Condition Monitoring Of Cables Research Articles

Real-Time Monitoring of Cable Sag and Overhead Power Line Parameters Based on a Distributed Sensor Network and Implementation in a Web Server and IoT.

Based on the need for real-time sag monitoring of Overhead Power Lines (OPL) for electricity transmission, this article presents the implementation of a hardware and software system for online monitoring of OPL cables. The mathematical model based on differential equations and the methods of algorithmic calculation of OPL cable sag are presented. Considering that, based on the mathematical model presented, the calculation of cable sag can be done in different ways depending on the sensors used, and the presented application uses a variety of sensors. Therefore, a direct calculation is made using one of the different methods. Subsequently, the verification relations are highlighted directly, and in return, the calculation by the alternative method, which uses another group of sensors, generates both a verification of the calculation and the functionality of the sensors, thus obtaining a defect observer of the sensors. The hardware architecture of the OPL cable online monitoring application is presented, together with the main characteristics of the sensors and communication equipment used. The configurations required to transmit data using the ModBUS and ZigBee protocols are also presented. The main software modules of the OPL cable condition monitoring application are described, which ensure the monitoring of the main parameters of the power line and the visualisation of the results both on the electricity provider's intranet using a web server and MySQL database, and on the Internet using an Internet of Things (IoT) server. This categorisation of the data visualisation mode is done in such a way as to ensure a high level of cyber security. Also, the global accuracy of the entire OPL cable sag calculus system is estimated at 0.1%. Starting from the mathematical model of the OPL cable sag calculation, it goes through the stages of creating such a monitoring system, from the numerical simulations carried out using Matlab to the real-time implementation of this monitoring application using Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW).

МЕТОДЫ ПОВЫШЕНИЯ НАДЕЖНОСТИ И ДОЛГОВЕЧНОСТИ КАБЕЛЬНЫХ ЛИНИЙ В ВЫСОКОВОЛЬТНЫХ ЭНЕРГОСИСТЕМАХ

The article discusses modern methods for increasing the reliability and durability of cable lines in high-voltage power systems. The main factors influencing the performance characteristics of cable lines, including climatic conditions, mechanical loads, electrical overloads and material aging processes, are analyzed. Advanced cable condition monitoring technologies, as well as preventive maintenance methods and innovative solutions aimed at improving the design characteristics of cables are described. In conclusion, recommendations are given for the implementation of the developed methods in practical operation and prospects for their further development.

Online Monitoring of Cable Insulation Degradation for Inverter-Fed Machine System Using PWM Switching Oscillations

Online cable condition monitoring is a reliability enhancement technique for inverter-fed machine systems, which requires high sensitivity with quantitative assessment capability to detect the incipient insulation degradation as early as possible. This article presents a noncontact cable condition monitoring method by utilizing the inverter's self-excited high-frequency (HF) PWM switching oscillations. As an HF resonance, the switching oscillation is sensitive to the small change of degrading cable insulation capacitance. First, the characteristic mode, i.e. the HF differential-mode, is selected for sensitive cable condition monitoring from the multi-modal switching oscillation in an inverter-fed machine system. Then, an online condition monitoring scheme is proposed, including the framework, the noncontact HF oscillation current sensor, and the indicator(s) of cable insulation condition estimated from the amplitude-frequency features of the characteristic oscillation mode. Finally, experimental work was carried out on a 20 m cable-connected 3-kW inverter-fed machine test rig and the results demonstrate the good sensitivity and robustness of the method.

Research on Deployment Scheme and Routing Optimization Algorithm of Distribution Cable Condition Monitoring Devices

In order to achieve more effective online monitoring of distribution cables, a deployment scheme of the distribution cable condition monitoring devices based on a wireless sensor network (WSN) has been proposed. The proposed deployment scheme can improve the coverage rate and extend the lifetime of the sensor network. Moreover, the clustering method, node density, and node deployment method of the wireless sensor routing algorithm are improved, and based on isosceles triangle non-uniform deployment, a routing optimization algorithm has been proposed to achieve the balance of the energy consumption of each node in the network. Firstly, according to the energy consumption model of the network, the energy consumption of each cluster is calculated, and then by taking the minimum energy consumption of data transmission between clusters as the constraint condition, the optimal clustering distance of the network is solved. Then, according to the scale of network nodes, the density of routing nodes in each cluster is calculated, and the routing nodes in the cluster are deployed by an isosceles triangle. Finally, according to the cluster head election formula, the routing cluster head nodes in each cluster are selected, and the network data information is transmitted to the base station in a multi-hop manner through the routing cluster head nodes. The simulation results indicated that, compared with the traditional routing optimization algorithms, the proposed algorithm could keep the routing coverage at more than 200% all the time, and can effectively balance the energy consumption of nodes, improve the energy utilization efficiency of the routing nodes, and at least extend the lifetime of the network by two times. Moreover, the longer the cables, the more cost savings and the better the life cycle optimization effect of the proposed scheme. In addition, the proposed scheme can greatly reduce the economic cost of network investment, compared with using the demodulator to obtain monitoring data.

Fibre Bragg Grating Sensors for Condition Monitoring of High-Voltage Assets: A Review

The high-voltage (HV) assets in the existing power transmission network will experience increased electrical, thermal, environmental and mechanical stresses and, therefore, robust condition monitoring is critical for power system reliability planning. Fibre Bragg grating (FBG) sensors offer a promising technology in HV applications due to their immunity to electromagnetic interference and multiplexing capability. This paper reviews the current technology readiness levels of FBG sensors for condition monitoring of transformers, transmission lines, towers, overhead insulators and power cables, with the aim of stimulating further development and deployment of fibre-based HV asset management systems. Currently, there are several reported cases of FBG sensors used for condition monitoring of HV assets in the field, proving their feasibility for long-term use in the power grid. The review shows that FBG technology is versatile and can facilitate multi-parameter measurements, which will standardise the demodulation equipment and reduce challenges with integrating different sensing technologies.

Insulation Degradation Mechanism and Diagnosis Methods of Offshore Wind Power Cables: An Overview

The marine environment in which offshore wind turbines are located is very complex and subjected to a variety of random loads that vary with time and space. As an important component of offshore wind power, the cable also bears the impact of the environment in which most of the turbines are located. Under the long-term action of mechanical stresses such as tension, torsion, and vibration, the cable insulation will crack due to stress fatigue leading to partial discharge, which seriously affects its electrical performance. The study of the mechanism of the change of electrical properties of cable insulation due to mechanical behavior is of great theoretical guidance to improve the reliable operation of cables. This paper first introduces the basic characteristics and operating conditions of torsion-resistant cables and submarine cables. Then the mechanical behavior of the cables is summarized, and the deterioration mechanism and deterioration effect of wind power cable insulation under the influence of multiple factors such as heat, oxygen, and mechanical stress are sorted out. Then, the basic principles of wind power cable operation condition monitoring methods and their characteristics are described. Finally, the relevant methods for the detection of hidden defects inside the insulation are summarized.

In-plane free vibrations of small-sag inclined cables considering bending stiffness with applications to cable tension identification

This study proposed an analytical model to characterize in-plane free vibration of a cable considering sags, inclined angles, and non-negligible bending stiffness to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of vibration analysis and health monitoring of cable structures under complex engineering environments. The static equilibrium configuration of the cable is derived, and the singularity at boundary regions is elucidated in detail. The analytical solution of the dynamical control equation is obtained using the successive approximation method. The influences of the sags, inclined angles, and bending stiffness on eigenfrequencies and mode shapes are individualy studied via introducing three non-dimensional parameters. The analytical model is further examined through parametric anaysis. As a typical extension, the model is used to establish a cable tension identification method, in which an inverse problem is solved by the trust-region-dogleg technique. The identification method is verified through comparisons with existing methods established based on classical string vibration theory and various numerical methods, e.g., finite element method and finite difference method. Validations are made by using experimental outcomes, on which the data collected from both an experiment in laboratory and a field experiment in the Poyanghu bridge are used for comparison. It is found that the proposed model along with the method is able to capture precise vibration features and identify cable tensions accurately in favor of the improvement of cable condition monitoring and health management in fields such as bridge engineering.

A Cable Condition Monitoring Strategy for Safe and Reliable Plant Operation

Electrical cables provide essential functions, such as delivery of power or instrumentation signals for monitoring systems. Most cables installed in industrial applications are constructed with organic polymer insulations that can become brittle, crack, or degrade over time from exposure to harsh environmental conditions, such as elevated temperatures, moisture, vibration, mechanical shock, and radiation. This paper describes an overall strategy for assessing the health and managing the aging of cables during the operating life of an industrial facility. This strategy involves performing condition assessments and monitoring of electrical cables using both in situ and laboratory testing techniques. It includes in situ testing to identify anomalies in the circuits, such as degraded terminations, splices, connections, and degraded sections of cable insulation, as well as as-found evaluations to determine the current condition of installed cables. These cable condition evaluations provide important information about the current state of the cable circuits. Moreover, the test results can be used to trend/monitor age-related degradation and estimate the remaining useful life of installed cables.

Research on High Voltage Cable Condition Detection Technology based on Wireless Sensor Network

The development and progress of modern society cannot be achieved without the support of electric power resources, and at present, electric power is the most important energy source to promote social development and maintain human life. As a key unit under the power distribution and transmission system, the high-voltage cable of the power grid will undertake the task of supplying power resources to the whole power grid. Therefore, based on the transmission line fault diagnosis framework of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN), a high-voltage cable path condition monitoring scheme using LoRa technology is proposed. Three high-voltage cable condition monitoring periods are proposed according to the difference of high-voltage cable fault rate, and the delay and energy consumption of the high-voltage cable monitoring system are optimized by multi-objective particle swarm algorithm reality. The experimental results show that the proposed high-voltage cable detection technology can switch the working mode according to different environments, and the data communication packet loss rate is less than 5%, while the detection platform has excellent delay performance and energy saving effect. The high-voltage cable status detection solution can effectively solve the problem of blind high-voltage cable channels in high mountain areas of China. The research content has important reference value for the detection of China’s power grid circuit system.

Condition Monitoring of Photovoltaic Cables Based Cross-Linked Polyolefin Insulation Under Combined Accelerated Aging Stresses: Electrical and Mechanical Assessment

The degradation of insulating materials has been recognized as a prime cause of the precocious failure of cable systems. In this research, the role of simultaneous thermal and mechanical stresses on the insulation integrity of cross-linked polyolefin insulation based low voltage photovoltaic cables was studied. The cable samples were subjected to combined thermal–mechanical aging at 120 °C for 120, 189, 258, 396, 636, 876, 1000, and 1120 h aging cycles. The effect of the accelerated aging tests on the insulation integrity of the cross-linked polyolefin was explored by electrical and mechanical techniques. The electrical assessment was based on the measurement of the complex permittivity with frequency variation between 100 mHz to 500 kHz and the measurement of the decay and return voltage slopes. The Shore D hardness as a mechanical testing technique has been carried out. Surprisingly, after 1120 aging hours, the real part of permittivity was almost the same as the pristine case. Also, the imaginary part of permittivity retarded below the pristine case. That was more dominant at frequencies higher than 10 Hz. A good agreement was found between the decay voltage slope and the imaginary permittivity at 1 Hz. Also, between the return voltage slope and the real permittivity. The cable hardness showed anomalous behavior with aging. This shows the ability of the cross-linked polyolefin to recover its mechanical properties when subjected to elevated temperature.

Review on Detection and Analysis of Partial Discharge along Power Cables

Partial discharge (PD) detection and analysis plays a crucial role for acceptance testing and condition monitoring of power cables. Various aspects are related to PD in power cables from theory to practice. This paper first summarizes the PD mechanism and models used for PD analysis in power cables. Afterwards, PD detection is addressed in the aspects of off-line test, on-line test, and sensors. PD analysis is discussed in detail. Specifically, related quantities and algorithms for PD analysis are outlined. PD characteristics with affecting factors, e.g., dielectric type, load, and applied voltage are discussed. Experience on PD development trend with measurements in field is analyzed. Based on the comprehensive review, challenges of PD detection and analysis along a power cable are proposed.

Condition monitoring of high voltage transmission lines or cables

Condition monitoring of high voltage transmission lines or cables

Application of Cable Condition Monitoring Technologies to Assess Age-Related Degradation of Industrial Cables Installed in Harsh Environments

The aging of electrical cables has been the subject of substantial research and development (R&D) projects performed by national and international laboratories, universities, and private organizations for many years. This R&D was conducted to develop guidance, equipment, and techniques to support aging management of in-service cables in industrial facilities such as nuclear power plants, research reactors, waste facilities, and fuel fabrication plants. Through these research efforts, condition monitoring technologies have been developed that can determine the severity of age-related degradation that occurs in industrial cables and insulation polymers during service. This paper summarizes the results of aging assessments that were performed for cables installed in two U.S. nuclear power plants, one a pressurized water reactor and one a boiling water reactor. These cables had been in service for over 40 years and during plant operation were exposed to harsh environmental conditions including elevated temperatures and radiation. For these assessments, a comprehensive series of measurements was performed to assess the aged condition of the cables. These cables came from different manufacturers, were manufactured in different years, and were constructed with a variety of jacket and insulation polymers including chloro-sulfonated polyethylene (CSPE), cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE)/cross-linked polyolefin (XLPO), neoprene, and ethylene propylene rubber (EPR). The goal of these assessments was to determine the current aged condition of the cable polymers and provide an estimate of how long the cable insulation materials could remain exposed to their in-service environmental conditions before reaching their end-of-life condition. Both nuclear power plants have received license renewals to extend their operation from 40 to 60 years, and the utilities need objective evidence to show that critical components such as cables will be able to function safely and reliably during the extended operating period. The results of these assessments showed that the cables exhibited different aged conditions depending on the type of polymers they were constructed with and the environment they were exposed to during service. Some of the cables and insulation polymers showed signs of significant age-related degradation and were estimated to have approximately 5 years of remaining service life. Other cables exhibited no signs of significant age-related degradation and were estimated to have 50 years or more of remaining service life. Using the results of these cable aging assessments, plant personnel were able to (1) determine the overall aged condition of cables and insulation polymers using objective test results, (2) identify aged or degraded cables before they caused operability issues, and (3) avoid unnecessary and costly replacement of cables that can continue to operate safely and reliably.

Online Monitoring of Power Cables Tangent Delta Based on Low-Frequency Signal Injection Method

To improve the reliability of power systems, online cable condition monitoring must be implemented to replace traditional regular power outage maintenance. Existing online monitoring methods have certain limitations. In this article, a novel method based on low-frequency signal injection is proposed to monitor power cable insulation conditions online. For this method, a low-frequency signal is injected into the power system via the potential transformer (PT) open delta configuration. The cable conductor voltage and leakage current are detected. The interpolating windowed fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm is applied to calculate the dielectric loss angle. Then, the cable tangent delta ( <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\tan \delta $ </tex-math></inline-formula> ) can be deduced, and the cable condition can be assessed. A distribution network system is built based on the power system computer-aided design (PSCAD) software. The frequency and amplitude of the injected signal are simulated and discussed. An online monitoring platform is established in the laboratory. Thermal-aged cable samples and water tree-aged cable samples are prepared and measured. The experimental results confirm that the proposed method can effectively assess power cable insulation.

Electrical and Mechanical Condition Assessment of Low Voltage Unshielded Nuclear Power Cables Under Simultaneous Thermal and Mechanical Stresses: Application of Non-Destructive Test Techniques

Low voltage cables play a crucial role in the safe and reliable operation of nuclear power plants. This paper discusses the effect of simultaneous combined thermal and mechanical stresses on the overall insulation of unshielded low voltage power cables used in nuclear power plants. Cable samples based on XLPE/CSPE insulation were exposed to thermal-mechanical combined accelerated aging tests for an extended period lasted to 907 hours. Time and frequency domain dielectric spectroscopy were applied to reveal the degradation level of the core insulation and jacket due to combined stresses. The former technique was conducted through the measurement of the decay and return voltage slopes, while the latter technique was based on the measurement of the complex permittivity. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the cable insulation were investigated by applying the measurement of the Shore D hardness. The results showed that the combined aging affects both the electrical and mechanical properties of the overall insulation. The complex permittivity at 100 Hz, the decay voltage slope, and the hardness had an upward trend with aging, while the return voltage slope showed an inverse trend. In addition, the results of the electrical and mechanical measurements showed strong correlation with aging time and further correlation was observed between the dielectric and mechanical properties. The correlation between aging time and test results suggests that the presented test methods are promising tools for in situ condition monitoring of low voltage unshielded cables in nuclear power plants.

Nuclear Power Plant Instrumentation and Control Cable Prognostics Using Indenter Modulus Measurements

As the fleet of nuclear power plants (NPPs) approach their1 original qualified life (typically 40 years) and operators seek license extensions, regulators require assurance that they can continue to operate safely in the decades to come. Some of the most important, yet often overlooked components, are the cables that provide the signal paths for instrumentation and control (I&amp;C) systems used to ensure safe and efficient operation of NPPs.In response to this, the authors explore the use of expanding indenter modulus (IM), an industry-accepted technique for cable condition monitoring, into a prognostic tool for predicting the remaining useful life (RUL) of I&amp;C cables. Not only is this technique non-destructive, but it can be performed while NPP cables are in service, thus making it practical for adoption into existing cable condition monitoring programs. In this paper, the authors describe an accelerated aging cable test bed used to acquire several types of measurement parameters as cables age. Additionally, practical techniques are described in which simple IM measurements can be leveraged for condition monitoring and RUL estimation.Error analysis indicates the proposed method is superior to conventional RUL estimation techniques, such as simple trending and curve fitting. The authors demonstrate that using IM can potentially provide a non-destructive, in-situ estimation of RUL for I&amp;C cables. As described in this paper, the IM data clearly shows trends as a function of cable age, and shows promising performance for RUL estimation especially compared with conventional techniques.

Performance Comparison of PD Data Acquisition Techniques for Condition Monitoring of Medium Voltage Cables

Already installed cables are aging and the cable network is growing rapidly. Improved condition monitoring methods are required for greater visibility of insulation defects in the cable networks. One of the critical challenges for continuous monitoring is the large amount of partial discharge (PD) data that poses constraints on the diagnostic capabilities. This paper presents the performance comparison of two data acquisition techniques based on phase resolved partial discharge (PRPD) and pulse acquisition (PA). The major contribution of this work is to provide an in-depth understanding of these techniques considering the perspective of randomness of the PD mechanism and improvements in the reliability of diagnostics. Experimental study is performed on the medium voltage (MV) cables in the laboratory environment. It has been observed that PRPD based acquisition not only requires a significantly larger amount of data but is also susceptible to losing the important information especially when multiple PD sources are being investigated. On the other hand, the PA technique presents improved performance for PD diagnosis. Furthermore, the use of the PA technique enables the efficient practical implementation of the continuous PD monitoring by reducing the amount of data that is acquired by extracting useful signals and discarding the silent data intervals.

Application of Non-Destructive Condition Monitoring Techniques on Irradiated Low Voltage Unshielded Nuclear Power Cables

In this paper, the effect of radiation stress on the overall degradation of jacket and insulation of low voltage unshielded power cable used in nuclear power plants is discussed. The XLPE insulated and CSPE jacketed cable samples were exposed to a total dose of 400 kGy γ-irradiation with 0.5 kGy/h dose-rate. Dielectric spectroscopy; complex permittivity, and extended voltage response; namely slopes of decay and return voltages were used to study the effect of the irradiation on the cable with an aim to establish the application of these techniques for a non-destructive condition monitoring of the unshielded cables. Shore D hardness was also used to investigate the mechanical characteristic of the cable. It was observed that the radiation stress affected the electrical and mechanical properties of the cable polymeric components i.e. insulation and jacket. The imaginary part of permittivity at low frequency; 100 Hz, the slope of return voltage, and hardness showed a significant increase with absorbed dose showing the effect of irradiation on the jacket and insulating material, as well. A strong correlation was observed between the imaginary part of permittivity at 100 Hz, slopes of return voltage, and hardness. The results show the dielectric measurement techniques are potential non-destructive condition monitoring methods for the unshielded low voltage nuclear power plant power cables for on-site diagnosis.

Measured and simulated time-evolution PD characteristics of typical installation defects in MV XLPE cable terminations

In condition monitoring of medium voltage (MV) power cable accessories, there are still challenges in the recognition of partial discharge (PD) defects. In the present paper, typical installation defects were deliberately introduced into MV XLPE power cable terminations. Accelerated ageing under PD activity was achieved by applying voltage at elevated frequency for 900 hours. At suitable time intervals, off-line PD measurements were conducted for each test specimen at 50 Hz test voltage. The results show that the initial PD signatures in the form of Partial Discharge Phase-Resolved-Patterns (PDPRP) are unique for each defect type. The signatures in turn evolve uniquely under continuous voltage application. A modified 3-Capacitor PD model based on the physiochemical processes in the discharge area was implemented in MATLAB Simulink™. The measured initial PD characteristics and the subsequent time-dependent changes were interpreted by comparison with the computer numerical simulation results. It is confirmed that the conductivity of the discharging surface area as well as the voltage at which the cavity breaks down, both change with ageing under PD activity, are the dominant parameters that influence the time-evolution of the PD signatures. Furthermore, the geometry and ventilation of the discharge area is a function of the installation defect type and therefore each defect type gives a unique PD signature. The ability to recognise installation defect through PD tests immediately after installation as well as during the course of on-line PD monitoring is desirable in condition monitoring of power cables. The findings strengthen the credibility of PD diagnosis as an after-installation test as well as in-service condition monitoring technique of MV power cable terminations.

On-Line Cable Condition Monitoring Using Natural Power Disturbances

On-line cable insulation condition monitoring can significantly reduce the outages caused by insulation failure. This paper proposes a new method to achieve this by utilizing the natural power disturbances originating from outside of the cable, such as capacitor switching and fault transients. In this method, the relative permittivity of the cable insulation is used as the indicator to be monitored, which is closely associated with cable tanδ. The relative permittivity is extracted from the power disturbances and their responses, which are of sufficient strength and a wide range of frequencies. This method is beneficial to the on-line monitoring for it does not need the accurate remote synchronized phase angle information. Case studies and sensitivity studies demonstrate the good performance of the proposed method.