is also discussed.     

A Fourier transform technique for calculating cable and pipetemperatures for periodic and transient conditions

An underground pipe-type cable system is represented by a thermal impedance network. A ladder network of resistances/capacitances represents the cable out to the outer surface of the pipe. The earth, adjacent pipe-type cables, and cable images are modeled by a frequency dependent thermal impedance found by solving the heat transfer differential equation. The heat input to the system is conductor I² R loss. The heat input can be a periodic signal or a transient of up to 300 h. A fast Fourier transform (FFT) is used to obtain heat input in the frequency domain. The frequency domain thermal input at the conductor is divided by the thermal admittance seen by the conductor and an inverse FFT is used to obtain conductor temperature as a function of time. A similar procedure obtains shield and pipe temperature. Iteration is used to model conductor electrical resistance change with temperature. The ambient temperature and temperature due to dielectric loss is added in to obtain final values     

Pressure surge reflector for pipe type cable system

The development and testing of a pressure surge reflector designed to reduce the pressure seen at potheads during an electrical failure in a pipe-type cable system are described. The reflector is designed to protect the potheads from failing because of a pressure surge that may be large enough to fracture the porcelain, particularly when the electrical failure is physically close to the pothead. Tests indicate that the gaskets in the pothead-base-riser pipe flanges will rupture and leak dielectric fluid at a pressure surge of 900-1200 psi when the bolts are torqued to specified values. Destruction of the high-strength pothead design may first occur in the range of 1600-1800 psi. Therefore, it is possible that an electrical failure in the cable pipe in close proximity to the cable end will initiate leaks of dielectric fluid at the gaskets rather than destroy the pothead. The prototype reflector lowers the pressure significantly, bringing the pressure surge below the factory pressure test level for standard potheads