High Voltage Diagnostics SARL

Switzerland

The VLF Testing

instead of using The DC testing on Underground
MV cables
 “ Water Trees “ in a XLPE or PE Cable
Semiconducter
50 Hz ( or 60Hz ) Electric Field ■ Screen

Water ■
Water corrodes copper / wire tape

Conductor

Insulation (PE/XLPE) Sheath

Typical XLPE Cable

(Single Core)
 CABLE TESTING METHODS

In the market today, the following overvoltage test sets are available:

DC Testing 1)

50Hz Sinusoidal 2)

VLF 0.1Hz Cosinus trapezoid and or 3)

square wave } 1 Cycle

VLF 0.1Hz Sinusoidal } every 10 s 4)

 D.C. Testing
The effect of the residual space charges is added to

the electrical field of the normal operating voltage,

causing the multiplying of both effects.

Vphase Normal operating

Voltage

The cable insulation

Vp + stressed only by the
normal applied voltage
Tsec
0

Vp -
 D.C. Testing
The effect of the residual space charges is added to

the electrical field of the normal operating voltage,

causing the multiplying of both effects.

Vphase Testing the cable with

DC Voltage

Vp + DC Voltages will
Vp + generate residual space
charges, which remains
Tsec even after a correct
0
0 discharge

VDC -
Vp -
Vp -
 D.C. Testing
The effect of the residual space charges is added to

the electrical field of the normal operating voltage,

causing the multiplying of both effects.

Vphase Returning the cable to

Normal operating
Vp + Voltage
Vp + The effect of the residual
0 Tsec
space charges is added
to the electrical field of
0 the normal operating
Vp - voltage, causing the
VDC - multiplying of both
Vp+DC - effects
Vp -
Vp- + VDC -
Water Trees and DC
• Testing of the these service aged cables at
elevated DC “Hipot” voltage levels may cause the
cable to fail prematurely after the cable has been
returned to service.

• space charges that can occur under elevated DC

voltages at the sites of these water trees can
result in localized stress enhancements.

• With the reapplication of normal AC power to the

cable, these localized stress enhanced areas at
the water tree sites can ultimately lead to an
electrical tree or trees.

• Compared to water trees, the channel growth rate

of electrical trees is very fast, particularly for PE
and XLPE insulations.

• Once an electrical tree has been initiated,

complete cable failure is normally imminent and
inevitable.

• However it should be noted that of the many

thousands of water trees that may exist in a
cable, only one has convert to an electrical tree
to cause a cable to fail.
Examples of Water Trees – Courtesy of ABB Sweden
 D.C. Testing
D.C. Testing of XLPE will only find gross defects. ■
Diagnostic testing is not possible with D.C. ■
Even on PILC cables DC Testing is a Fail / No Fail test. ■
D.C. only tests the resistive component (R) or conductance in a cable. ■

DISADVANTAGE ADVANTAGE
• Only stresses resistivity – conductance leakage • Cheap to manufacture
current • Lightweight
• Does not stress dry joints & terminations (where • Traditionally used on Paper Cables
75% of faults are)
• No P.D. possible
• No T.D. possible
• Destructive in aged XLPE cables
 50Hz DIAGNOSTIC AND OVERVOLTAGE TESTING

Why do we NOT do 50Hz testing on Cables ? ■

Series Resonant Set
Test 1000m 95mm2 XLPE cable to 14kV requires 20KVA ■
or 82 Amps at 230V

Same test on a PILC cable would be 31kVA or 134 Amps at 230V ■

50Hz testing instruments are
- expensive
- heavy and bulky

In the factory - it is possible - transformers are fixed in position. ■

FORMULA I = excitation current

I excitation = V C V= Test Voltage
50Hz I = 50 (V.2π .C) C = Capacitance of a cable in farad
0.1Hz I = 0.1 (V.2π .C) = 2 π ƒ , where f = frequency

NOTE : 0.1Hz REQUIRES 500 TIMES LESS CURRENT THAN AT 50Hz

50Hz Sinusoidal

DISADVANTAGE ADVANTAGE
• Weight and Size • P.D. Diagnostics
• Expensive • 50Hz Diagnostics
• No TD (at present) • Series Resonant Set
• High Operator Skill
• complex cables
 VLF 0.1 Hz Square, Consinus or Tapezoid Wave Form

DISADVANTAGE
• No diagnostics possible
• Leakage difficult to measure
• Does not stress cable to same level as
sinusoidal.
ADVANTAGE
• Cheap to manufacture
• Complies with Standards
• RMS/Peak are same
• Some Standards does not differentiate
between peak & RMS for Square or sinusoidal
VLF 0.1 Hz Sinusoidal Diagnostic & Overvoltage Test Set

DISADVANTAGE ADVANTAGE
• Not 50Hz but 0.1Hz • Sinusoidal Waveform
• Stresses both resistivity R and impedance R, L and C
• Higher breakdown strength than 50Hz
• Tan Delta measurements – possible
• Partial discharge measurements – possible
• Stress lines similar to 50Hz on cable, terminations & joints.
• Sinusoidal is symmetrical under any load (electronically
generated)
Sinusoidal VLF Testing History and Standards

The Electrical stress at 0.1Hz sinusoidal is similar to that at 50Hz

0.1Hz testing is included in most standards.

IEEE 400 – Revised 2001 (USA) ■

IEC 60060-3 draft (Europe & International) ■

VDE 276 Part 620 / 1996 (Germany) ■

SANS 10198 (South Africa) ■

NEN3620/C1 (Holland) ■
 H.V. Diagnostics SARL Products
New High Technology VLF Testers

HVA30 Brochure 23KV RMS / 30KV Peak VLF HVA 30

Max load 5.0 µF

HVA30 Brochure 23KV RMS / 30KV Peak HVA 30/15

Max load 15.0 µF

HVA60 Brochure 44KV RMS / 60KV Peak VLF HVA 60/5.0

Max load 5µF

TD30 Brochure 23KV RMS 0.1Hz TD30 (NEW)

T.D. Resolution 0.1 x 10­³
Accuracy 0.05 x 10 ­³
± 0.2 x 10 ­³ (>40nF Load)
± 0.5 x 10 ­³ (>10nF < 40nF)

FOR HVA30 – Now Power Required BATTERY PACK (NEW)

HVA-series Design
The HVA-series is not only the most advanced HV test system available; it is also the lightest,
most compact instrument of its type on the market.

The Applied Test Voltage (RMS and Peak), Waveform, Leakage current, Capacitance,
Resistance and Time are displayed and recorded.
.HVA-series Design conti

The HVA displays the current wave and digitize the information, so it is able to
measure not only the RMS leakage current but also the Capacitive current
.(capacitance is displayed) AND the resistive current (Megohm reading)

The instrument is easily programmable allowing the operator to setup or select test
.sequences in either automatic or manual mode

The instrument automatically calculates the optimum frequency to be selected for

.larger loads

The load independent, symmetrical output

waveform avoids the potentially destructive
space charge effects caused by DC
polarization that occurs in aged extruded
cables such as XLPE / PE / EPR, causing them
to fail prematurely when exposed to
conventional high voltage DC or to test
instruments with large non-symmetrical output
waveforms.
HVA-series Safety Features

• Short circuit protected

• Status display of all important safety functions and
messages.
• Safe, easy to use operation with emergency off
and key switch lock-out.
• Fully integrated discharge circuit to safely
ground the DUT (Device Under Test) (Cable)
after testing.
• Zero start interlock.
• Zero voltage switching
HVA-series Operational Features

Fully Automatic or manual cable test

sequences complying with
International Standards/Guides such
as IEEE 400.2, VDE 0296, CENELEC,
the present draft of IEC 60060-3, etc.

Meets all your cable testing requirements.

True Symmetrical Sinusoidal, load

independent, output waveform across
the full load range.

Real-time Display of actual output waveform.

Easy to use, ergonomic, menu guided, large backlit user interface.

Automatic and integrated load capacitance measurement with optimum frequency

selection.

Storage of test results for later retrieval or download to a PC/Laptop.

VLF-series Applications Include

• Cables: XLPE, PE, EPR, PILC etc.

• Capacitors
• Switchgear
• Transformers
• Rotating Machines (IEEE 433)
• Insulators
• Bushings
HVA-series Output wave shapes

Waveform Output

VLF (0.1Hz) Sinusoidal } every 10 second 1

VLF (0.1Hz) Square wave } every 10 second 2

DC- Testing 3

DC+ Testing 4
HVA-60 Functionality

HVA front panel

The HVA front panel controls are simple and
very easy to use. The backlit LCD display
keeps the operator fully informed during
the testing procedure. All testing modes
and operations are continually updated
on the LCD screen.

0.1Hz sinusoid screen

In the testing screen all measured
parameters are displayed. In
addition the status of the VLF
waveform is also shown together
.with the exact position in the cycle
The screen shown is displaying a 0.1Hz
.sinusoidal waveform
 DIAGNOSTIC AND MAINTENANCE METHODS

Tan Delta TD or Dielectric Loss Angle.

Partial Discharge PD

Outer Sheath maintenance - D.C. Sheath Test.

DIELECTRIC DEGRADATION

Dielectric loss increase

Aging of the cable ■

Drying out of cable e.g. PILC ■

Water ingress into cable ■

Water Trees in XLPE cable ■
Partial Discharge activity ■
Tracking & Electrical condition ■
Oil Draining in PILC cable (Down a Mine Shaft) ■
Poor workmanship splices (joints) & terminating ■
Overloading ■
Overheating ■

TAN DELTA CAN DETECT ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS

 TAN DELTA

An Excellent diagnostic tool for MV cables XLPE and PILC. ■

T.D. is a indication of the aging of the cable. ■

As the losses increase so does the T.D. ■

T.D. can only be done with a Sinusoidal wave form (not alternating square or ■
cosines wave form).

T.D. theoretically remains constant with voltage increase for a good quality ■
dielectric (XLPE or PILC).

TD is independent of the cable length (VIP) ■

TAN DELTA – Continue…

A cable is a large
capacitor.

Ic is very large – IR is
very small

XLPE = 1.2 x 10-3

( = ± 0.068 degrees)
PILC = 50 X 10-3

Ø is power factor angle (cosØ).

Whereas
TD = Tan Delta (  ) = True Power
Capacitive Reactive Power
 
= U2/R
U2 C
= 1
CR
 TAN DELTA – Continue…

Note : The current leads the

Voltage. Cable is a Large
Capacitor

0.1Hz (1 cycle every 10 seconds) ■

Very easy to measure Tan Delta (zero crossing) ■
In aged Water Treed XLPE Cables the Tan Delta increases with ageing ■
1.2 x 10-3 is good XLPE Cable - (0.1 Hz) ■
3.0 x 10-3 is a high risk XLPE Cable - (0.1 Hz) ■
25 x 10-3 is good TD for PILC Cables - (0.1 Hz) ■
50 x 10-3 and above is high risk TD for the cables - (0.1Hz) ■
Latest Technology from H.V. Diagnostics SARL
TD30 “Easy Connections”
 High TD Levels

Excellent Condition A-
High TD and High Risk B-
High TD and TD-Tip Up (About to Fail) C-
 CABLE SHEATH TESTING

Water must be kept out of the cable interior. ■

Water erodes copper tape / steel wire. ■

Water can leak under semicon. ■

XLPE Cables are critical and the outer cable sheath must not be damaged. ■

Simple and easy Cable Sheath Test. ■

CABLE SHEATH TESTING…Continue

Cable earths are lifted from the earth bar and a 5kV test is applied. ■

Cable Sheath failure is indicated when it is not possible to reach 5kV. ■

Very easy and simple test but – How many cable users to this test? ■