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ABSTRACT
This paper presents the advantages of the application degradations along new and service aged cables. Especially
of the combination of offline and online diagnostic old installed cables which may consist of hybrid
tools for underground medium voltage cables. Partial arrangements can present numerous degradation effects in
Discharge (PD) online measurement is a useful tool to one single cable.
identify PD activities without the shutdown of a cable Combined diagnostic methods in MVUG cables have proven
circuit. Advantages and challenges of PD online to cover all aging characteristics. Different diagnostic tools
diagnostics combined with the advantages and are expected to deliver highly informative results that allow
strengths of offline VLF tan delta and VLF PD improving the condition of cables with a minimum of effort
measurement are demonstrated by practical case in time and costs. In the following chapters, the applied
technologies for combined diagnostics are explained in
studies. The combination of advanced diagnostic tools
detail.
allows asset owners to implement condition based
maintenance measures most cost and time efficient. In general online and offline diagnostic techniques can be
combined in order to work in a most efficient way, when
Index Terms: Online PD, Offline VLF TD, VLF PD, power shutdowns are critical and request for fundamental
justification.
MWT
1. INTRODUCTION liona
More and more network operators of Medium and High
Voltage Underground (MVUG) cable networks are facing Online PD Online
Identify Offline
the challenge of ensuring highest power supply reliability Spot PD Spot Diagnostics
and at minimizing the costs for maintenance at the same Testing Location
time.
For cost efficient management of assets and maintenance of
MVUG cables, condition based preventive maintenance is 2. PD ONLINE - DIAGNOSTICS
the key for modern power utilities. Based on condition The portable device liona is used for measuring and
evaluation of MVUG cables, service aged cables and localizing PD online, i.e. while the power circuit remains in
accessories can be prioritized for maintenance according to operation. With liona, medium- and high-voltage cables as
their condition. Condition evaluation is also getting more well as switching stations can be tested quickly for PD
and more important for commissioning tests of new cable without major expense and without the effort of
installations. The combination of VLF testing and PD disconnection of the cable circuit. Special high-frequency
monitoring and localization allows to identify installation current sensors (HFCT, High Frequency Current
weaknesses already at the stage of commissioning. Transformers) are used to perform measurements on a
Accordingly, long term problems can be prevented in an connected power cable. The sensors enable to measure the
early stage. PD signal at the cable screen in the substation as well as
In order to make best use of modern condition assessment, link-boxes in transmission circuits (see Figure 1 and Figure
diagnostic tests are used to understand the cable condition. 2).
As for all diagnostic investigations, only the right mix of To acquire meaningful information in spite of the active
applied technologies can ensure to discover all kind of mains operation, it is essential that the device software is
able to differentiate between interference signals and the PD
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Electricity Distribution Conference South East Asia- 2014 20-23 May, KL, Malaysia
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Electricity Distribution Conference South East Asia- 2014 20-23 May, KL, Malaysia
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Electricity Distribution Conference South East Asia- 2014 20-23 May, KL, Malaysia
Figure 9 Joint dissection of cable #1, L1 at 350m, PD VLF MWT combines the ramp up phase that is equivalent
tracking mark to the VLF TD diagnostic part with the hold phase that
monitors the TD over time (VLF-TDTS) during the VLF
Cable diagnostic in PILC cables or mixed cables (hybrid of
testing period.
XLPE and PILC cable sections) can be more complex. Aged
PILC cables are likely to show PD activities. Figure 10
shows the VLF PD offline diagnostic result with indication
of PD activities in the PILC cable sections where all 3 cores
show similar PD activities.
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Electricity Distribution Conference South East Asia- 2014 20-23 May, KL, Malaysia
4. CONCLUSION
The combinations of the right diagnostic tools allow
assessing the cable condition of MV underground cable
networks in a very comprehensive way. Online-PD Spot
Testing and Online-PD localization allow recognizing severe
PD activities without the request for a shutdown. Due to the
operating voltage, only PD sources with inception voltage
below or at operating voltage are recognizable.
In order to get the full picture of the condition of a MVUG
cable, offline diagnostics shall be done. The combination of
Figure 13 MWT graph which indicates a drying behavior of
L2 over time, indication for water ingress in a joint VLF tan delta and VLF PD diagnostic allow understanding
the cable condition in detail. Offline VLF PD allows
The behavior of the TD loss factor during the monitored identifying weak spots along the cable even the PD
withstand test (see Figure 13) over 15 minutes indicated that inception voltage is above operating voltage. Accordingly,
one of the suspected joints shows a drying behavior and a weak spots can be identified early. The combination with
significant decrease of TD. This behavior confirms the VLF tan delta allows to further identifying water tree aging
assumption of presence of water ingress in one of the joints. in XLPE cables as well as the effect of water ingress in
Appropriate action can be taken. [7] For further information joints. A monitored withstand test allows confirming
about the identification of joints affected by water ingress, assumptions of the source of degradation in order to define
please refer to [5]. the most appropriate action.
Combination of
online and offline
diagnostic tools
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Electricity Distribution Conference South East Asia- 2014 20-23 May, KL, Malaysia
6. THE AUTHORS
5. REFERENCES Tobias Neier was born in Austria in
1981 and graduated in Electrical
Engineering in Austria. With his
[1] IPEC, "IPEC Ltd.," 2014. [Online]. Available: working experience since 2002 at
http://www.ipec.co.uk/. BAUR Prf- und Messtechnik
GmbH has acted as tutor for training
[2] IEEE400.2, "IEEE Guide for Field Testing of Shielded seminars in technical institutes and
Power Cable Systems Using Very Low Frequency power utilities as well as
(VLF)," IEEE Standards Association, New York, USA, conferences worldwide in the
2013. specific fields of cable testing and
diagnosis technology as well as
[3] T. Neier, "Technique used for Combined Diagnostic cable fault location. He has collected
Method Dissipation Factor Measurment TanDelta," international field experience in
CableTech 2013 , Bengaluru, India, 2013. more than 30 countries in Europe,
North Africa, Middle East and Asia
[4] BAUR, "TD Diagnostic Guidelines," in Vers.4, Austria, Pacific in operator trainings, field
03/2013. tests and strategy development.
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