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Design and Testing of Power Cable System

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "F: Electrical Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2020) | Viewed by 20372

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Eleonora Riva Sanseverino

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Guest Editor

Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Interests: smart grids; renewable energy, power systems, optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Pietro Romano

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Guest Editor

Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Interests: power cables; dielectrics materials; partial discharges measurements; space charge measurements; PEA method; polarity reversal; transient overvoltage; cable sheathing; power distribution faults; power system faults; power system interconnection

Dr. Antonino Imburgia

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Guest Editor

Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: power cables; dielectrics materials; space charge measurements; PEA method; partial discharges measurements; polarity reversal; transient overvoltage; cable sheathing; power distribution faults; power system faults; power system interconnection

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The substantial growth of cable HV interconnections has prompted researchers to investigate the degradation factors of the dielectric materials used in these systems. Dielectrics in AC and DC cables experience ageing phenomena that are worth of investigation due to the high costs associated to the failures of such infrastructures. In particular, HVDC systems early diagnosis poses a great challenge due to the lack of standardization and consolidated technologies for testing. As is well known, the space charge accumulation and the partial discharge (PD) phenomena play an important role in DC cables’ dielectrics ageing. For this reason, several measurement techniques were developed in order to monitor these phenomena. For instance, the Pulsed Electro Acoustic (PEA) method is one of the main techniques used to measure the space charge. Despite its wide use, the cited technique is destructive, and several technical issues are still present during testing, e.g., the attenuation of the charge signals and the presence of reflected signals in the output charge profile. Therefore, solutions regarding existing space charge measurement (like the Thermal Step Method or PEA) to improve the output charge profile and avoid cables destruction are strongly encouraged. Moreover, the measurement of the PD phenomenon under distorted waveforms is considered of great interest. This Special Issue welcomes studies on the state of the art of new methodologies for cable fault and pre-fault analysis, PD analysis in HVDC cables, innovative cables design, and possible changes of cables structures with the aim to improve and facilitate PEA and PD measurements. Apart from original research articles related to the topic, studies on the effect of the polarity reversal and transient overvoltage phenomena in the lifetime of power cables are also welcome. Finally, due to their ease of use, wireless AC PD detection methods, as well as fault detection and localization approaches, will be considered of interest.

Prof. Dr. Eleonora Riva Sanseverino
Prof. Dr. Pietro Romano
Dr. Antonino Imburgia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

power cables design
AC and DC partial discharge analysis
wireless partial discharge analysis
fault analysis
HVDC test
HVAC test
space charge
partial discharge
PEA method
TSM method
polarity reversal
transient overvoltage
power cable

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2766 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reliability of PEA Measurement in Presence of an Air Void Defect

by Antonino Imburgia, Pietro Romano, Giuseppe Rizzo, Fabio Viola, Guido Ala and George Chen

Energies 2020, 13(21), 5652; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13215652 - 29 Oct 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1375

Abstract

This paper deals with the reliability of the Pulsed Electro-Acoustic (PEA) technique in the case of a specimen containing an air layer. The first approach to this study has been proposed by the authors in previously published works. In these papers, the mathematical description, the PEA cell simulation model, and some experimental tests have been reported. In this work, a more accurate description of the acoustic wave behavior within the PEA cell and specimen with and without an air layer is given. Moreover, the comparison between simulation and experimental tests for both cases (specimen with and without air layer) allowed the validation of the previously developed PEA cell simulation model. The latter was previously validated only for a single layer specimen, here the good performances of the model have also been confirmed in the case of a multilayer specimen, also with an air layer. Experimental and simulation results show that the air layer acts as a barrier for the acoustic signal, due to the different acoustic impedance between the air and the solid dielectric material which constitute the specimen. Therefore, the aim of the present work is to demonstrate that in the case of a three-layers specimen, composed as dielectric-air-dielectric, the PEA cell is not able to provide the complete profile of the entire specimen under test. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Testing of Power Cable System)

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28 pages, 6918 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Monitoring of MV Cable Screens, Cable Joints and Earthing Systems Using Cable Screen Current Measurements

by Krzysztof Lowczowski, Jozef Lorenc, Andrzej Tomczewski, Zbigniew Nadolny and Jozef Zawodniak

Energies 2020, 13(13), 3438; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13133438 - 03 Jul 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4142

Abstract

The paper presents the possibility of using cable screen earthing current measurements for MV, single-core cable line monitoring. Cable screen earthing current measurement allows the condition of cable screen connections, degradation of earthing systems, and the earthing system integrity to be observed, which allows a condition based maintenance (CBM) strategy to be introduced for cable screens and earthing systems in MV networks. CBM allows the workload and failure rate to be reduced. Analysis of the condition of the cable screen and earthing system is carried out based on the cable screen earthing current trends and rapid changes of the current. The proposed system is integrated with a state of the art advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and uses AMI data to calculate currents flowing through cable segments of the analyzed feeder. Additionally, a system which counts thermo-mechanical stresses associated with high current incidents in cable screens is proposed. The stresses are assessed using data from conventional protection relays and the ratio of currents in the cable core and cable screens. The stresses can be used as an indicator of the cable joint condition. The presented phenomena are studied carefully in PowerFactory software. Theoretical considerations are confirmed using measurements taken in the real MV cable line. Finally, the results of a SWOT analysis are presented and future research activities are outlined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Testing of Power Cable System)

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16 pages, 6009 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design of Power Cable Lines Partially Exposed to Direct Solar Radiation—Special Aspects

by Stanislaw Czapp, Seweryn Szultka and Adam Tomaszewski

Energies 2020, 13(10), 2650; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13102650 - 22 May 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3791

Abstract

Power cable lines are usually buried in the ground. However, in some cases, their ending sections are mounted along the supports of overhead lines. This leads to a situation where the cables are exposed to direct solar radiation and, consequentially, overheat. The paper presents the advanced computer modelling of power cables’ heating, considering their insolation as well as the effect of wind. The temperature and current-carrying capacity of power cables—during exposure to direct solar radiation—are evaluated. An effective method of limiting the unfavourable impact of the sun is discussed. In the presence of solar radiation, the proposed method enables a significant increase in the power cables current-carrying capacity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Testing of Power Cable System)

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14 pages, 3631 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Space Charge Measurement and Modelling in Cross-Linked Polyethylene

by Yunpeng Zhan, George Chen, Miao Hao, Lu Pu, Xuefeng Zhao, Sen Wang and Jian Liu

Energies 2020, 13(8), 1906; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13081906 - 13 Apr 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3380

Abstract

Cross-linked polyethylene, commercially known as XLPE, is widely used as an insulating material in high voltage cables. However, space charge accumulation under the DC field is one of the most challenging problems in the further development of XLPE insulated cable. Due to the potential electrical degradation ageing process triggered by the accumulated space charges, the IEEE standard 1732 was established for measuring space charge in HVDC extruded cables as the qualification tests. Previous research has revealed that space charge originates from either charge injection at the electrodes or ionization of impurities presenting inside the bulk. In the light of this, this paper aims to simulate the accumulation of space charge in XLPE under DC stress. Space charge measurements have been carried on the fresh and degassed XLPE samples. A modified bipolar charge transport model, by considering the dissociation of impurities, has been employed to simulate the space charge behavior in XLPE. Compared with the experimental observations, the simulation results can reveal appropriate features of hetero charge formation. Both the calculated charge dynamics and field variation are consistent with the experiment results. The restrictions and potential improvements of this preliminary model are also discussed for its future application of XLPE cables. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Testing of Power Cable System)

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13 pages, 3072 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Industrial Applicability of PEA Space Charge Measurements, for Performance Optimization of HVDC Power Cables

by Antonino Imburgia, Pietro Romano, George Chen, Giuseppe Rizzo, Eleonora Riva Sanseverino, Fabio Viola and Guido Ala

Energies 2019, 12(21), 4186; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12214186 - 02 Nov 2019

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3340

Abstract

Cable manufacturing industries are constantly trying to improve the electrical performance of power cables. During the years, it was found that one of the most relevant degradation factors influencing the cable lifetime is the presence of space charge in the insulation layer. To detect the accumulated charge, the pulsed electro-acoustic (PEA) method is the most used technique. Despite the wide use of the PEA cell, several issues are still present. In particular, the PEA output signal is strongly disturbed by the acoustic waves reflections within the PEA cell. This causes the distortion of the output signal and therefore the misinterpretation of the charge profiles. This, in turn, may result in an incorrect cable characterization from the space charge phenomenon point of view. In 2017, due to the proved degradation effect of the space charge accumulation phenomenon, the IEEE Std 1732 was developed. This standard describes the steps to be followed for the space charge measurement in cables specimens during pre-qualification or type tests. Therefore, cable manufacturing industries started to take a particular interest in these measures. In the light of this, the aim of the present work is to highlight that the enacted standard is not easily applicable since various problems are still present in the PEA method for cables. In particular, in this work, the effect of multiple reflected signals due to the different interfaces involved, but also the effect of the signal attenuation due to cable dielectric thickness, as well as the effect of the PEA cell ground electrode thickness in the output charge profile, are reported. These issues have been demonstrated by means of an experimental test carried out on a full-size cable in the Prysmian Group High Voltage laboratory. To better understand the PEA cell output signal formation, a PEA cell model was developed in a previous work and it has been experimentally validated here. In particular, simulations have been useful to highlight the effect of the reflection phenomena due to the PEA cell ground electrode thickness on the basis of the specimen under test features. Moreover, by analyzing the simulation results, it was possible to separate the main signal from the reflected waves and, in turn, to calculate the suitable ground electrode thickness for the cable specimen under test. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Testing of Power Cable System)

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Review

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42 pages, 10878 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review about the Modeling and Simulation of Electro-Quasistatic Fields in HVDC Cable Systems

by Christoph Jörgens and Markus Clemens

Energies 2020, 13(19), 5189; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13195189 - 05 Oct 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3165

Abstract

In comparison to high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) cable systems, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems have several advantages, e.g., the transmitted power or long-distance transmission. The insulating materials feature a non-linear dependency on the electric field and the temperature. Applying a constant voltage, space charges accumulate in the insulation and yield a slowly time-varying electric field. As a complement to measurements, numerical simulations are used to obtain the electric field distribution inside the insulation. The simulation results can be used to design HVDC cable components such that possible failure can be avoided. This work is a review about the simulation of the time-varying electric field in HVDC cable components, using conductivity-based cable models. The effective mechanisms and descriptions of charge movement result in different conductivity models. The corresponding simulation results of the models are compared against measurements and analytic approximations. Different numerical techniques show variations of the accuracy and the computation time that are compared. Coupled electro-thermal field simulations are applied to consider the environment and its effect on the resulting electric field distribution. A special case of an electro-quasistatic field describes the drying process of soil, resulting from the temperature and electric field. The effect of electro-osmosis at HVDC ground electrodes is considered within this model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Testing of Power Cable System)

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