Electric Power Transmission 5
Electric Power Transmission 5
UNDERGROUND
CABLES
Contents of chapter
conductors for cables
Insulating materials for cables
Types and constructional features of U/G cables
Electrostatic stress in single core cables and grading of
cables
Three core high voltage cables EHV cables
Oil filled cables, external pressure cables ,
Gas filled cables thermal characteristics of cables , Cables
ratings and their determinations, capacitance of insulated
cables
Tests on cables Fault locating and jointing techniques
cables
THE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION
OF POWER IN LARGE CITIES IN INCREASINGLY BEING
ADOPTED, ALTHOUGH IT IS COSTLY SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION
AS COMPARED TO OVERHEAD SYSTEM. IT ENSURES THE
CONTINUITY OF SUPPLY APART FROM THE FOLLOWING
ADAVNTAGES:
IT ENSURES NON-INTERRUPTED CONTINUITY OF SUPPLY
ITS MAINTENANCE IS LESS
IT HAS A LONG LIFE
ITS APPERANCE IS GOOD
IT ELEMINATES HAZARDS OF ELECTRO-CUTION DUE TO
BREAKAGE OF OVER HEAD CONDUCTORS.
UNDERGROUND CABLES
AN UNDERGROUND CABLE CONSISTS OF ONE OR MORE
CONDUCTORS COVERED WITH SOME SUITABLE INSULATING
MATERIAL AND SURROUNDED BY A PROTECTING COVER. THE
CABLE IS LAID UNDERGROUND TO TRANSMIT ELECTRIC
POWER.
1) DIRECT LAYING
2) DRAW-IN-SYSTEM
3) SOLID-SYSTEM
DIRECT LAYING
IN DIRECT LAYING METHOD, THE
CABLES WITH STEEL TAPE OR WIRE
ARMOURING ARE LAID DIRECTLY AS
THEY AFFORD EXCELLENT
PROTECTION FROM MECHANICAL
INJURY. THIS METHOD OF THE LAYING
UNDERGROUND CABLES IS SIMPLE
AND CHEAP AND IN MUCH USE. IN THIS
METHOD OF LAYING, A TRENCH ABOUT
1.5 M DEEP AND 45CM WIDE IS DUG
THROUGH OUT THE ROUTE OF THE
CABLE. THE TRENCH IS COVERED
WITH A LAYER OF FINE SAND AND THE
CABLE IS LAID OVER THIS SAND BED.
THE PURPOSE OF SAND IS TO
PREVENT THE ENTRY OF MOISTURE
FROM THE GROUND AND THUS PROTECTS THE CABLE FROM
DECAY. AFTER THE LAYING OF THE CABLE IN THE TRENCH, IT IS
COVERED WITH ANOTHER LAYER OF SAND OF ABOUT 10 CM
THICKNESS, CARE BEING TAKEN THAT NO SHARP STONE SHOULD
COME IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE CABLE. THEN A SINGLE
LAYER OF BRICKS OR TILES IS LAID TO PROTECT THE CABLE FROM
PROTECTED BY WOODEN PLANKS OR CONCRETE SLAB. WHEN
MORE THAN ONE CABLE IS TO BE LAID IN THE SAME TRENCH,
HORIZONTAL OR VERTICAL INTERAXIAL SPACING AT LEAST 30CM IS
PROVIDED IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE EFFECT OF MUTUAL
HEATING AND ALSO TO ENSURE THAT FAULT OCCURING IN ANY
ONE CABLE DOES NOT DAMAGE THE ADJACENT CABLE. THE
CABLES WHICH ARE TO BE LAID BY THIS WAY MUST HAVE SERVING
OF BITUMINISED PAPER AND HESSIAN TAPE, SO AS TO PROVIDE
PROTECTION AGAINST CORROSION AND ELECTROLYSIS.
DRAW-IN SYSTEM
IN CONGETSED PLACES, WHERE
EXCAVATION IS EXPENSIVE AND
INCONVENIENT, THE DRAW-IN SYSTEM IS
OFTEN USED. IN THIS METHOD, A LINE OF
CONDUITS OR DUCTS ARE OF THE
GLAZED STONEWARE CEMENT OR
CONCRETE. AFTER LAYING CONDUITS OR
DUCTS, THE CABLES ARE PUT INTO THE
POSITION FROM MAN-HOLES OR BRICK
PITS SPACED AT REGULAR INTERVALS.
FIGURE SHOWS SECTION THROUGH FOUR
WAY UNDERGROUND DUCT LINE. THREE
OF THE DUCTS CARRY TRANSMISSION
CABLES AND THE FOURTH DUCT
CARRIES RELY PROTECTION
CONNECTION, PILOT WIRES.
SOLID SYSTEM
IN THIS METHOD OF LAYING OF THE CABLES, TRENCHES
ALONG THE ROUTE ARE MADE AS IN DIRECT LAYING SYSTEM.
TROUGHS OF CHINA CLAY, EARTHEN WIRE, TREATED WOOD,
CAST IRON, STONEWARE OR ASPHALT ARE PLACED IN A ROW
AND THE CABLE IS LAID OUT IN THESE TROUGHS. AFTER THE
CABLE IS LAID IN POSITIONS, THE TROUGHING IS FILLED WITH
A BITUMINIOUS OR ASPHALT COMPOUND AND COVERED OVER.
CABLES LAID IN THIS MANNER ARE USUALLY PLAIN LEAD
COVERED, AS THE TROUGHING AFFORDS GOOD MECHANICAL
PROTECTION.
Advantages of PVC cable
Reduced cost
Insulation is resistant to water
Simplified jointing
Reduced weight
Increased flexibility
No plumbing required
Cross Link PE(XLPE)
1. Higher dielectric strength and higher impulse strength (400
kV/mm at 90˚c)
2. Low dielectric loss
3. Good thermal properties
4. Higher temperature withstand using normal loads and short
duration overloads. Normal maximum operating temperature
allowed is 90̊C.
5. Resistance to deformation at higher temperatures
6. Resists attack by chemicals
7. Smaller size due to higher dielectric strength
8. Moisture resistant
9. Unaffected by partial discharges in the presence of moisture.
with the development of XLPE cables for
higher voltages, the complex oil-filled and
gas-pressure cables are becoming obsolete
in the voltage range of 66 KV to 400 KV.
In electrical engineering
, treeing is an electrical pre-
breakdown phenomenon in
solid insulation. It is a
damaging process due to
partial discharges and
progresses through the
stressed dielectric insulation, in
a path resembling the branches
of a tree. Treeing of solid high-
voltage cable insulation is a
common breakdown
mechanism and source of
electrical faults in underground
power cables.
SINGLE CORE V.I.R CABLE (BRAIDED)
TWIN CORE BELTED CABLE
3-CORE BELTED CABLE
Advantages of oil filled cables
Greater operating dielectric stress
Greater working temperature and greater current carrying
capacity
Better impregnation
Impregnation possible after sheathing
No void formation
Smaller size of cable due to reduced dielectric thickness
No void formation
Smaller size of cable due to reduced dielectric thickness
A defect can easily be detected by oil leakage
4-CORE BELTED CABLE
3-CORE CABLE WITH STEEL WIRE
ARMOUT
H & HSL TYPE CABLE
LOW-TENSION CABLES (L.T.)
THESE CABLES ARE EMPLOYED FOR USE UP TO 1000V.
GENERALLY, THESE CABLES ARE USED FOR DISTRIBUTION
PURPOSES AT ABOUT 400V. THESE CABLES MAY HAVE ONE
OR MORE THAN ONE CORE DEPENDING UPON THE TYPE OF
SERVICES. THESE CAN BE OF SINGLE CORE OR MULTICORE
TYPE. FOR A 3-PHASE , 3-WIRE SERVICE , EITHER 3 SINGLE
CORE CABLES OR THREE CORE CABLES CAN BE USED.
THESE LOW TENSION CABLES HAVE NO SPECIAL
CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE THE STRESSES DEVELOPED IN THE
CABLE FOR LOW VOLTAGE (UPTO 6600V) ARE SMALL AND THE
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY IS ALSO OF NOT MUCH
IMPORTANCE.
THESE LOW TENSION CABLES HAVE NO
SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE THE
STRESSES DEVELOPED IN THE CABLE
FOR LOW VOLTAGE (UPTO 6600V) ARE
SMALL AND THE THERMAL
CONDUCTIVITY IS ALSO OF NOT MUCH
IMPORTANCE. THE CONDUCTORS ARE
INSULATED WITH RUBBER OR POLYVINYL
CHLORIDE AND A LEAD SHEATH COVER
OVER THE INSULATION TO RESTRICT THE
MOISTURE TO ENTER THE CORE OF THE
CABLE. THE LEAD SHEATH IS COVERED
WITH A COMPOUNDED FIBROUS
MATERIAL . SINGLE CORE CABLES ARE
USUALLY NOT PROVIDED WITH
AMOURING IN ORDER TO AVOID
EXCESSIVE LOSS IN THE ARMOUR.
HIGH-TENSION CABLES (H.T.)
HIGH TENSION CABLES ARE USED UPTO 11KV. A3-CORE BELTED TYPE
CABLE GENRALLY EMPLOYED AT 11KV. IT CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING
MAIN PART:
1. CORE OR CONDUCTOR: A THREE CORE CABLES HAS THREE
CONDUCTORS.
2. INSULATION: EACH CORE OR CONDUCTOR IS PROVIDED WITH A
SUITABLE THICKNESS OF INSULATION, THE THICKNESS OF LAYER
DEPENDING UPON THE VOLTAGE TO BE WITHSTOOD BY THE CABLE. THE
INSULATING MATERIAL IS USED TO INSULATE THE CONDUCTORS ARE
PAPER, VARNISHED CAMBRIC AND VOLCANISED BITUMEN, BUT
IMPREGNATED PAPER IS MOSTLY USED.
3. METALLIC SHEATH: IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE CABLE FROM MOISTURE,
GASES OR OTHER DAMAGING LIQUIDS (ACIDS, ALKALIES ETC.) IN THE
SOIL AND ATMOSPHERE, A METALLIC SHEATH OF LEAD OR ALUMINIUM IS
PROVIDED OVER INSULATION AS IN NEXT FIGURE.
Types of Cable Faults
Following are the types of Cable Faults Commonly Found In the
underground Cables.
Open-Circuit Faults: Open circuit fault is a kind of fault that
occurs as a result of the conductor breaking or the conductor
being pulled out of its joint. In such instances, there will be no
flow of current at all as the conductor is broken (conveyor of
electric current).
Short-circuit or cross fault: This kind of fault occurs when the
insulation between two cables or between two multi-core cables
gets damaged. In such instances, the current will not flow through
the main core which is connected to load but will flow directly
from one cable to another or from one core or multi-core cable to
the other instead. The load will be short circuited.
Ground or earth faults: This kind of faults occurs when the
insulation of the cable gets damaged. The current flowing through
Electrical Characteristics of Cables
Electric Stress in Single-Core Cables
D= q/(2πx)
E = D/ε = q/(2πεx)
q: Charge on conductor surface (C/m)
D: Electric flux density at a radius x
(C/m2)
E: Electric field (potential gradient), or
electric stress, or dielectric stress.
ε: Permittivity (ε= ε0. εr)
εr: relative permittivity or dielectric
constant.
R
q R
V E.dx ln
r
2 r
q V
E
2 .x R
x. ln
r
r: conductor radius.
R: Outside radius of insulation or inside
radius of sheath.
V: potential difference between conductor
and sheath (Operating voltage of cable).
Dielectric Strength: Maximum voltage that
dielectric can withstand before it
breakdown.
Average Stress: Is the amount of voltage
across the insulation material divided by
the thickness of the insulator.
Grading of Cables
Grading of cables means the distribution
of dielectric stress such that the
difference between the maximum and
minimum electric stress is reduced.
Therefore, the cable of the same size
could be operated at higher voltages or
for the same operating voltage,
a cable of relatively small size could be
1. Capacitance Grading
This method involves the use of two or
more layers of dielectrics having
different permittivities, those with higher
permittivity being near the conductor.
Ex =q/(2 πεo.εr .x)
The permittivity can be varied with
radius x such that (ideal case):
εr = k/x
Then Ex =q/(2 πεo. k)
Ex is constant throughout the thickness
of insulation.
r < r 1 < r2
ε 1 > ε2 > ε 3
r1
r2
R r
ε1 ε2
ε3
In the figure shown
r1 r2 R
V E x .dx E x .dx E x .dx
r r1 r2
q r1 q r2 q R
ln ln ln
2 o 1 r 2 o 2 r1 2 o 3 r2
r1 r2 R
V Emax r ln r1 ln r2 ln
r r1 r2
Cable Capacitance
q
C
V
2o
1 r1 1 r 2 1 R
ln ln ln
1 r 2 r1 3 r 2
2. Intersheath Grading
r1
r2
r ε ε ε
V
V1
R
V2
V=0
Intersheath Grading is a method of creating uniform voltage gradient across the
insulation by means of separating the insulation into two or more layers by thin
conductive strips. These strips are kept at different voltage levels through the
secondary of a transformer.
In this method only one dielectric is used
but the dielectric is separated into two or
more layers by thin metallic intersheaths.
Emax1 = (V-V1)/(r. ln(r1/r))
Emax2 = (V1 –V2)/(r1. ln(r2/r1))
Emax3 = V2/(r2.ln(R/r2))
For the same maximum electric strength:
(r1/r) =(r2/r1) =(R/r2) = α
R/r = α3
Then: (V-V1)/(r.ln α) =(V1-V2)/(r1.ln
α)=(V2/r2.ln α)
(V-V1)/r =(V1-V2)/r1= V2/r2
If the cable does not have any
intersheath, the maximum stress is:
Emax = V/(r.ln(R/r)) = V/(3r.ln α)
The intersheath radius can be found from
R/r = α 3
(r1/r) =(r2/r1) =(R/r2) = α
The voltages V1, V2 can be found from:
(V-V1)/r =(V1-V2)/r1= V2/r2
Emax /Emax without intersheath =3/(1+ α + α
2
)
where === α > 1
Sheath Internal Radius (R)
R =1.881V / Emax
Will be proved in sections.
Difficulties of Grading
a-Capacitance grading :
1- non-availability of materials with
widely varying permittivities.
2- The permittivities of materials will be
change with time, so the electric field
distribution may change and lead to
insulation breakdown.
b- Intersheath Grading
1- Damage of intersheaths during
laying operation.
2- The charging current that flows
through the intersheath for long
cables result in overheating.
3- The setting of proper voltages of
intersheaths.
Electrical Characteristics of Cables
• Electric Stress in Single-Core Cables
• Capacitance of Single Core Cables
• Charging Current
• Insulation Resistance of Single- Core Cables
• Dielectric Power Factor & Dielectric Losses
• Heating of Cables: Core loss ; Dielectric loss
and
intersheath loss
Capacitance of Single Core Cables
Assume that the potential difference
between conductor an sheath is V, then
a charge of conductor and sheath will be
+q and –q (C/m)
C= q/V
C= 2 πε/ln(R/r) F/m
Since ε = ε0 . εr
C= εr /(18.ln(R/r)) μF/km
Charging Current
capacitor current Ic is at 90 o
ahead of the voltage V.
Id
Power factor of dielectric :
Pd =I. V. Cosфd
Pd = ωCV2δ δ is in radians
C: Cable capacitance.
V: operating voltage
Since δ = 90- фd and δ < 0.5o for most
cables.
Here Cos фd should be very small under
all operating conditions.
Cy = C s + 2 C c
Cx = 3 C s
The capacitance per phase is
given by:
C0 = Cs + 3Cc =(Cx/3) + 3((Cy /2) - (Cx /2))