Extended Voltage Response Measurement of Low Voltage Nuclear Power Cables Under Simultaneous Thermal and Mechanical Aging

Abstract

For reliable and safe operation of nuclear power plants, all components must fulfill their intended function over their whole lifetime. This involves a large scale of low voltage cables based polymeric insulation. During the normal operation of nuclear power plants, the insulating materials degrade due to several stresses. Therefore, monitoring the insulation integrity of cables is of utmost importance. In this work, low voltage cable samples used in nuclear facilities were exposed to simultaneous thermal and mechanical accelerated aging. The combined aging effect on the cable's insulation condition was based on the measurement of return and decay voltages slope. With the aging period increased, a decreasing fashion was observed for the return voltage slope. While on the contrary, the voltage decay slope increased.