UNDERGROUND

CABLES
 Introduction of Underground Cables
• Since the load having the trends towards growing density. This
required the better appearance rugged construction greater
service reliability and increased safety.
• An underground cable essentially consists if one or more
conductors covered with suitable insulation and surrounded by
a protecting cover.
• The interference from external disturbances like storms,
lightening, ice, trees etc. should be reduced to achieve trouble
free service.
• The cables may be buried directly in the ground, or may be
installed in ducts buried in the ground.
Construction of a cable
 Construction of Cables
 Core or Conductor
A cable may have one or more than one core depending upon the
type of service for which it is intended. The conductor could be of
aluminum or copper and is stranded in order to provide flexibility to
the cable.
 Insulation
The core is provided with suitable thickness of insulation, depending
upon the voltage to be withstood by the cable.
The commonly used material for insulation are impregnated paper,
varnished cambric or rubber mineral compound.
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 Construction of Cables
 Metallic Sheath
A metallic sheath of lead or aluminum is provided over the
insulation to protect the cable from moisture, gases or others
damaging liquids
 Bedding
Bedding is provided to protect the metallic sheath from
corrosion and from mechanical damage due to armoring. It
is a fibrous material like jute or hessian tape.

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 Construction of Cables
 Armouring
Its purpose is to protect the cable from mechanical injury while
laying it or during the course of handling. It consists of one or
two layers of galvanized steel wire or steel tape.

 Serving
To protect armouring from atmospheric conditions, a layer of
fibrous material is provided.

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 Properties of Insulating Material
High resistivity.
High dielectric strength.
Low water absorption.
Non – inflammable.
Chemical stability.
High mechanical strength.
Capability to with stand high rupturing voltage.
High tensile strength. 13
 CLSSIFICATION OF CABLES
 Low tension (L.T) ----- up to 1000V

 High tension (H.T) ----- up to 11, 000V

 Super tension (S.T) ---- from 22KV to 33KV

 Extra high tension (E.H.T) cables --- from 33KV to 66KV

 Extra super voltage cables ------beyond 132KV

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 3- Core Cables
Belted Cables
In these cables the conductors are wrapped with oil
impregnated paper, and then cores are assembled with filler
material. The assembly is enclosed by paper insulating belt.
These can be used for voltages up to 11KV or in some cases
can be used up to 22KV.
High voltages beyond 22KV, the tangential stresses becomes
an important consideration.
As the insulation resistance of paper is quite small along the
layer, therefore tangential stress set up, hence, leakage
current along the layer of the paper insulation.
This leakage current causes local heating, resulting breaking
of insulation at any moment

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3-core belted Cable

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 3- Core Cables
• Screened Cables
• These can be used up to 33kv but in certain
cases can be extended up to 66kv.
• These are mainly of two types
H-type and
S.L type cables

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 3- Core Cables
H-TYPE Cables:
 Designed by H. Hochstadter.
 Each core is insulated by layer of impregnated paper.
 The insulation on each core is covered with a metallic
screen which is usually of perforated aluminum foil.
 The cores are laid in such a way that metallic screen
make contact with one another.
 Basic advantage of H-TYPE is that the perforation in the
metallic screen assists in the complete impregnation of
the cable with the compound and thus the possibility of
air pockets or voids in the dielectric is eliminated.
 The metallic screen increase the heat dissipation power
of the cable.
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3- Core Cables (H-Type)

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 3- Core Cables
S.L - Type: (Separate Lead)
• Each core insulation is covered by its own lead
sheath.
• It has two main advantages, firstly the separate
sheath minimize the possibility of core-to-core
breakdown. Secondly the, bending of cables
become easy due to the elimination of over all
sheath.
• The disadvantage is that the lead sheaths of S.L
is much thinner as compared to H-Type cables,
therefore for greater care is required in
manufacturing.
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3- Core Cables (S.L. Type)

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 3- Core Cables
 Pressurized Type Cables
 In these cables, pressure is maintained
above atmosphere either by oil or by gas.
 Gas pressure cables are used up to 275KV.
 Oil filled cables are used up to 500KV.

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 3- Core Cables
• Oil Filled Cables
• Low viscosity oil is kept under pressure and
fills the voids in oil impregnated paper under
all conditions of varying load.
• There are three main types of oil filled cables
a. Self-contained circular type
b. Self-contained flat type
c. Pipe Type cables

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3- Core Cables (Oil filled)

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 LAYING OF UNDERGROUND CABLES

DIRECT LAYING
ADVANTAGES:
• It is simple and less costly method
• It gives the best conditions for dissipating the heat in the cable .
• It is a clean and safe method as the cable is invisible and free from
external disturbances .
DISADVANTAGES:
• Extension of load is possible only by a completely new excavation
which may cost as much as the original work .
• The alternations of the cable network cannot be made easily
• The maintainance cost is very high
• Localization of the fault is difficult
DRAW-IN SYSTEM
ADVANTAGES:
• Repairs alternations or additions to the cable network
can be made without opening the ground .
• As the cables are not armored therefore joints become
simpler and maintainence cost is reduces consideribily
• There is very less chance of fault orrurence due to
strong mechanical protections provided by the system
DISADVANTAGES:
• Initial cost is very high
• The current carrying capacity of the cables is reduced
due to the closed grouping of cables and unfavourable
conditions for dissipation of heat.
• SOLID SYSTEM

• It is more expensive than direct laid system

• It requires skill labor and favourable weather conditions
• Due to poor heat dissipation facalities the current carrying
capacity of the cable is reduced
 TYPES OF CABLE FAULTS
The following are the faults most likely to occur in
underground cables:
• Open-circuit faults-when there is a break in the
underground cable, it is known as open-circuit fault.
• Short-circuit faults-when two conductors of a multi-
core cable come in electrical contact with each other
due to Insulation Failure, it is called a short-circuit
cable.
• Earth cable-when the conductor of a cable comes in
contact with earth, it is called earth fault or ground
fault.
 LOOP TEST FOR LOCATION OF FAULTS
IN UNDERGROUND CABLES
• There are several methods for locating the faults in
underground cables. Two popular methods known as
loop tests are:
• Murray loop test

• Varley loop test

• These tests can be used to locate the earth fault or

short-circuit fault in the underground cables provided
that a sound cable runs along the faulty cable.
THANK YOU