Investigations of cable termination thermal analysis under continuous current loading

Abstract

In this study, alternative methodological approaches are used to calculate the temperature distribution along the length of the termination of a single core cable. The analysis is done based on the heat flow produced by cable conductor and heat transfer by conduction, convection, and radiation. A comparison of the obtained temperature distribution along the cable termination length and the cable adjacent part using an analytical method with the results of both actual measurements and calculations done by finite-element method (FEM) was done, which revealed a good agreement for various load currents. The performed computations by using the analytical method and FEM gave results within ±6% difference with measured conductor temperature. The influences of the cable loading current and the insulation thermal conductivity of the cable termination on its maximum temperature rise along the length of the cable termination have been discussed. Finally, this study is concerned with the measurement and prediction of the temperature distribution in the cable termination. More clarifications of the used measured technique and prediction approaches are presented in the study.