A new concept for test equipment for testing large HV and UHV cables on-site
2010 (English)In: 43rd International Conference on Large High Voltage Electric Systems 2010, CIGRE 2010, 2010Conference paper, Published paper (Refereed)
Abstract [en]
The number of projects involving long and extra long HV and UHV AC cables as well as HVDC cable connections can be observed to increase [1], [2]. At the same time, operating voltage levels are increasing, accentuating the need for more powerful on-site test systems needed to prove the integrity of the insulation before energization. Low cost and ease of operation are other important features of such systems. As a matter of fact, traditional methods and test systems for routine and on-site testing of these cables come to their limit - technically and economically - as the lengths and voltage levels increase [3]. The logistics for the arrangement of tests as well as the testing itself are challenging [4]. Development of power electronics has now made it possible to realize high voltage DC interconnections that d not exhibit polarity reversal at reversal of power flow. As a result of this, extruded XLPE cables are now coming to the fore in high voltage DC application, although methods and test equipment for routine and on-site testing show some open issues s far. Space charges in the insulation, initiated by the test voltage during testing, are unacceptable, and this leads to the requirement that testing must be made at an alternating voltage, which can be very low frequency without creating space charge. Available test equipment for power frequency testing is not feasible for testing extruded DC cables, among other reasons, due to the lengths usually associated with DC cables. These open issues can be solved with a newly developed on-site test system that provides the reliability of established test methods and test equipment, but exhibiting lower weight, dimensions and power consumption compared to existing systems. At the same time, the on-site test system as well as the prearrangement of the tests and the testing itself are less cost intensive. Extra long cables (i.e. high capacitance) could be tested with the equipment, which by virtue of its smaller dimension is easier to handle and thus reducing the testing logistics dramatically. For example where one of the systems on the market would require two trailers of equipment for a test on a high voltage cable, only a single trailer would be needed with the new system, or a roll on / roll off test can be carried out without the use of any crane on-site. A reduction in weight by a factor of 3 is expected compared to today's on-site test equipment, a gain which also is reflected in reduced volume.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2010.
Keywords [en]
Cable testing, On-site Testing, Testing of sea cables, Variable frequency resonant test system, Very low frequency, VLF, Alternating voltages, High voltage cable, Important features, Operating voltage, Test systems, Concrete beams and girders, Electricity, Equipment, Equipment testing, HVDC power transmission, Power electronics, Test facilities, Cables
National Category
Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ri:diva-32473Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84876780843OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ri-32473DiVA, id: diva2:1154709
Conference
43rd International Conference on Large High Voltage Electric Systems 2010, CIGRE 2010, 22 August 2010 through 27 August 2010, Paris
2017-11-032017-11-032020-12-01Bibliographically approved