PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF TAN DELTA DIAGNOSTIC TESTING

IN CABLES
GJ Catlin, HV Diagnostics Sarl

Abstract
Very Low Frequency (VLF) Tan Delta (loss angle) diagnostic testing is a popular tool
used to evaluate the condition of a cable. Careful attention to detail must be made
during the setup of the equipment in order to reduce the possibility of incorrect
measurement. The analysis of the measured data can, if performed correctly, reveal
valuable information about the condition of the cable.
A number of operators of the equipment are not aware of the correct procedures that
should be implemented when utilizing this type of equipment. Operators may also be
unaware of the techniques applicable to analysis of the test data as well as some of
the limitations of this diagnostic technique.
The principles of Tan Delta (TD) testing are explained and the benefits of using this
diagnostic tool are presented. The practical considerations of the measurement of
the Tan Delta values are detailed and demonstrated.
Actual sample test results are presented and analysed in order to demonstrate the
application and benefits of this technique. The limitations of diagnosis using the only
TD measurements are also considered. Unless otherwise stated the equipment
referred to in this document is the HV Diagnostics VLF and TD equipment.
Introduction
Tan Delta (also referred to as loss angle) is the ratio of the resistive current to
the capacitive charging current flowing in a cable. The resistive current is in phase
with the applied voltage but the capacitive current leads the applied voltage by 90o.
The vector sum of the two currents is the total current flowing.

Fig 1 : Tan Delta vectors

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In the context of cables in good to medium condition, the charging current is many
times larger than the resistive current which translates into small TD ratios. The TD
values are dimensionless and expressed as a percentage (%) or as thousandths
(10-3). For PILC cables the expected ratios can be of the order of 50 times higher
than that for XLPE cables.
For a purely capacitive load the phase angle between the current and voltage
waveforms would be 90o degrees (/2 radians) and for a largely capacitive load the
phase difference () is slightly less than 90o. Measurement of the phase angle can
allow the TD value to be computed and this is the more common technique in
modern digital signal processor based equipment. Measurement bridges with
standard capacitors are still commonly used for 50Hz Tan Delta measurement.
Because the TD is a ratio, the resulting measurement is independent of the length of
the cable. As the length of the cable increases so does the charging current and the
DC loss current in a fixed ratio for a healthy cable or homogeneous unhealthy cable.
TD equipment is generally capable of measuring resistive currents in the nA range.
The Tan Delta measurement is therefore extremely sensitive to small changes in the
dielectric health.Tan Delta readings are a global reading and cannot indicate the
position of the damage along the length of the cable. The magnitude of the TD is not
an indication of the magnitude of the damage to a cable in a single position but is an
aggregate measurement of the total effect of damage in the cable. Concentrated
damage in a single area will reflect similarly to distributed damage over a wider area
although the former is more likely to cause short term failure of the equipment; if
severe.
Because TD is an aggregated variable, measurements of mixed-technology cables
require more detailed analysis of the gradient and standard deviation of the TD
readings at different voltages rather than purely a consideration of the
magnitude.The effects of cable accessories such as joints and terminating cones are
also aggregated into the TD reading and it is not trivial to separate the effects of the
accessories from the cable. Trending of cable TD data over time can assist in the
diagnosis of accessory damage. Some work has been published wherein it has been
demonstrated that TD measurements taken at various frequencies (spectroscopic
analysis) can be analysed and the effects of the accessories separated from that of
the cable. Although promising there is no evidence of the success of this in the field
and the laboratory experiments appear only to be successful for short lengths of
cable.
TD has been shown to be sensitive to many types of cable damage such as water
ingress (the most commonly experienced damage) as well as to electrical damage in
the form of partial discharge. TD features have also been shown to correlate well to
VLF breakdown performance [10]
TD testing can be performed at all stages of the lifecycle of a cable. TD testing after
delivery to site of the cable and after installation can confirm that the cable and its
accessories are healthy and will record a fingerprint useful for future comparison and
trending. TD results at VLF cannot be compared to those obtained at 50Hz at the
factory.
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TD testing can be performed on cables that are performing poorly but cannot be
performed on cables that have been damaged with a short-circuit and are ineffective
on cables with open-circuit fault. For cables with corroded shields the TD is
dramatically affected, and although it is then unclear where the elevated TD is
coming from - the insulation or the shield. The conclusions though often remain the
same cable needs to be replaced.
Safety
Remember that you are working with potentially lethal test equipment and test
conditions. Suitably certified operators should be used to switch the cable out of
service and make the cable safe.
Ensure that unused phases are earthed and that a proper station earth is available
and used.
During testing the HVDSA TD equipment is live at the test voltage hence the design
of the equipment to be elevated from the surrounding earth using the collapsible
tripod stand or elevated in air.
For the HVDSA TD equipment the connection from the TD unit to the DUT is not
designed to insulate at the test voltages. The test cable should therefore be treated
as live and should not be routed close to any possible discharge paths more from a
measurement than a safety perspective.
Preparation and connection
Prior to testing make sure that the batteries are charged and that you have a spare
set of batteries. Also check that the Bluetooth communications on the laptop is setup
and communicating with the TD set.
Obtain the cable voltage ratings and prepare the test procedure understanding what
voltages are to be tested, how many readings need to be taken and what the
expected results would be for a good cable and for a damaged cable. Typically take
the final test voltage and divide by 4 to get the 4 step voltages. So example if going
to 3Vo for an 11kV cable, the test voltages 3Vo would be 18kV and then steps
4.5kV, 9kV, 13.5kV and 18kV.
The TD testing should always be performed with an awareness of the factors
influencing the test results. Remember that any small external DC charge
movements that occur during the application of the voltage will distort the TD
readings so care must be taken to eradicate all possible capacitive/charge/leakage
paths. Corona and other partial/surface discharges will influence the measurements.
Corona rings are supplied to be attached to both the ends of the phase being tested.
Different grounding topologies have not been demonstrated to affect TD
measurements from HVDSA equipment. Equipment where the current
measurements are made on the low-side/current return path may be sensitive to
earth return paths. It is good practice to always consider the effects of the earthing
efficiency and configuration that you employ when making sensitive measurements.
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Where the Tan Delta measurement is made some distance from the DUT the effect
of the test cable may need to be compensated for using a guarding circuit or
equivalent technique. With the HVDSA equipment the TD equipment is remote from
the voltage generator and close to the DUT - therefore there is no need to provide
such compensation.
The HVDSA Tan Delta equipment must be properly cleaned to ensure that no
leakage currents can flow down its insulation.
Ensure that the test cable from the TD to the DUT is suitably routed with a decent
separation from any possible discharge/leakage points. Only use the lead provided
and ensure that the distance between the TD unit and the DUT is as short as
possible and take up the slack by coiling the HV lead.
The cable terminations need to be thoroughly cleaned with appropriate solvents and
free of any dirt or contamination to eliminate any leakage currents. The terminations
should be suitably separated from each other and the surroundings and free of any
sharp points that could cause partial breakdown.
Prior to making this connection it is recommended to test the TD equipment by
making a TD reading at 0.5U0 and at 1.5U0 in free space. For both voltages the TD
reading should be very low, typically software limited to 0.1x10-3 (0.1%) for the
HVDSA equipment. If possible repeat these measurements with a known test
capacitance (and known TD) and ensure that the measured values are as expected.
Calibration
Tan Delta equipment should be calibrated at the recommended manufacturer
intervals but should also be checked before testing to confirm the setup and DUT
preparation.
Setup
The test can be performed using the manual or an automated test program from the
HVA series VLF generators. Allow sufficient dwell time (typically 3 minutes) at each
test voltage to obtain at least 6-10 readings. The first reading may take a little longer
that the others.
The VLF units should be set to generate sinewave shaped waveforms at 0.1Hz/auto.
HVDSA recommends testing cables at least at three voltages 0.5 U0, U0 and 1.5U0
beginning at voltages lower than the operating voltage and proceeding to the next
higher voltage only if the TD readings indicate that the cable is undamaged and
therefore capable of withstanding increased voltage stresses. This greatly reduces
the possibility of further damaging an already damaged cable during the testing. In
some cases though, it may be useful to test the cable to fault.
For longer cable lengths the frequency of the VLF signal will be reduced in order to
supply the load current. When trending ensure that the TD readings are taken at the
same frequency although values obtained over the VLF range have been found to be
comparable.
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Testing
When testing using the HVDSA TD system the measurements reported on the VLF
unit LCD should be ignored.
The testing is performed automatically by the TD and HVA units. The TD unit
communicates wirelessly with the connected laptop running the TD control centre
software. As the VLF unit applies the various test voltages these are automatically
recorded by the TD software and the recordings are grouped accordingly.
It is good practice to observe the measurements as they are reported. Consider the
capacitance and the charging currents measured and equate this to the expected
values for the DUT and compare the measurements from the different phases. As
the test is quick and easy to perform there is always the possibility to make
modifications to the test setup and repeat the process.
As with all testing it is good advice to treat results with suspicion. Especially readings
that look too good or are too bad could be due to poor measurement setup or
technique rather than the DUT.
Analysis

Fig 2 : Sample TD results showing voltage dependence of TD indicating onset of PD.

Ideally TD values should be below an expected threshold for the cable type and age.
The TD measured values should be consistent with voltage and the multiple TD
values measured at the same voltage should not vary.
The measured TD data should be analysed according to the following criteria

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(1) Absolute value of TD the TD readings taken at all voltages should be within
the range expected for the cable type and age being tested.
Type
XLPE
PILC
PVC **
EPR *

New
< 1 x 10-3
< 50 x 10-3
No Data
< 50 x 10-3

Aged
> 4 x 10-3
> 50 x 10-3
No Data
> 50 x 10-3

* EPR cable types have their own unique TD fingerprints ** Where no

absolute values are available it is still possible to trend data from similar
cables or from the same cable over time.
(2) Stability of reading obtained at each voltage the TD measurements obtained
at each voltage should be within < 0.04% standard deviations. Any wildly
varying TD readings are indicative of damage to the cable.
(3) Voltage dependence of TD
a. the mean TD readings obtained at the different voltages should be
within +- 20% of the average for all voltages. A steady increase of TD
with test voltage is indicative of water damage. New XLPE cables will
show a consistent TD for typical recommended measurement voltages.
b. A sudden increase of TD with voltage often described as a tip up is
associated with the onset of Partial Discharge activity. The PD can
then be investigated with appropriate equipment.
(4) Trending and comparison It is often useful method of analysing changes in
the health of a cable. Consistent measurement techniques enable the
comparison of TD values over time and within similar classes of cable. This is
especially useful where the impact of accessories or hybrid sections needs to
be accounted for.
Analysis of TD data can lead to conclusions such as (1) Cable healthy return to
service (2) Cable deteriorated monitor (3) Cable unhealthy investigate further (4)
Cable damaged repair/replace as imminent failure likely.
Conclusions
Tan Delta measurements made on cables can be an accurate and thorough
indicator of the dielectric health of a cable. Tan Delta measurements are automated
and simple to perform but care must be taken during the preparation and setup in
order to achieve accurate, repeatable results.
The most common cause of XLPE cable failure is due to water ingress and TD is
an effective tool that can be used to detect this. TD measurements are able to detect
a wide variety of damage and with the application of feature trending techniques TD
can be considered as an almost universal diagnostic tool.
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References
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