Cable Testing Report

By: Neetrac

Presented By:
Tapas
Ankit Kumar

Report Topic Include

How

cable system age & fail

The various technologies available for
detecting potential failure sites
Advantages & disadvantages of different
diagnostic technologies
Different approaches for utilities to
employ cable system diagnostics

Data Analysis Summary

CDFI Participants list

Basic Cable Diagnostic Testing

Technologies
Time

Domain Reflectometry (TDR)

Partial Discharge (PD) at operating, elevated 60 Hz, elevated Very Low
Frequencies (VLF) or Damped AC (DAC) Voltages
Tan /Dielectric Spectroscopy at 60 Hz, VLF or variable frequencies
Recovery Voltage
DC Leakage Current
Polarization and Depolarization Current
Simple Withstand Tests at Elevated VLF, 60 Hz AC, or DC Voltages
Acoustic PD Techniques
Monitored Withstand Tests at Elevated VLF, 60 Hz AC, or DC Voltages
with simultaneous
monitoring of PD, Tan , or Leakage Current
Combined Diagnostic Tests at 60 Hz AC, Very Low Frequencies (VLF), or
Damped AC (DAC)
voltages using PD and Tan

HOW A POWER CABLE SYSTEM

AGES, DEGRADES, AND FAILS

Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR)

Test Scope
A time-domain reflectometer locates and characterizes
changes in impedance in a cable system.
These changes can be caused by:
faults (shorts),
joints (splices),
open connections,
taps in the circuit,
deteriorated neutrals,
water ingress into insulation material or joints, and
bad (high resistance) connectors.

Moisture in splice

Water
ingress
location

Partial Discharge (PD)

A

large amount of research published over the

past decade investigates the characterization of
partial discharge sources in power cable systems.
Nevertheless, the study of partial discharge in
cables is empirical due to the complexity of the
phenomenon However, PD is a powerful
tool to evaluate the condition of a power cable
system, especially at HV and for commissioning
tests.

Test Scope
Partial Discharge detects localized void type defects, primarily in
the form of voids in cable or accessories. Voids in this context
can be:
Quasi-spherical (most often due to manufacturing process
problems),
Dendritic (often due to aging processes that lead to the
development of electrical trees
resulting from enhanced voltage stresses),
Interfacial (due to the delamination of components, or a loose fit
between the cable and an
accessory),
Irregular (mechanical damage either before or after installation).

Limiting Values of PD Cable Testing

Tan Measurement
Test Scope
Tan measurements determine the degree of real power dissipation in a dielectric
material. A comparison relates this measurement to a known reference value for
the type of dielectric measured. A judgment establishes the condition of the tested
circuit based on how much the dielectric loss differs from the reference value.
Reference values can be based on:
Values measured on adjacent phases (A, B, C),
Values measured on cables of the same design and vintage within the same
location,
Values when new,
Industry standards, or
An experience library.
Tan is most powerful if the specific cable and accessory components under test
are known. This allows for a direct comparison between the measured value and:
The expected values for known materials/components,
Previous measurements on the same circuit, or
Baseline values.

How it Works
Applying

an AC voltage and measuring the phase

difference between the voltage waveform and the
resulting current waveform provides the Tan . This
phase angle is used to resolve the total current (I)
into its charging (IC) and loss (IR) components.
The Tan is the ratio of the loss current to the
charging current.

Success Criteria
Tan

results appear in terms of the specific loss

measurement or the increase of loss (tip up) at selected
applied voltages (electrical stresses). The tip up is more
correctly a voltage gradient, however in present day Tan
terminology it is the difference between the dielectric loss
measured at U0 and 2 U0. The results are often interpreted
using rules such as those in Table 25 where test values fall
into two classes: "Pass" and "Not Pass." However, the basic
data are usually reported. This feature is powerful and
valuable as it makes it possible to:
Reinterpret data in the light of new knowledge,
Track trends, and
Compare with adjacent cable lengths.

IEEE Std. 400 - 2001 Criteria

As mentioned earlier, according to IEEE Std. 400 - 2001, the
success criteria for the Tan
diagnostic measurement technique are:
Pass Tan value at 2 U0 of less than 1.2 and a tip up
(difference in Tan between 2U0 and
U0) of less than 0.6
Not Pass Tan value at 2 U0 of more than 1.2 and a tip
up (difference in Tan between
2U0 and U0) of more than 0.6

DC Leakage Current Measurement

Technique
Test Scope
DC leakage current tests consist of the application of
DC voltage with the simultaneous measurement of
leakage current. It can be applied to all cable
circuits. However, research has shown that the
application of DC voltage to aged XLPE insulated
cables can cause premature failure by injecting space
charge into degraded regions of the insulation. This
trapped charge, if not discharged from the cable
system leads to enhanced stress within the insulation
once the circuit is re-energized with 60 Hz AC.

Monitored Dielectric Withstand

Techniques
Test Scope
Simple Withstand tests are proof tests that apply voltage
above the normal operating voltage to stress the cable
system in a prescribed manner for a set time. These tests
are similar to those applied to new accessories or cables in
the factory where they provide the purchaser with
assurance that the component can withstand a defined
voltage. An alternative and more sophisticated
implementation of the Simple Withstand approach requires
that, in addition to its surviving the voltage stress, a
property of the system be measured and monitored. This
implementation of a withstand test, called Monitored
Withstand, is discussed in this section.

How it Works
In

a Simple Withstand test, the applied voltage is raised to

a prescribed level, usually 1.5 to 2.5 times the nominal
circuit operating voltage for a prescribed time. The purpose
is to cause weak points in the circuit to fail during the
elevated voltage application when the circuit is not
supplying customers. Testing occurs at a time when the
impact of a failure (if it occurs) is low and repairs can be
made quickly and cost effectively. When performing a
Monitored Withstand test, a dielectric or discharge property
is monitored during the withstand period. The data and
interpretation are available in real time during the test so
that the decisions outlined above might be made.

Thank You