Case Study of VLF / Tan Delta & Partial Discharge Acceptance Testing of New 23kV Cables

Subcommittee F Fall ICC Meeting Seattle November 14, 2012

Timothy P Hayden PE tim.hayden@nationalgrid.com

Overview
Testing Equipment History of VLF Testing & Procedures Project Overview Test Results Failed Splice Analysis

Testing Equipment

Test Equipment
Second Generation Sinusoidal Waveform 0.1 Hz maximum 60 kV DC / 43kV AC Bluetooth communication for Tan Delta Partial Discharge Add On
Only 1 PD set

History of Testing Procedures

Introduction of VLF Testing

Major cable outage in Massachusetts in July 2003 PSC ordered review of the cause of the outage Root cause overuse of DC testing methods on 1970s & 1980s vintage XLPE insulation VLF testing with Tan Delta analysis introduced Test sets purchased New Electric Operating Procedure (EOP) developed The new procedure required use of VLF equipment when available The procedure also limited use of DC testing equipment
Both voltage level and test time
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First Electric Operating Procedure 2004

First procedure used test voltage levels from 400.2
Many existing cables tested experienced a failure New equipment (VLF) blamed for causing cable failures
Damaging the insulation

Management became reluctant to test any in service cable Explained that the test was finding existing weak spots Management was not convinced

Withstand (Maintenance) Test Voltage Levels

Second procedure (2007) modified test voltage levels
No change to acceptance test levels Withstand (or Maintenance) test broken into 2 criteria
Maximum level remained per IEEE 400.2 Minimum level based upon electric system configuration
Effectively Grounded 125% of normal L-G voltage Delta or ineffectively grounded 100% of normal L-L voltage
Single point grounded, grounding bank, resistance grounded

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Current Testing Procedures

All new cables shall be acceptance tested
Significant length
Not a replaced section in an existing cable

When the entire circuit is new VLF (sinusoidal) with Tan Delta analysis 0.1 Hz standard Test voltages from IEEE 400.2 Test duration = 60 minutes
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Project Overview

Project Overview
New 23kV Sub-transmission Cable 1000kcMil copper, 260 mils EPR, JCN (18#14 round wire), LLDPE jacket 2 cables per phase due to loading Spliced to existing cable after river crossing 1000kcMil copper, 260 mils XLPE, Jacketed, drain wire shield, LLDPE jacket New cable from supply sub across river ~ 2200 Old Cable from far side of river to next substation ~ 2500
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Plan View Not to Scale

New Manholes

River Crossing

New Manholes

Existing Manhole & Cable

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Circuit 2339 Cable Installation

New cable was installed from the source sub Across the river To an existing manhole # 597 Total distance of ~ 2200 Cold shrink termination in substation Heat Shrink End Seal in MH 597 Acceptance Tested from Substation with Tan Delta Analysis 31kV ultimate voltage, 60 minute duration Cable sets known as 2339X and 2339Y Therefore 6 different phases tested
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VLF / Tan Delta Test Results / Analysis

Circuit 2339Y Tan Delta Results

New Cable Only Suspect moisture on terminations at the start of A phase test Suitable for service

TD 6.5

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2339Y Tan Delta Deleted 7 & 14 kV Results

Removed the results of test voltages of 7kV and 14kV All test times are 2 minutes each except the ultimate test voltage which is 54 minutes here
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TD 6.5

Circuit 2339X Tan Delta Results

New Cable Only Crew reported test set tripped out on B phase Crew assumed problem with test set B phase not suitable for service
TD 46

TD 11

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Circuit 2339
The test crew did not report the problem with B phase of the 2339X cable to the cable crew or project management In fact, they reported the cable as being ready for service Accustomed to DC testing if the set doesnt trip out, cable is OK However, they did report the set as tripping out at least one time Heat shrink end seals removed and splices to old cable installed in MH 597 Old cable length to substation ~ 2500 Total cable length now ~ 4700

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Circuit 2339 Y Old and New Cable

Old & New Cable ~ 50% of each 5 minute test Max 23.0kV Acceptance test TD was 6.5 (slide 21) Acceptable for service
TD 8 - 10

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Circuit 2339 X Old and New Cable

Old & New Cable ~ 50% of each 5 minute test Max 23.0kV Acceptance test TD was 46 (slide 22) Not acceptable for service
TD 12 TD 24

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Tan Delta
Tan Delta Ratio of IR to IC IR (leakage current) should be <<< than IC IC (capacitive current) varies according to cable
Length Test Voltage Remains stable at a given test voltage

Therefore Tan Delta should

be stable at a given voltage Approach zero in ideal conditions
Unless IR is changing
Changing leakage not a good thing
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Circuit 2339 X Tan Delta Analysis

Test Type Accept Length Test Voltage Phase Tan Delta A 2200 31.0 B C A Pickup 4700 23.0 B C Tan Delta expected to decrease Length of cable more than doubled Test voltage 75% of acceptance Tan Delta decreased by 50% Still much higher than other phases Original IR still there, IC ~ doubled, TD ~ halved
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11 46 11 12 24 12

Circuit 2339 X Retest of B Phase Only

Retest of complete cable Results still not acceptable TD of 17.2 SD @ 23kV was 0.28% Still higher than A and C phases
TD 17.2

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2339 X Action Plan

Project manager wanted to put cable into service The other 2 sub-transmission cables yet to be completed Project in danger of running behind schedule Ultimately convinced him that this cable was not suitable for service in current condition If this cable were to fail while the second circuit was out of service for this project, only a single circuit would remain Chance of forced outages high if that were to occur Need to remove the splice between the new cable and the existing cable and re-test Partial discharge test available
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Partial Discharge Test Results

2339 X Partial Discharge Test

Splice removed between the new cable and the old cable Cable prepped and an air termination installed Isolated in the manhole Partial Discharge Test performed Using VLF at 0.1 Hz Tested at 25.0 and 28.0 kV

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2339 X Partial Discharge Test 25.0 kV

PD test 25kV 225 feet from substation termination

Location 225 feet

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2339 X Partial Discharge Test 28.0 kV

PD test 25kV 250 feet from substation termination

Location 250 feet

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2339 X Partial Discharge Test

The conduit plan showed the first manhole (592) to be 150 conduit feet from the riser Due to station and manhole conditions, actual cable feet from the manhole to the termination is closer to 200 225 feet It become logical to suspect the splice in this manhole as being the problem All cable tested in the factory Relatively short pull length
Low chance of problem being in the cable

Splice in this manhole (592) was removed and replaced B phase acceptance test repeated
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Circuit 2339 X B Phase after Repair

Splice replaced 60 minute acceptance test 31.0kV A phase TD was 11.2 C phase TD was 11.6 Acceptable for service
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TD 11.5

Failure Analysis of Removed Splice

Failure Analysis
The failed splice was analyzed to determine the root cause Cold Shrink, 23kV, Separate Outer Jacket Tinned copper, water stopped connector Bonding of Concentric Neutral per company standards 2 - #4 solid, tinned copper ground leads brought out of splice Contractor removed outer jacket and splice body from cable

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Failure Analysis
Splice Body removed from cable Left side cable Manufacturer A, Right side Manufacturer B

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Failure Analysis
Unable to determine the exact splice body alignment on the cable Since splice body was removed prior to receiving the splice Alignment is critical insulation interface must be fully engaged with cable insulation However, marks remained where the splice body was positioned Alignment was OK There was visible tracking on the interface of side A There were matching tracks on that side of the splice body

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Failure Analysis

Cutbacks were correct per template

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Failure Analysis

Cable and splice body interior prior to cleaning Leakage tracks are visible Insulation was sanded
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Failure Analysis

Failure believed to be due to contamination on interface Dirt from cable jacket where splice body was parked? Improper cleaning? Other source?
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Questions?