Cable Installation, Testing & Selection

Ahmed Younis
Cable Installation & Ampacity

De-Rating Factors of Power Cable

 Soil thermal resistivity

 Grouping factor (Spacing between cables )

Depth of cable

Soil temperature

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Cable Installation & Ampacity

Soil Thermal Resistivity

Soil thermal resistivity in °C m/W

Size of cables mm2 0.8 0.9 1 1.5 2 2.5 3

Up to 150 1.16 1.12 1.07 0.91 0.81 0.73 0.66

Single core cables

From 185 to 300 1.17 1.12 1.07 0.91 0.8 0.73 0.66

From 400 to 1000 1.17 1.12 1.07 0.91 0.8 0.73 0.66

Up to 16 1.12 1.08 1.05 0.93 0.84 0.77 0.72

Multi core cables

From 25 to 150 1.14 1.1 1.06 0.92 0.82 0.75 0.69

From 185 to 500 1.15 1.1 1.07 0.92 0.81 0.74 0.67
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Cable Installation & Ampacity

Grouping Factor

Touching

(0.00) 0.15 m 0.30 m 0.45 m 0.60 m

2 0.81 0.87 0.91 0.93 0.95

3 0.7 0.78 0.84 0.88 0.9

600/1000 volt cables 4 0.63 0.74 0.81 0.86 0.89

5 0.59 0.7 0.78 0.84 0.87

6 0.55 0.68 0.77 0.83 0.87

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Cable Installation & Ampacity

Depth of Cable
600/1000 Volt

Depth of laying (M) Up to 50mm2 70mm2 to 300mm2 Above 300mm2

0.5 1 1 1

0.6 0.99 0.98 0.97

0.8 0.97 0.96 0.94

1 0.95 0.93 0.92

1.25 0.94 0.92 0.89

1.5 0.93 0.9 0.87

1.75 0.92 0.89 0.86

2 0.91 0.88 0.85

2.5 0.9 0.87 0.84

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3.00 or more 0.89 0.85 0.82
Cable Installation & Ampacity

Soil Temperature

Rating factor for ground temperature

Ground temperature °C 15 °C 20 °C 25 °C 30 °C 35 °C 40 °C 45 °C

Rating factor 1.0 0.97 0.93 0.89 0.86 0.82 0.76

Final = Temperature X Soil thermal X Depth X grouping

factor factor resistivity factor factor factor

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Cable Installation & Ampacity

The following are the current carrying capacities after de-rating for a ground temperature of 40 deg c
and a soil thermal resistivity of 300 °C/cm/W. This is the condition that exists in site tested at Mussafah
with only 4 cables and a depth of 60 cm.
(DUCAB Number of cables in group
cables) 4
current 0.15 m 0.3 m
Size capacity
without Capacity/Amp Capacity/Amp
derating/Amp s s
s Final Factor Final Factor
16 115 0.433 50 0.473 54
25 150 0.415 62 0.454 68
35 180 0.415 75 0.454 82
50 215 0.415 89 0.454 98
70 265 0.410 109 0.449 119
95 315 0.410 129 0.449 141
120 360 0.410 148 0.449 162
150 405 0.410 166 0.449 182
185 460 0.398 183 0.436 201
240 530 0.398 211 0.436 231
300 590 0.398 235 0.436 257
400 667 0.394 263 0.432 288 7
500 720 0.394 284 0.432 311
Cable Installation & Ampacity

Cable Laying

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Cable Installation & Ampacity

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Cable Installation & Ampacity

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Cable Installation & Ampacity

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Cable Installation & Ampacity

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Cable Installation & Ampacity

Cable bending radii are recommended as follows:

Single core unarmoured 20D
Single core armoured 15D
Three core unarmoured 15D
Three core armoured 12D
D is overall cable

Cable pulling forces

and the may be
A x 50 Newton's for copper
A x 30 Newton's for aluminum.

A is conductor cross section area in mm2 13

MV Cable Testing

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MV Cable Testing

International/National Standards
 Type Test

 Routine Test

 Factory Acceptance Test ( FAT )

 After installation Tests ( Site Acceptance Test )

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MV Cable Testing
Type Test
 Type tests are used as basis for a new development for cable
manufacturers

 Customers placing larger orders ask the manufacturer to

perform type tests

 Types test are designed to gain the most complete picture

possible of all the electrical, thermal, mechanical and
chemical characteristics of the cables.
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MV Cable Testing
Some type tests on XLPE insulated

 Measurement of partial discharge

 Bending test , followed by PD test

 Measurement of tan δ at max conductor temperature

 Heating cycle test , followed by PD test

 Impulse voltage test at 5-10C above max conductor temp.

followed by power frequency AC Test for 15 min

 Voltage test for 4 h(4 u0 )

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MV Cable Testing

Routine Test

Routine tests are carried out on each length

Routine tests are :

 Measurement of the electrical resistance of the conductor

 Partial discharge test

 High voltage test (3.5 Uo for 5 Min)

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MV Cable Testing
Factory Acceptance Test (FAT)

 Conductor examination

 Check of dimensions

 Voltage test for 4 h(4 u0 )

 Partial discharge test

 hot set test

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MV Cable Testing
Site Acceptance Test (SAT)

Cables shall be tested as indicated below after installation, but

before they are placed in normal service. The purpose of these

tests is to verify the integrity of the cable and to detect major

insulation damage that may have occurred during shipping,

storage and installation.

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MV Cable Testing
Site Acceptance Test (SAT)

Physical Site Inspection

1. Checking of the cable termination whether properly terminated and

properly marked for easy identification

1. Checking of the proper connection of the power cable

screens/shields and control cable screens to the earthing network.

2. Checking of the cable entrances to equipment, terminal box, glands

and floor openings whether appropriate sealing have been provided.

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Site Acceptance Test (SAT)

 Phase identification check & Continuity test

 DC conductor resistance test

 Insulation resistance measurement before and after HV test

 VLF AC high voltage test 3 Uo/30 min.

 DC sheath test (10 kV/1 minute) between metallic sheath/

screen/armouring 22
MV Cable Testing
 Phase identification check & Continuity test
After complete installation, the cables are to be identified with
respect to their phases.

Test Procedure:

The screens of all cables at one end are to be shorted and grounded.

The conductor of the cable under test is to be connected to the

negative pole of the Megger.

The positive pole of the Megger is connected to ground.

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MV Cable Testing
Through a switch ground the other end of this conductor of the cable
under test and measure the resistance.

If the resistance is negligibly small, the phase identification is

correct. Confirm that the cable is marked with the correct color
coding.

To cross check, open the switch, the meter shall read infinitely high
resistance. (Tending to infinite).

Similarly repeat the test for the other phases and verify the
correctness of the color coding.
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MV Cable Testing

 Before disconnecting the Megger make sure the cable is

discharged by applying an earth lead. 25
MV Cable Testing
 DC conductor resistance test
The D.C resistance (Rm) of the complete cable circuit shall be
measured at ambient temperature.

The resistance value at ambient temperature shall be corrected to the

value at 20°C, and compared with the specified value.

The test shall be performed with two cables connected in series, R+Y,
Y+B, B+R. The resistance of the connecting leads used to connect the
testing equipment, and to link the two cables at the other side, is
measured and recorded.

Then, the connecting lead resistance RCL shall be deducted and the
actual resistance calculated at 20 ºC.

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MV Cable Testing
 Resistance of the connecting lead to be measured and recorded
(RCL)

 Resistance of two cables, connected in series by the connecting

lead, to be measured and recorded ( m)

Resistance of two cables, at ambient temperature to be calculated: :

Rθ= Rm - Rcl

 Resistance per phase at 20 ºC to be calculated.

 Resistance per meter at 20 ºC for each phase to be calculated.

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MV Cable Testing

Rθ = Rm – RCL
Resistance at 20 ºC

R20 = Rθ / [1+ a (θ - 20)]

a = 0,00393 / ºC

q = Ambient Temperature

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MV Cable Testing

Test Circuit

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MV Cable Testing
 Insulation resistance measurement before and after HV test

 The phasing of the circuit shall be confirmed before measurement

of insulation resistance.

 Before and after the High Voltage Test the insulation resistance of
the whole cable circuit per phase shall be measured.

 Before starting the measurement make sure that the test circuit is
prepared correctly as shown below:

 Before switching on, make sure that no one can get within reach of
parts of the cable system where the high voltage is applied. Put up
warning tapes and/or signs, which state the situation. Also station
someone at the other cable end.
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MV Cable Testing
 VLF AC high voltage test

 An AC over-voltage VLF equal to 3xU0 shall be applied between the

conductor and the metallic screen/sheath for 30 min.
 Phases other than the one to be tested shall be grounded at both
sides.

 Test is conducted by a competent person

 No personnel shall be permitted to work in the vicinity of the cable

during test.

 After testing the cable shall be completely discharged and earthed

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MV Cable Testing
Test Circuit

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MV Cable Testing
 DC sheath test

 The DC cable sheath test shall be carried out at various times

during installation and jointing works.

 A final witnessed test shall be performed at the time of

commissioning. A 10 kV DC voltage shall be applied for 1 min to the
metallic cable sheath and any current leakage shall be recorded.

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MV Cable Testing

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