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Title: Effects of voltage surges on solid-dielectric cable life

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6463143
;  [1]
  1. Georgia Power Co., Forest Park, GA (USA). Research Center

Lightning and fault locating voltage impulses have long been thought to cause extruded underground distribution cables to fail prematurely in service. Unfortunately, the extent of this effect has never been adequately determined. The research conducted under this contract was aimed at finding the influence of simulated lightning impulses and fault locating impulses on various types of extruded underground distribution power cables aged in the laboratory. Fifteen kV cables with two insulation thickness were investigated. Insulation materials included crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE), tree resistant crosslinked polyethylene (TRXLPE), tree resistant high molecular weight polyethylene (TRHMWPE) and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR). The cables were aged up to 640 days in the laboratory using a slightly modified version of the standard AEIC accelerated water treeing test procedure. While they aged, selected cables were exposed to 40 kV, 70 kV and 120 kV rapid rise, simulated lightning impulses. Other cable samples were exposed to a fault locating impulse, and control samples were aged without the application of an impulse. The surge effect was assessed using two methods. First, the ac breakdown and impulse breakdown strength of control and impulsed samples was compared. Second, the number of impulsed cables which failed during the aging test were compared to the number of control failures. 13 refs., 76 figs.

Research Organization:
Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); Georgia Power Co., Forest Park, GA (USA). Research Center
Sponsoring Organization:
EPRI
OSTI ID:
6463143
Report Number(s):
EPRI-EL-6902
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English