This thesis discusses the property of AC/DC testing systems for high voltage power cables and offers improvement to the design of AC/DC testing for high voltage power cables loops. First, the thesis analyzes the structure, and the physical and the electrical properties. The worsening level of the power cables insulation can be tested out through electrification measuring and diagnosed by spectrum analysis. Using established AC/DC testing loops, we perform High-Voltage Tests and AC Partial Discharge Test, as well as calculate Capacitance and Dissipation Factor. Besides , the thesis studies and processes data analysis according to the standard that was presented by the International Electrotechnical Commission. Finally, the thesis focuses on the noise that is produced by the high voltage reactor of the AC Resonance System, performs field measurements, and analyzes the results. Finally, the thesis proposes such as installing to spacers reduce noise to protect the safety, so as to protect the safety for the people in high voltage testing laboratory.

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A growing trend in the electrical industry is to move away from overhead lines and towards underground distribution. The cables necessary for underground distribution are stressed in various ways, and one of the most ignored stresses is that of overvoltage caused by switching. The focus of this research is to determine the effects that high voltage switching impulses have on the electrical strength of medium voltage cable insulation. Accelerated aging was performed on multiple samples of XLPE and EPR cables by applying multitudes of switching impulses. At various stages of the aging process, partial discharge measurements were taken. At the end of the aging process, the ac breakdown voltage of each cable sample was determined. While more testing is necessary to gain a greater understanding of this subject, the results obtained in this study show that switching impulses weaken cable insulation, which may lead to premature failure of distribution cables.

This research is focused on the multi-stress aging phenomena and lifetime estimation of 15 kV EPR cable. In order to gain the suitable parameters for the lifetime estimation, the aging study on the EPR cable samples as well as on the cable layers’ dielectrics samples was carried out at the High Voltage Laboratory of Mississippi State University. During the multi-stress aging study of 15 kV EPR cable samples, the EPR cable samples underwent electrical stress, thermal stress, and environmental effects. The aging time for the EPR cables varied from 650 hrs to 1300 hrs. An empirical aging model describing the cables’ lifetime was derived from the partial discharge measurements results. The aging study on the EPR cable layers’ dielectrics was achieved as well. The EPR insulation material samples were aged by combined electrical and thermal stress, while the material samples of inner semi-conducting layer, outer semi-conducting layer, and outer low-density polyethylene (LDPE) jacket were aged by thermal stress. The measurement data was used for the newly proposed lifetime estimation method. A new lifetime estimation method was introduced for the EPR cables. The method assumed that the failures of cables results from the expansion of voids/cavities initiated from the defects in the EPR insulation layer. The proposed lifetime estimation method applied the finite element method (FEM) to solve the electric field distribution inside the EPR cable with the existence of voids/cavities. The parameters were derived from the aging study on the EPR insulation material samples. Assuming the voids/cavities would expand in the direction of the maximum electric field stress, the lifetime of the EPR cables was then estimated through the iteration. The introduced method helped to establish a relationship between the aging study of insulation material samples and the aging of EPR cable samples, which was long missing in the past studies. It also provided a new way to assess the reliability of the EPR cable.

Derivation of an electromagnetic model, regarding the wave propagation in a very long (10 km or more) High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) power cable, is the central part of this thesis. With an existing “perfect” electromagnetic model there are potentially a wide range of applications.The electromagnetic model is focused on frequencies between 0 and 100 kHz since higher frequencies essentially will be attenuated. An exact dispersion relation is formulated and the propagation constant is computed numerically. The dominating mode is the first Transversal Magnetic (TM) mode of order zero, denoted TM01, which is also referred to as the quasi-TEM mode. A comparison is made with the second propagating TM mode of order zero denoted TM02. The electromagnetic model is verified against real time data from Time Domain Reflection (TDR) measurements on a HVDC power cable. A mismatch calibration procedure is performed due to matching difficulties between the TDR measurement equipment and the power cable regarding the single-mode transmission line model.An example of power cable length measurements is addressed, which reveals that with a “perfect” model the length of an 80 km long power cable could be estimated to an accuracy of a few centimeters. With the present model the accuracy can be estimated to approximately 100 m.In order to understand the low-frequency wave propagation characteristics, an exact asymptotic analysis is performed. It is shown that the behavior of the propagation constant is governed by a square root of the complex frequency in the lowfrequency domain. This thesis also focuses on an analysis regarding the sensitivity of the propagation constant with respect to some of the electric parameters in the model. Variables of interest when performing the parameter sensitivity study are the real relative permittivityand the conductivity.

This thesis is based on a research project to monitor the temperature profile along a power cable using the fibre optic Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) technology. Based on the temperature measured by a DTS system, real time condition monitoring of power cables can be achieved. In this thesis, there are three main research themes. 1. Develop a DTS system for industrial applications. The entire hardware system and measuring software are developed to be an industrial product. Multiple functions are provided for the convenience of users to conduct temperature monitoring, temperature history logging and off-line simulation. 2. Enhance the robustness of the DTS system. An algorithm for signal compensation is developed to eliminate the signal fluctuation due to disturbance from the hardware and its working environment. It ensures robustness of the system in industrial environments and applicability to different system configurations. 3. Improve the accuracy of the DTS system. A calibration algorithm based on cubic spline fitting is developed to cope with non-uniform fibre loss in the system, which greatly improved the accuracy of the temperature decoding in real applications with unavoidable nonlinear characteristics. The developed DTS system and the algorithms have been verified by continuous experiments for about one year and achieved a temperature resolution of 0.1 degree Celsius, a spatial resolution of 1 meter, and a maximum error of 2 degree Celsius in an optic fibre with the length of 2910 metres.

The assignment given to us by NCC was to compose a degree project based on ground excavations for power cables. The aim of the study was to examine suitable excavation methods depending on different possible terrain conditions. The amount of previously written material within this subject is nearly non- existent and therefore there is a genuine interest by the NCC to receive a compilation of different production methods. The greater part of this study is based upon interviews with several companies active within this area of expertise. The technique of placing the electricity grid beneath ground for safety is today getting more and more common. The aftermath of the hurricane “Gudrun” has forced several power companies to re-evaluate their electric supply network, which has lead to more placements of power cables underground. We have come to the conclusion that there are several factors that would affect the method of choice for cable excavations. Costumer demands, obstacles and the difference in ground conditions are vital factors behind the verdict for suitable production methods.

<p>The assignment given to us by NCC was to compose a degree project based on ground excavations for power cables. The aim of the study was to examine suitable excavation methods depending on different possible terrain conditions. The amount of previously written material within this subject is nearly non- existent and therefore there is a genuine interest by the NCC to receive a compilation of different production methods. The greater part of this study is based upon interviews with several companies active within this area of expertise. The technique of placing the electricity grid beneath ground for safety is today getting more and more common. The aftermath of the hurricane “Gudrun” has forced several power companies to re-evaluate their electric supply network, which has lead to more placements of power cables underground.</p><p>We have come to the conclusion that there are several factors that would affect the method of choice for cable excavations. Costumer demands, obstacles and the difference in ground conditions are vital factors behind the verdict for suitable production methods.</p>

To date, over 84% of countries worldwide have renewable energy targets (RET), requiring that a certain amount of electricity be produced from renewable sources by a target date. Despite the worldwide prevalence of these policies, little research has been conducted on ex-ante RET policy analysis. In an effort to move toward evidence-based policymaking, this thesis develops computational models to assess the tradeoffs associated with alternatives for both RET achievement and RET policy formulation, including the option of creating renewable energy credit (REC) markets to facilitate meeting an RET goal. A mixed integer linear program (MILP), a probabilistic cost prediction model and a mixed complementarity problem (MCP) serve as the theoretical bases for the RET alternative and policy formulation analyses. From these models it was found, inter alia, that RET goals set too low run the risk of creating technological lock-in and could inhibit achievement of higher goals; probabilistic cost predictions give decision-makers essential risk information, when cost estimation is an integral part of alternatives assessment; and though REC markets may facilitate RET achievement, including REC markets in an RET policy formulation may not result in the lowest possible greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).

Cable ampacity analysis is generally performed assuming constant worst-state environmental conditions, which often correspond to a dry soil condition or to a condition with uniform ambient soil moisture content. The characteristic time scale of thermal variation in the soil is large, on the order of several weeks, and is similar to the time scale between rainfall events in many geographic locations. Intermittent rainfall events introduce significant transient fluctuations that influence the thermal conditions and moisture content around a buried cable both by increasing thermal conductivity of the soil and by increasing the moisture exposure of the cable insulation. This paper reports on a computational study of the effect of rainfall events on the thermal and moisture transients surrounding a buried cable. The computations were performed with a finite-difference method using an overset grid approach, with an inner polar grid surrounding the cable and an outer Cartesian grid. The thermal and moisture transients observed in computations with periodic rainfall events were compared to control computations with a steady uniform rainfall. Under periodic rainfall conditions, the temperature and moisture fields are observed to approach a limit-cycle condition in which the cable surface temperature and moisture content oscillate in time, but with mean values that are significantly different than the steady-state values.