Underground Cable

Temperature Monitoring in
the Real World
 Executive Summary
 Background
 Brain Storming Possible Causes to Duct Bank
Over Heating
 Mitigating Duct Bank Overheating
 DTS Installation for Duct Bank Temperature
Monitoring
 October Heat Storm
 Wrap-Up
Background
• (Jan 2014) Hot conditions were first noticed by Troublemen
performing switching operations during early morning hours.
• A new circuit was needed at the substation, so the ductbank was
split in two.
• (May 2014) While work was being performed, elevated
temperatures were again observed.
• A temperature of 183F was measured in an empty conduit.

Duct from substation

cable trench.
Brain Storming Possible Causes

1. Neutral Imbalance
2. Load Factor
3. Vault Blower
4. Soil Conditions
5. Over Crowding
Possible Causes
1. Neutral Imbalance
West Wall inside M5586490 from Sub (Line Side)
• Panther 12kv - Gnd 9 amps
• Gazelle 12kv - Gnd 16 amps
• Cougar 12kv - Gnd 12.5 amps
• Elephant 12kv - Gnd 14.8 amps
• Jaguar 12kv - Gnd 6 amps
• Bison 12kv - Gnd 3 amps
East Wall inside M5586490 (Load Side)
• Panther 12kv - Gnd 13 amps
• Elephant 12kv - Gnd 11.5 amps
• Gazelle12kv - Gnd 14.7amps
• Bison12kv - Gnd 14amps
• Cougar 12kv - Gnd 4.4amps
• Jaguar 12kv - Gnd 10.7amps
 Possible Causes
2. Load Factor
Monthly load factor was calculated for all phases of each circuit. The highest
load factor from the three phases was then used as that respective circuit’s
load factor during simulations.
January July

Monthly Load Factor Monthly Load Factor

Circuit Name

Phase A Phase B Phase C Phase A Phase B Phase C

Bison 0.723 0.725 0.730 0.717 0.700 0.708

Cheetah 0.745 0.733 0.732 0.558 0.565 0.555
Cougar 0.606 0.606 0.614 0.598 0.591 0.601
Elephant 0.574 0.576 0.569 0.756 0.753 0.764
Gazelle 0.663 0.667 0.668 0.726 0.717 0.720
Leopard 0.723 0.721 0.731 0.391 0.378 0.387
Lynx 0.503 0.482 0.529 0.402 0.459 0.456
Panther 0.509 0.502 0.499 0.671 0.666 0.663
Possible Causes
3. Vault Blower
– Not working since 2010.
– Was not the hottest vault.
 Possible Causes
4. Soil Conditions
– Hired consultant to measure:
• Soil thermal resistivity,
• Ambient temperature, and
• Moisture content.
 Possible Causes
4. Soil Conditions – Industry Standards
− ICEA P-53-426 (WC 50-1976)
− a. Earth thermal resistivity-60, 90 and 120°C-cm/w, designated as 60 RHO through 120 RHO.
– AEIC CG6-2005, Section 6.1

– IEEE 835-1994 (R2006)

 Possible Causes
4. Soil Conditions
• Soil around old and new installation was tested for thermal resistivity.
– Maximum reading around existing conduit was found to be 353C cm/W.
– Maximum reading around new conduit was found to be 250C cm/W.
• A large amount of trees were present in the area of the duct banks. Large trees are known to dry out the
soil, thereby increasing the soil thermal resistivity.
• Issue 1: Poor Soil Conditions
Soil Soil
Thermal Percent Thermal Percent
Tempera Tempera
Location Run Comments Resistivity Moisture Location Run Comments Resistivity Moisture
ture ture
(°C-cm/W ) (%) (°C-cm/W ) (%)
(°C) (°C)
1 1 Side Wall 230 25.5 0.8 1 1 North Side Wall 353 34.6 0.8
1 2 Side Wall 251 26.3 1.0 1 2 East Side Wall 319 33.7 0.9
1 3 Bottom of Trench 80.7 24.8 5.5 1 3 South Side Wall 310 33.7 1.3
2 1 Side Wall 98.2 30.0 7.0 2 1 South Side Wall 183 38.3 3.6
2 2 Side Wall 95.7 30.1 7.0 2 2 East Side Wall 224 38.6 3.6
2 3 Side Wall 100 29.9 na 2 3 North Side Wall 243 36.3 2.4
2 4 Bottom of Trench 117 30.1 5.4 3 1 South Side Wall 138 52.2 3.1
3 2 East Side Wall 335 46.6 3.8
3 3 North Side Wall 104 41.7 4.0
 Possible Causes
5. Over Crowding of Duct Banks
– Existing Duct Banks:
• Original duct banks crossed at two locations
• First crossing was at a small angle, which allows the highest of mutual heating
• Second crossing was at 90 degrees, which allows the least amount of mutual heating
– Transition Duct Bank
• Six circuits in one duct bank
– Issue 2: Over Crowding of Duct Banks

• Issue

Existing Duct Banks

Transition
Duct Bank
 Possible Causes
5. Over Crowding of Duct Banks
• In the transition design, 6 circuits were together in one duct bank.
– High temperature of 195.4C
– Issue 2: Over Crowding of Duct Banks
 Solution 1: Soil Mitigation with Slurry Backfill

• With Native Soil Backfill • With 1-sack slurry Backfill

• Temperatures are above 90C • All temperatures are below 90C
 Solution 1: Soil Mitigation with Slurry Backfill
• In order to mitigate the high thermal
resistivity of the soil, a slurry backfill was
used to replace the soil above the new
cable duct bank installations.
• A thermal resistivity of 60C cm/W was
used for the slurry back fill.
Solution 2: Re-Routing of Duct Bank
• Duct Bank was re-routed to reduce overcrowding.
• Trees were removed to make room for the duct bank route.

Trees Removed
New
Vault
 Solution 2: Re-Routing of Duct Bank
• New duct banks were routed towards the outside, furthest away
from the trees and other duct banks.
Validation of Solutions

• How do we know if the separation of duct

banks and the use of the slurry backfill
addressed the heating issues?
 Distributed Temperature Sensor (DTS)
• Fiber Cable:
• Conduit:
– 24 Multi Mode 62.5/125mil
– 2 inch
– Length: ~2600 ft
• Power to control cable trench.
– One Continuous Loop • Control trench to fiber well.
– Standard SCE fiber cable – 5 inch
• Zones: Control trench, power cable • 3 – 1/c 1000 kcmil, TR-XLPE 220 mils
trench, north duct bank, south duct
bank, and fiber well.
V5621760

DTS

MEER
FIBER WELL
No. 1
CAP BK
12kV SWITCHRACK
No. 2
CAP BK

FIBER
SPLICE

SUBSTATION
FENCE
Benefits of Distributed Temperature
Sensor (DTS) System
• Thermal Study are an estimate of the thermal characteristics of the
cable, ductbank, ambient temperature, soil conditions and loading.
• Soil thermal properties cannot be known throughout a duct bank run,
without taking multiple measurements throughout the run.
• No other method of determining the actual cable temperature in the
middle of the duct bank.
• Knowing the temperature of the cable:
– Make better, more accurate decisions in real time.
– Extend the life of cable by monitoring the cables
temperature.
– Possible increase of current capacity, by loading the cable
up to the actual loading limits, rather than an estimate.
 Duct Bank Performance Monitoring (DTS)
• The DTS system was implemented to monitor cable temperatures inside
the duct banks.
• Utilizes a fiber optic cable to monitor temperatures along the entire length
of the duct bank.
DTS and Computer Rack

• Fiber splice in power cable

trench
Fiber Route – Temperature Profile
 October Heat Storm - Temperatures
• Max Ambient Temperature Data in Garden Grove for October 2014
Heat Storm – Circuit Loading -North

For SCE Internal 23

Use Only
Duct Bank Temperature Performance
Validation

Measured

Duct Bank Model Cable Detail Model

Calculated

 DTS Temperature was as expected. (63 deg. C measured & 65 deg.C calculated.)
 Improved duct bank design, slurry back fill & tree removal prevent duct bank
overheating (Conductor Temperature ~ 68.8*C during heat wave at 103 deg. F)

24
Wrap – Up - Conclusion
• Predominant causal factors in the Lampson overheated duct bank
condition are the high soil thermal resistivity and the overcrowding
of the duct banks.
• The corrective actions implemented have mitigated both causal
factors:
– Splitting the circuits into two paths (4 circuits and 3 circuits) and cable
placement in the duct arrangement to address the circuit density.
– Adding slurry to address the soil thermal resistivity issue.
• The DTS system has proven that the integrated solution of splitting
the duct bank and adding slurry backfill prevented overheating
during the October heat wave.
 Wrap Up – Lessons Learned / Challenges
• Installing the fiber cable in the same duct as power cables.
– Damage may occur during installation.
– Small clearances in duct.
– Communication fiber cable requirements / standards are higher
than needed for monitoring cable temperature.
– Paying more attention to the contractors, they work fast and may
not have the same goals as you do.
– Cost was small to add fiber cable to an existing power cable pull.
• Fiber splicing
– Coordinating non electrical crews.
• Fiber cables are normal treated as separate installations
• Setting up computer for DTS
– Cost is of the project is in the DTS unit.
 Wrap Up – Future Needs
• Possible installation of fiber cable in highly
loaded circuit sections (ie. Substation
getaways, highly loaded customers, etc.)
• Installing fiber cable at the same time as
power cable is reasonably low cost.
 References
• CYMCAP 6.2, rev2 – Duct Bank Modeling Software
• IEEE 442- Guide for Soil Thermal Resistivity Measurements
• SENSA-Distributed Temperature Sensor
• SCE Circuit Loading Data
• Thermal Images Provided by SCE Troubleman – Santa Ana,CA
• AEIC CG6-2005, Section 6.1 Guide for Establishing The Maximum Operating
Temperatures of Extruded Dielectric Insulated Shielded Power Cables
• IEEE 835 IEEE Standard Power Cable Ampacity Tables
• ICEA P-53-426 (WC-50) Ampacities Including Effect of Shield Losses for Single
Conductor Solid Dielectric Power Cable 15 kV through 69 kV