Probing Non-Destructive Techniques for

Assessing Degradation Status of Water

Treed MV-XLPE Cables
Presented By
Dr. M.I. Qureshi
Saudi Aramco Chair in Electrical Power
King Saud University

09-11 Dec, 2012

Saudi Arabia-Jeddah

Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

09-11 Dec, 2012

Saudi Arabia-Jeddah

Overview of Cable Degradation.

Non-destructive testing techniques.

MFA Set-up at KSU.
Results and Comparison.

Conclusions.

Overview
XLPE medium voltage cables are extensively used worldwide.
During service cables are subjected to several types of
stresses.
Electro-thermo-mechanical
Chemical
Moisture

Dielectric properties of cable degrade.

09-11 Dec, 2012

Saudi Arabia-Jeddah

 Most deleterious degradation process in XLPE insulation is

water treeing phenomena.

It initiates and propagates in the presence of electrical stress

moisture, temperature, chemical species.

Presence of chlorides and sulphates in sub-soil level

dramatically increase their size and number density.

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Saudi Arabia-Jeddah

Water Trees in XLPE Cable

Bow-Tie Tree
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Vented Trees

 MV-XLPE cable installed in several utilities operating in GCC

countries are in service for almost 30 years.

Utilities are faced to critically decide either to:

Maintain

Repair rejuvenate OR
Replace.

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Saudi Arabia-Jeddah

 Cables degradation does not depend on age alone as cables

don't age uniformly with time.

Replacement program should be based on their CONDITION

assessment.

Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) is successful only if

utility has reliable diagnostic tools.

09-11 Dec, 2012

Saudi Arabia-Jeddah

CBM

Several non-destructive techniques are available

commercially.

Off-line.
All work on the principle of assessment of dielectric response
of insulation.

Dielectric response of insulation under an applied electric

field varies with the changing structure of insulation.

09-11 Dec, 2012

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HVDC Methods
In the past, HVDC methods Hi-pot / DC leakage current have
been applied by utilities in several countries, but they not only

provide insufficient diagnostic precision but on contrary can

lead to development of water trees in the cable insulation.

09-11 Dec, 2012

Saudi Arabia-Jeddah

Successful Non-destructive Techniques

Dissipation Factor (TD) measurements at
0.1 Hz using VLF set.
0.01 Hz to 10 Hz (DS).

Residual charge measurement method. (RCM)

Return voltage measurement method. (RVM)
Isothermal Relaxation Current (IRC) method.

09-11 Dec, 2012

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 Manufacturers generally claim superb performance of their

equipment for detection of cables degradation.

All techniques have certain measurement accuracy and also

associated with disadvantages.

Therefore, a comparison of performance of these techniques

is the aim of this investigation.

09-11 Dec, 2012

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 Two types of aged cables were tested using four detection

methods.

220 m long 15 kV rated XLPE cable was subjected to long term

accelerated aging for 7500 hours in the HV laboratory.

A 50 m long 15 kV rated XLPE cable was removed from service

from local industry.

After non-destructive tests, destructive tests were also

undertaken.
BD

Water tree parameters

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IRC-Technique

MFA

3 Uo
90 C
Cu2SO4

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Non-Destructive Techniques
1. RVM-method

Tc

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Td

2.5

Cable 1

Volt

1.5

Cable 2

0.5

0
0.1

10

100

1000

Tc (seconds)

RV-Tc spectra of two field aged cable segments.

09-11 Dec, 2012
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Januzs Model of Dielectric Spectrum

A model of dielectric response based on

division spectra was introduced by Januz et
al. in 2002.
Plot of [Tc/Td = 10] / [Tc/Td=2] as a function
of Tc should give flat response for new
cable whereas aged cable should show a
distinct peak.

Their simulation showed the peak to occur

at 1s

09-11 Dec, 2012

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3.5

2.5

B/A

1.5

0.5

0
0.1

10

100

Tc (seconds)

Division spectra of field aged (cable 1) and laboratory

aged (cable 2) cables.
09-11 Dec, 2012
Saudi Arabia-Jeddah

1000

2 & 3. TD in Time & Frequency Domain

Field Aged Cable
Tan 10-3

Applied
Voltage (kVrms)

0.1 Hz

0.05 Hz

0.01 Hz

2.2

0.3

0.8

1.3

4.4

0.3

0.8

1.3

6.5

0.3

0.8

1.3

8.7

0.3

0.8

1.4

13.1

0.3

0.9

1.6

17.4

0.4

1.0

1.8

21.8

0.5

1.2

2.1

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TD = (TD at 2Uo TD) TD = 0.1 10-3

TD 1 10-3 critical
Havidson Technique works only on highly degraded cable.

Laboratory Aged Cable

Applied
Voltage
(kVrms)

Tan 10-3
0.1 Hz

0.05 Hz

0.01 Hz

Unaged

3000
Hr.

7500
Hr.

Unaged

3000
Hr.

7500
Hr.

2.2

0.3

0.3

0.5

0.8

0.8

0.9

1.3

1.3

1.3

4.4

0.3

0.3

0.5

0.8

0.8

0.9

1.3

1.3

1.3

6.5

0.3

0.3

0.5

0.8

0.8

0.9

1.3

1.3

1.3

8.7

0.3

0.3

0.5

0.8

0.8

0.9

1.3

1.3

1.3

13.1

0.3

0.3

0.5

0.8

0.8

0.9

1.3

1.3

1.3

17.4

0.3

0.3

0.9

0.8

0.8

1.7

1.3

1.3

1.4

21.8

0.3

0.3

--

0.8

0.8

--

1.4

1.4

--

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Unaged 3000
Hr.

TD = 0.4 10-3 as IEEE 400.2 Good Insulation

7500 Hr.

4. IRC Measuring Principle

LSI/LSA

Length

Shield

1
2
3
Conductor

RC

UF

RD

XLPEInsulation

RM
/A
VA

i E(t)
uR(t)

1: Forming (t F)

30 s
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Sheath

A
D

2: Discharge (t D)

5s

3: Measurement (t M)

1800 s

IRC plots for new and field aged cables

Critical

Old

New

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Aged

Laboratory Aged Cable

Mid Life

12 Uo 13 Uo

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Field Aged Cable

Critical

7 Uo 8 Uo

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Water trees in laboratory aged cable.

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Comparison of TD & IRC With Destructive Tests

Cable Sample TD at 0.1 Hz

IEEE Std.
Status

Measured
U/Uo

IRC Prognosis
IRC(kUo)
Degradation
Status

Laboratory
Aged

0.4 10-3

Good

13.0

12 13

Mid Life

Field Aged

0.1 10-3

Good

8.5

78

Critical

09-11 Dec, 2012

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Conclusions

1. RVM not suitable for XLPE insulation.

2. DS carried out in frequency sweep 0.01 0.1 Hz fails to give
correct degradation status of mild-critical water tree
degraded cable.

3. TD at 0.1 Hz provides reasonable good information on

degradation but the IEEE set criteria that classifies the
degradation status present misleading / conservative result.

09-11 Dec, 2012

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4. Comparison of preceding results shows that software

controlled IRC analytical tool is not only a potential
technique for classifying the degradation level of aged XLPE
Cable into Mid-Life, Old, and Critical but also provides
remaining life of the cable (RSP) and includes the effect of
connected splices on the cable.

5. It does not stress the cable. It is safe, compact, quick and

economical.

6. The utility personal can operate and get results with little
training.

09-11 Dec, 2012

Saudi Arabia-Jeddah

Thank you

09-11 Dec, 2012

Saudi Arabia-Jeddah