MNC-CIRED

Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

6-8 September 05

RELIABLE UNDERGROUNDING OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLY IN ASIA

Ken. W. BARBER & Hilary MARAZZATO Olex Australia Pty Ltd kbarber@olex.com.au & hmarazza@olex.com.au ABSTRACT Selecting the best cable and installation conditions taking account of the environment and customer needs, is a key challenge for cable designers and utility asset managers. In South East Asia there has been a ready acceptance of XLPE for Power Distribution and Transmission cables but the in-service performance has not been without problems. With the increasing demands by consumers for a better environment and much greater system reliability of supply, utilities throughout the region are grappling with the inevitable increase in demand for undergrounding and the need to improve the overall performance of this expensive asset. The challenge is how to do this in the most cost effective manner but avoid the mistakes made with some underground installations having limited service life. This paper proposes to outline a number of issues and solutions in this regard with particular emphasis on the South East Asian region where the performance of underground cable systems is currently under review. 1.0 INTRODUCTION In the past, the higher costs for underground services and the restrictions on the use of overhead lines, limited demand for underground power cables. The rapid growth in infrastructure throughout South East Asia has been the catalyst for change. During the past twenty (20) years there has been major use of XLPE insulated underground cable. However, despite having had the advantage of learning from the mistakes made in the USA in the 60s and 70s, and the access to modern plants and materials, performance has in some cases, been less than expected. 2.0 FACTORS AFFECTING PERFORMANCE OF CABLES IN SERVICE There are four main factors affecting performance of underground cables, they are: Design, materials and processes Testing and Quality Control Installation and accessories Service conditions In the following sections it is proposed to address these issues and make recommendations for improved underground cable performance. 3.0 DESIGN, MATERIAL AND PROCESS ISSUES 3.1 Cable Design Insulated power cables are constructed with 3 basic components. 3.1.1 Conductors are required to carry the Current and hence these are Copper or Aluminium. In most cases conductors are stranded but for LV distribution, solid aluminium sector shaped conductors are often used. The question of whether these conductors need to be waterblocked will be addressed in this paper. The choice of copper or aluminium depends on the economics of the system and connections required. 3.1.2 Insulation is required to maintain the Voltage and today the predominant material for nearly all Distribution and Transmission voltages is XLPE. We will discuss the type of XLPE available. For Medium and High Voltage cables the insulation is sandwiched between layers of semi-conductive material to avoid ionisation and premature breakdown of the insulation under the influence of electrical stress. 3.1.3 Protection is required for the Environment and operation of the cable. This includes the provision of screens to carry earth fault currents and sheathing or jacketing to protect the cable during installation and service under various operating conditions and environments. 3.2 XLPE Cables After the introduction of XLPE cables in the USA, there were very serious problems with cable failures in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Whilst some were due to incompatible semi-conductive materials and lack of triple extrusion, most were due to water ingress, and treeing in steam cured XLPE. Because XLPE cables were not introduced into Australasia and South East Asia region until the late 1970s, we were very fortunate to be able to learn from problems encountered in the USA and cable experts visiting from the USA are often surprised to learn of the good performance of the underground XLPE cables in this region [10,11]. Most cable manufactured in the region has been produced on dry cure cable manufacturing facilities using highly effective cable designs incorporating high performance cable sheaths. The excellent electrical performance of XLPE is the Typical state-of-the-art Catenary Continuous reason it is now used Vulcanisation (CCV) Line almost exclusively for the insulation of all LV, HV and EHV distribution and transmission cables. However, whilst XLPE has far better resistance to moisture permeation than Paper insulation or PVC, moisture can affect long term performance of XLPE

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Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

6-8 September 05

under the influence of high electrical stress so the overall features in the cable design are vitally important. 3.3 Description of moisture mode of failure We all know that Paper/Oil insulation must be kept dry, but many people initially felt that special precautions were not necessary for XLPE insulation. The very first XLPE cables were produced on Steam Cure CV (Continuous Vulcanisation) lines where moisture saturated the insulation due to the temperature and pressure of the steam (~200 degC, 200 psi). Pressure is required when cross-linking polyethylene with dicumyl peroxide to prevent void formation due to the formation of volatile cross-linking by-products. While steam was an obvious provider of both temperature and pressure, the saturation of the insulation actually created micro voids. The level of moisture in the insulation of cables made by this process can be up to 3,000 ppm. Many of these early cables are now showing signs of water trees. For at least the last 25 years, all of the XLPE insulated cables produced in South East Asia and Australasia have been processed in a manner (called Dry Cure) that ensures that the maximum possible water absorption is less than 200 ppm. Very few of these cables have significant water treeing unless water has been allowed to enter into the conductor. The subject of water treeing, electrical treeing and subsequent breakdown is a complex subject , but it can be briefly stated that under the influence of electrical stress and the water absorbed by the insulation, water trees can grow. Whilst as water trees they may not cause breakdown, in cases where there is a high stress point or a space charge developed during DC testing, such trees may develop into electrical trees which subsequently cause premature breakdown. 3.4 Modes of protection/prevention There are several modes of preventing the water and moisture penetrating into the cable and travelling within it along the length. There are also alternative cable materials that may be used. In each case, different measures may be used to protect the cable. 3.4.1 Prevention of water getting into the cable-Radial Protection To prevent water permeating through the cable sheath into the cable, the most obvious design technique is the inclusion of a metal sheath on the cable. The metal sheath provides an impervious barrier to entry and provides an extremely dry cable for the entire life. Metal sheaths are expensive so are usually only provided for Transmission, Sub-transmission or Submarine cables. In the absence of the metal barrier, there are plastic sheath options but these exhibit significantly different properties. The most common plastic material in sheathing of cables is the PVC, but this material allows too much permeation of moisture into the cable. The High Density Polythene (HDPE) material, chosen by almost all the ESI companies in Australia,

is significantly better than the PVC, tests showing a moisture level found after days in water with PVC is only achieved with HDPE after many years [1]. Nevertheless, moisture vapour does eventually penetrate into cables, so it is recommended that moisture swellable tapes be used under the sheath. These water-blocking tapes are often made out of a one-layer non-woven carrier, a layer of swellable powder and a water-soluble binder. All the swelling powder is bound into the tape thereby reducing the risk of airborne dust. Only when under the influence of moisture, does the watersoluble binder release the water-blocking powder. In this way the super-absorbent material is free to swell and move into voids and interstices of the cable extremely quickly. Different grades of swellable powders have different degrees of response to water, affected by the time taken for the material to swell and hence block the passage of water. For power cables, it is important to know that the high viscosity gel ensures that water-blocking characteristics are retained during temperature cycling and that for these tapes, when used in conjunction with extruded metal sheaths at high temperature and pressure, the water-blocking characteristics are retained. 3.4.2 Preventing the water running along the length of the cable Longitudinal Protection Regardless of the measures taken in the manufacture of the cable, it is not uncommon to find that water has been allowed to enter the cable during installation. This either occurs by accident, whereby the pulling end of a cable has been damaged, or by the more common circumstance where the cable end is simply allowed to rest on site, in the trench, in ducts, in water, without being capped. Of course, the best way to protect the cable from moisture is to prevent its ingress but there may be occasions when the cable is damaged by external means or a joint fails in service and then water enters the cable at that point. Once the water has penetrated the cable, the easiest path is for the water to travel along the cable. Spaces are present in the area of the screen wires, in the middle of multicore cables, within the fillers of multicore cables or even down the conductor. The most effective prevention is by filling up those spaces used by the water and some cables are made with solid fillers completely filling all voids. It is common practice in the USA to also fill any voids in the conductor between the wires. This practice of using solid fillers has not been adopted elsewhere as it is quite expensive and typically means a significant increase in cost. The use of solid blocking materials in conductors also makes conventional connection methods difficult to use. The lower cost alternative is to use the water swellable tapes, which will fill the spaces when the water is present and they then prevent the longitudinal progress of any further water.

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Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

6-8 September 05

This typically only adds 2 - 10% to the cable cost. The measures have been successful in effectively blocking tears in the sheaths of cables and limiting any water ingress to the immediate area around the tear [2]. Using swellable tapes, yarns or powder to fill conductors is also now widely accepted. However, in this context it is important to consider the impact of such materials on the type of accessories and method of installation of same. Another alternative is to adopt solid conductors in place of stranded conductors. In the case of single core cables, the application of water swellable tapes in the screen area is very effective and does achieve a total cable "block". Even with cables using a corrugated sheath, they can be blocked using current fast acting swellable materials. For three core cables, it has been found that the water swellable tapes applied at the area of the screens does not limit the progress of water along the cable as well as it does for the single core designs, so more material is often required.

The most recent information from the USA is that the TRXLPE has improved to the point that the selection of EPR has been limited to applications where cable flexibility is essential/desirable. An example of such an instance, is where load-break disconnectors are used and the flexibility of the cable provides an advantage for the disconnection. The economics of TR-XLPE versus EPR show that the TR-XLPE is a lower cost material. Our information is that the EPR usage has decreased in the last five years in favour of the TRXLPE. It must however be appreciated that putting any fillers or additives, such as those required for tree retardancy, into an insulation is similar to adding a contaminant. Therefore, whilst the stresses adopted in the design of Medium Voltage cables (6 - 40 kV) enable the use of materials such as TRXLPE or EPR, these insulation materials may not be suitable for the high stresses required for cables rated for higher voltages. This is also why those manufacturers experienced in making HV and EHV Cables with Super clean XLPE, continue to supply good quality MV Cables without using TR-XLPE. 3.5 Solutions for various cable types 3.5.1 Low Voltage Cables Cables designed to function at voltage levels up to 1000 V, have insulation thicknesses that are well above those required for purely electrical function. The thicknesses are in fact increased to provide adequate levels of mechanical robustness and protection. Given these circumstances, the voltage stresses in the insulation are very small and inadequate to promote the growth of water trees that lead to electrical failure of the cable. Thus, no protection is required from the effects of water or moisture. The design life of these cables is 40 years, and the cables are expected to last much longer when they are installed in protected areas. The main cause of failure of such cables is mechanical damage and localised failure. 3.5.2 Distribution Cables The electrical stresses in cables designed for operation in excess of 5kV is sufficient to promote water tree growth. Tests on cable samples of 6.35/11kV cables that are known to have had water for some years in the area of the screen wires, show a number of water trees present in the insulation, however, in all cases the water trees are small and do not yet present a threat to the electrical stability of the cable. In other words the stresses are such that electrical trees do not develop unless there is a localised cause of high electrical stresses. Tests on 12.7/22kV cables that had failed electrically have revealed an abundance of water trees. These cables were buried in very wet environments for 10 years to 15 years. After 17-19 years in service, the cables had failed electrically. DC testing was a regular occurrence as part of maintenance procedures and space charges left by such testing may have been a significant factor in the failure. Mostly, such cables have been produced by the steam curing process, but it can be

3.4.3 Use an insulation material that is not affected by moisture / water The alternative approach to the problem is to use an insulation system that is not as significantly affected by water trees, so that electrical trees do not form. The early alternative material was the EPR. Due to its opacity, for many years it was thought that water tree growth was not present. More critical and advanced methods of analysis show that the water trees do exist [3,4,5]. Due to the inherent presence of fillers in the material, it was found that the water tree was not allowed to progress through the material, once it had reached the interface to such fillers. The ingredients therefore acted as limiting constraints on the growth of the water trees. More modern developments in material technology have resulted in the development of Tree Retardant XLPE, TR-XLPE. This material uses a similar technique as the EPR, in that targeted and effective ingredients are added to the basic XLPE to act as limiting constraints to the growth of the water trees. The examination and analysis of 'tree growth' is far more easily done within the transparent XLPE. The extra ingredients have been optimised and perfected so they are now effective in the control of water tree growth. Papers, which describe the advantages of TR-XLPE, include some interesting comparisons to EPR and 'normal' XLPE [6].

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Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

6-8 September 05

taken that electrical stress at this working voltage is sufficient to develop electrical trees. 3.5.3 Cable Life It is commonly accepted that these XLPE cables are designed for a 40-year life. Provided adverse water and moisture conditions do not impact on the cable, such a life can be reasonably expected. In the case of providing an estimate of cable life where water and moisture adverse conditions may present themselves, then the cable without any protection has a life expectancy of 15-25 years. When water swellable tapes are used in the region of the screens, then a greater life expectancy of 20-30 years can be applied. By the use of insulation materials that resist water tree growth, i.e. by the use of TR-XLPE, then life expectancy can be further increased to 30-35 years. The combination of the TR-XLPE plus water swellable tapes increases life expectancy to 35-40 years. The more secure design option for the cable is to add a metal moisture barrier such as a Lead Sheath. This option, XLPE protected by a Lead Sheath, has a life expectancy of 60 years. 3.5.4 Sub-Transmission & Transmission Cables It is clear that at voltages of 33kV and above, the voltage stress on the insulation is quite sufficient to induce the water tree and electrical tree growth. Actual electrical failures for cables rated 33-275kV have not been seen where water/moisture protection is specified for such cables. At 33kV there is a wide divergence of opinion as to the net commercial benefits of adopting the expensive metal sheathed designs. As an example, in South Australia 33kV cables have water swellable tapes in the screen area whereas similar cable circuits installed in Queensland use Lead Sheathed cable. On the other hand, most cable at 33kV and below in New Zealand, are made with the use of TR-XLPE, whereas 33kV Cables in Malaysia are provided with an Aluminium moisture barrier tape. With the advances in XLPE material technology it is possible to design and manufacture distribution cables with thinner wall thicknesses, and consequently higher stresses, than those specified in the current Standards. Currently, it is difficult to take advantage of the possible savings for distribution cables because it is not always possible to produce low cost joints and terminations which operate reliably with such reduced wall thickness. On the other hand, for cables rated for 66kV and above, where more sophisticated joints and terminations are used, and installation is performed by higher skilled staff, it is possible to take advantage of reduced wall thicknesses and consequently, high stresses. Nearly all 66 kV cables in Australia are supplied with lead sheaths. In some countries a moisture barrier of polythene laminated Aluminium tape is adopted. This has proved very

satisfactory for moisture protection in telecommunication cables and for some distribution cables but its performance on HV & EHV cables may be questioned, particularly where these cables are installed directly in the ground or in conduits or pipes. In such cases, there are already reports of extensive water trees in 132kV cables installed some 15-20 years ago using that type of protection. Naturally there may be many causes, but a conservative approach is to specify welded sheaths rather than relying on overlapped tape, unless cables are installed in dry situations such as tunnels. In the early days it was not possible to reliably weld aluminium, copper and stainless steels so there was a preference to specify seamless or extruded aluminium sheaths. However, because it has been found that there are many cases where these extruded Aluminium Sheathed cables were badly corroded, they are often not specified. Nowadays, with high quality welding technology, welded corrugated sheaths are much more superior having the advantage that stronger, more corrosion resistant materials, can be adopted. Corrugated stainless steel and copper are popular for the new environmentally friendly EHV transmission cables [7,8]. Welded Aluminium sheathed cables are being used extensively in China, particularly when cables are installed in cable ways and tunnels. The welding process is more suited to the design of XLPE Cable as the process avoids the high temperatures which are unavoidable with the extrusion process which was originally developed for Paper Oil Cables. For transmission cable, the more secure design option therefore, is to add a metal moisture barrier such as extruded lead sheath or a welded sheath to ensure a life expectancy of 50-60 years. 4.0 TESTING & QUALITY CONTROL Strict Quality Assurance procedures are an essential part of the manufacture of MV, HV and EHV Cables. The slightest contamination, defect or process damage can have a significant effect on the performance of XLPE cables. In the case of Paper Insulated Cable, any defects in the quality of materials or processing, is often mitigated by the oil. Whilst not understating the importance of in-process Quality Control and the use of Inspection and Test plans at all stages, one should not under estimate the value of the final test and we are fortunate today to have very advanced testing equipment, which when used in a screened room environment, can detect very minor defects.

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Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

6-8 September 05

4.1 H.V. Testing In accordance with National and International Standards, every length of cable must be subjected to HV AC Testing and the test levels specified in the IEC (60502 and 60840) have recently been upgraded. Some manufacturers in Japan, Australia and Europe, have their own internal Standards with higher test levels based on design stress levels. HV AC Testing is a very effective means of determining if a cable is defect free, but only if the test voltage is of a sufficient level depending on the design stress of the cable. 4.2 Partial Discharge Testing Partial Discharge levels and test procedures in IEC Standards should be considered the minimum requirement, based on the variability of testing conditions. Some manufacturers measure P.D. over the full HV Test range and reject any cable with the slightest indication of P.D. Cables which are tested to higher standards rarely fail in service. During routine testing, due to the wall thickness of MV and HV Cable being higher than the minimum for design stresses of XLPE, most defects are detected by P.D. rather than by HV failure. As an example, a small cut or contaminate on the surface of an MV cable will not cause HV failure but can be detected as a few P.D. and the position located. In practice, the majority of P.D. defects found during production testing of MV cable, are related to damage during handling and processing. 5.0 CABLE INSTALLATION AND SELECTION OF ACCESSORIES In 1993, the Electric Power Research Institute in the USA set as a goal the lowering of the cost of undergrounding both transmission and distribution cables. The target was a 50% reduction in cost by the year 2000. This target has been easily achieved with the ratio of overhead to underground cost, which was typically 1:20 some 10-12 years ago, now more often less than 1:5. In fact, at the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers Winter Meeting in Singapore several years ago there was a lively debate on the cost of undergrounding compared to overhead lines. Views from around the world varied with representatives from the United Kingdom suggesting 16 to 20 times and those from Scandinavia suggesting it was closer to two times. Clearly the ratio is dependent on the voltage level, the power transmission requirement and length of line, thus it is vital to consider all factors when making such an assessment. In most cases, because of the slower time/temperature response of underground cables, it is not necessary to rate underground line at the same full continuous rating as overhead line. 5.1 Undergrounding now more cost-effective So what are the factors which are driving down the cost of underground cabling? First, cable costs have reduced in real terms with the development of cheaper high quality materials, faster processing and reduced insulation thickness. Typically cable costs made up 50% of the cost for transmission cable projects and 25% of distribution projects. Today, the key factors are construction methods coupled with system design

including online temperature monitoring and site facilitation. Overall costs are reducing with the growing emphasis on trench-less technology, circuit optimisation, improved backfills, mechanised laying/handling and shared services. Utilities are increasingly constructing underground common service tunnels or trenches as a means to address growing demand for underground cable infrastructure services. 5.2 Installation methods Using direct buried cables provides the lowest cost and best possible ratings. In many countries, particularly in Asia, the restriction on access to roads is such that the only way that cables can be installed is to first install plastic pipes (nowadays Polythene for environmental reasons) during the night so that cables can be pulled in once a section length is completed. Even in Australia and New Zealand where access to roads is not as difficult, the high cost of traffic management which is required when a trench is left open often makes the cost of installing pipe an attractive solution even though a larger size and thus more expensive cable has to be selected. It is also sometimes argued that by installing pipe or conduit, a cheaper, less reliable cable design can be adopted as the cable can be easily replaced in the event of failure. If cables are installed in conduits, the conduits may be filled with water for much of the time and at other times the air space in the conduit reduces the current rating. In some countries the conduits are filled with special slurry to restore the rating to that closer to the direct buried situation but that process is nowadays not favoured as it introduces many other problems. Overall, it is suggested that it is generally better to select the correct cable design for the environment and install correctly to obtain and exceed the cable design life. 5.3 Selection of Accessories and their Installation It is found that the weakest link in a circuit is always the accessory and installation. The design materials and manufacture of accessories is essentially different to the cable. Accessories are designed for compatibility with the cable but care must be taken in the preparation and fitting so that adequate training is essential. After installation one needs to consider the appropriateness of testing the circuit. An example is the previous practice of using a DC test, where such a test is totally incapable of reproducing the same field in the accessory and the cable as an AC voltage produces, and leads to undesirable space charges being left at the accessory/cable interface, which may cause damage when the circuit is later energised with A.C. Most circuit failures initially occur at accessories. These failed accessories may then allow water to enter the cable which may promote failure to the cable after new accessories are fitted. 6.0 SERVICE CONDITIONS WHICH REDUCE CABLE LIFE 6.1 Voltage surges As with any electrical insulation, life expectancy is reduced when the insulation is subjected to over voltage, in the form of surges and impulses. It is recommended that appropriate protection devices be installed and the nature and frequency

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Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

6-8 September 05

of all such occurrences should be monitored and recorded, so that protective measures can be installed. 6.2 Excess operating temperatures Cables are designed for a maximum operating temperature of 90C with limited overload periods as defined in the relevant Standard. Changes in the environment, for example, depth of cover, adjacent services and micro biological effects in the soil, can increase operating temperatures and thus reduce cable life. The circuit protection system also needs to ensure adequate protection from excess current loading. The nature of frequency of all such occurrences should be monitored and recorded. To protect the investment and ensure the life of the cable, continuous monitoring of all key circuits using DTS should be adopted whenever the reliability of these circuits is a critical issue [9,12]. 6.3 Adverse environmental conditions Environmental conditions can adversely affect the conditions for the cable. As mentioned above, microbiological effects from fungus and bacteria can induce increases in soil temperature thus affecting the temperature of the cable and causing unseen overloads. Increases in the thermal conductivity of the soil must be monitored and recorded. 6.4 Poor installation practices The lifetime of cables is very much dependant on the cable being installed correctly. Supervision/management and adverse installation conditions may cause the cable to be damaged, over tensioned, twisted, bending radii exceeded, excessive sidewall pressure induced, over compaction of backfill and other life threatening factors. 6.5 Compatibility of design for cable and accessories Poor co-ordination of designs will result in incorrect or incompatible accessories, fixing methods, stresses induced by mechanical vibration, thermal movement and lack of compensation for seismic conditions. Although the materials used are selected to ensure their long term resistance to UV and environmental stress cracking, it is essential that correct methods of fixing and environmental assessment be undertaken to ensure the materials are not subjected to unforseen or unexpected stresses in service. 7.0 CONCLUSION XLPE insulated cables have only been in existence for a relatively short time, so a guaranteed lifetime is difficult to assign without a clear knowledge of operating conditions. As indicated above, defining an end of life for such cable systems is subject to many factors and questions. Most of these questions do not have a definitive answer, but we certainly can say that technology has greatly improved since the early XLPE insulated cables, and the problems these early cables began to exhibit after 20 years or so in service have been addressed. New designs will not experience such problems. Ultimately, cable lifetime will be determined by a

combination of cable design and system design features, installation methods and the myriad of operating circumstances that the system is exposed to throughout its lifetime, as well as the criteria used for defining end of life. Overloading (overheating), over voltage, ground or support movement, vibration, mechanical abuse/damage, water immersion etc., will all have a deleterious effect, which will possibly be cumulative and may, depending on severity, cause immediate failure in one extreme, or an imperceptible shortening of life on the other. We would confidently predict cable lifetimes of at least 40 years for any modern XLPE insulated cable, and would suggest that 60 years is not an unreasonable expectation if the cables are correctly designed, installed and operated. This is particularly so for those cable designs utilising water blocking measures or where there is a welded or extruded corrosion resistant moisture barrier. Condition monitoring by DTS and the adoption of other condition monitoring technologies as they become available, are recommended as they will help ensure maximum lifetime is achieved. Cable manufacturers today are often able to offer a complete service in terms of cable and accessory supply, system design, project management, installation and on-line remote monitoring all focused on providing long term performance of the cable system, and are keen to provide recommendations for any specific installation. In the attached Appendix 1, we have listed some of the many questions that may need to be addressed in selecting the best cable design for a project [13]. REFERENCES [1] Guerts, Steennis, Poorts, Meijer, Kema Netherlands, Water diffusion through sheaths and its effects on cable constructions, JICABLE, Versailles, 1995. Barber, Olex Australia, Underground MV Cable Design, Workshop 19, D2000, Sydney, November 1997. Katz, Walker, Cable Technology Laboratories, New Jersey, Evaluation of service aged EPR cables, International Wire and Cable Symposium Proceedings, 1994. Xu, Gorton, University of Conneticut, The chemical composition of water trees in EPR cable insulation, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, Volume 1 No:1, 1994. Uematsu, Iwata, Irie, Fujii, The Furukawa Electric Co., Japan Bow-tie-tree in EPR cables after accelerated water treeing test, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Volume 7 No:4, 1992.

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

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Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

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[6]

Caronia, Furno, Pong, Szaniszlo, Union Carbide Corp, New Jersey, Advances in TR- XLPE insulation", IEEE Transmission and Distribution Conference, New Orleans, 1999 Barber, Olex Australia, Moisture Barrier Protection Screening & Armouring for HV & EHV Cable, presented at IPEC, Singapore 1993. Barber, Olex Australia, Environmentally friendly HV transmission systems, 11th CEPSI Conference, Malaysia 1996. Barber, Olex Australia, New Technology in Transmission Networks provides greater capacity with better system reliability, presented at AESIEAP CEOs Conference, Cebu, Philippines, 1999. Barber, Olex Australia, Undergrounding Transmission and Distribution Lines Australian Power Transmission & Distribution Magazine, 2002. Barber, Marazzato, Olex Australia, Designs & Reliability of Underground Cables and Systems Australian Power Transmission & Distribution Magazine, 2003. Barber, Barnewall, Olex Australia, Condition Monitoring Australian Power Transmission & Distribution Magazine, April 2003. Barber, Olex Australia, The Challenge for Undergrounding Electricity Supply Pacific Power Association, Fiji August 2004.

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

Ken Barber, General Manager Engineering and International Sales - Olex Australia Ken Barber has been directly involved in the cable sector for almost 40 years, having worked in the United Kingdom, India, Malaysia and Australia. He has been responsible for Olex Cables development program in the past 28 years, including EHV cable manufacture/installation. He has been actively involved in the preparation of cable standards for most of that time and since 1984 has been Chairman of the Australian Standards Committee for Insulated cables. Ken has for many years, been a member of various international organizations supporting the cable industry and is currently the Australian representative on CIGRE Study Committee B1 - High Voltage Cables and company representative on other organizations such as AESIEAP. He can be contacted at kbarber@olex.com.au Hilary Marazzato, Engineering Manager - Cable Design and Applications Olex Australia Hilary started with Olex Cables in 1979 within the Technical Department, and has held a range of positions in the Technical and Engineering functions, including software development, production process development, management of the Electrical Test facilities, and supervision of the QA functions. He has also held the positions of Logistics Manager and Customer Services Manager. During the 1990's, Hilary was the Engineering Manager for Energy Cables with responsibility to manage product design and development. Since 1998, Hilary has had the responsibility for Cable Design and Applications. Throughout this time Hilary has been involved with Standards Australia in the preparation of cable standards for high voltage and industrial/mining cables and is the Australian member of the IEC Working Group for power cables. Hilary is author of several papers covering high voltage cable design and applications, both for underground and for aerial installations. Hilary is an Electrical Engineer who has also completed a Graduate Diploma in Manufacturing Management and an MBA with RMIT.

[11]

[12]

[13]

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Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

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APPENDIX 1. (Issues should be discussed at a cable workshop or project review) Review of specific cable and accessory designs to achieve better performance 1. Waterblocking of Conductors Question: Should conductors for underground cables be water-blocked to avoid water travelling along the cable?

Problem appears to be at the time of installation when the cable is cut but appropriate end caps are not fitted. Also, if a cable fault occurs due to damage or failure of a joint. This is a serious problem in tropical areas. This has not been of concern to Supply Authorities in the past because appropriate work practices have insisted on cables having special mastic filled heat shrink caps applied, however problems are occurring with increasing use of contractors, or poorly trained staff. Similar problems have occurred in the USA which has lead to significant demand for water-blocking of underground cables in that country. This applies to both copper and aluminium conductors. Issues:(a) What is the extent of the problem, or likelihood, of water in conductors? (b) Effect on cable cost of inclusion of water-blocking. (c) Effect on jointing, termination, accessories, changed work practices. (d) What are the problems with solid conductors? 2. Cable Design Single or Three Core Question: Should cables be single core or 3-core?

There is an increasing emphasis on reducing costs of cable for underground distribution. In the USA where circuit isolation is carried out using load break elbows and padmount equipment, single core cables are standard practice, however, this is not standard practice in this region. Single core cables can be cost-effective where impedance earthed systems are used which require relatively small screens sizes so that the cost for three core cables is economical. This is also true for large conductor sized cables. Single core cables are more easily water-blocked. For 11kV systems, trend is to 3-phase cables. At higher voltages and higher fault levels, this issue of circulatory current in large screens of single core cable is a significant factor. The subject therefore of 3-core vs single core is an important issue. Issues:(a) For LV cables, what is the best design Stranded or solid conductor? (b) Where should 3 core cables be specified 11-33kV? (c) Is there a need to use filler materials to make 3-core cables circular? 3. Direct-Buried or In-Conduit Systems Question: Which is best system, direct-buried or in-conduit and what is the impact on cable design?

Should one adopt direct-buried or an in-conduit system? In-conduit systems might enable simpler, low cost cable designs to be used. In many densely populated cities conduit systems are the only appropriate form of cabling, as it is impossible to take advantage of longer drum lengths with direct-buried systems. Due to frequent presence of water in ducts, perhaps it becomes necessary to apply water barriers into the cable. On the other hand, there is an increasing interest in direct-burying using modern installation methods.

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Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

6-8 September 05

Issues:(a) Appropriate designs of cable for the particular method of installation. (b) Cost difference in cables for the different applications, e.g. tough cables for direct-buried and lighter cables for in-conduit applications. (c) Possibility of lower design performance suitable for direct ploughing in or long lengths of cable for rural Electrification. (d) Experience with cables used with direct plough or directional boring. (f) What is the effect of water in conduits? (g) Would it be better to apply water barriers in cable to be installed in conduits? 4. Cable Accessories Question: What factors need to be considered when selecting cable accessories?

With increasing variation in cable designs, accessories need to accommodate these changes. Examples are transition from conventional paper cables to XLPE cables and from various designs of XLPE cable including transition from Copper to Aluminium. In particular, cases where two different installation techniques are used, e.g., connection of submarine to land cables, EPR to XLPE, 3-core to single core. Issues:(a) Experience with performance of cable accessories in harsh operating environments common in Asia and Australia (i.e. UV, humidity and rainfall, temperature, high water tables, airborne pollution). (b) Transition jointing (c) Performance testing (d) Connector design (e) Water blocking at joints 5. Tree-Retardant Polymeric Insulation Question: Should tree-retardant XLPE or EPR be specified for cable insulation?

With the high degree of concern that has been experienced with water-treeing in some parts of the world, in particular, the USA, there is a trend in specifications to call up either tree-retardant XLPE or EPR. What are the various merits of specifying tree-retardant XLPE compared with standard XLPE for medium voltage underground cables? There are economic and technical issues in respect of these insulants. Experience in New Zealand, using TR-XLPE in single and three core cable, shows no detrimental effects nor special precautions necessary. Issues:(a) Application of these materials at this time. (b) Field experience (c) Cost impact of these materials ? 6. Design of Cables for Wet Environments Question: What type of sheathing and/or other protection should be applied to cable where ground conditions are known to be wet?

In many parts of this region cables are being installed on reclaimed land with a high water table or in flood prone areas. There are concerns about the poor performance of cables sheathed only with PVC. The use of water swellable tapes under the sheath and replacement of PVC by Polyethylene is now more common. Should metallic moisture barriers be used for MV cables and what is the practical performance of PVC and Polyethylene sheathed cables in these environments? Issues:(a) What are the current practices in the region for cabling in these environments? (b) Are there any clear trends from international experience?

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7. Armouring Question:

Asia Pacific Conference on MV Power Cable Technologies

6-8 September 05

Is metallic armouring required for MV cable in other than submarine applications?

Past practice was to armour all MV cables and this was done to protect the lead sheath of paper insulated cables during installation and provide protection from damage predominantly by persons with hand held equipment. With the introduction of mechanical plant, many authorities do not now specify armouring for underground cables. This practice is not, however, uniform throughout the region. Issues:(a) Cases where armouring is still required (b) Type of armouring now considered appropriate for various applications where armouring is essential (c) Use of armouring a screening medium 8. Field Testing Question: Should D.C. be used for testing of polymeric MV cables after installation? There is now considerable concern about the possible damage caused to otherwise sound polymeric cable by D.C. testing. Research has shown that space charges caused by D.C. testing may induce cable and accessory failures. Issues:(a) What test methods should be used for testing MV cable after installation or after specific service life? (b) Practical experience with D.C. testing (c) Are any diagnostic testing solutions for assessing cables currently in service? 9. Cable Identification Question: How can cables be identified and traced to identify manufacturing records? There is a greater interest in having available, complete details for cables for purposes of traceability. Issues:(a) Cable identification is provided either on the cable; (b) On the cable drum (c) How information can be retained for future reference 10. Combined Communication and Power Cables Question: Can, or should, optical fibres be included in power cables? With the greater trend for deregulation there are calls for inclusion of optical fibre cables within power cables. Previously such trends were avoided due to difficulties with jointing of optical fibre cables at places where the power cables are jointed. There are now possible solutions which may make the inclusion of optical fibre cables in power cables attractive so that single cable may be attractive. Issues:(a) What are typical applications? (b) Experience to date