Method for locating faults in an electric power cable line

Abstract: In an electric apparatus such as an electric power cable system, a high frequency pulse is induced on a conductive member such as a metal sheath, where partial discharge occurs in an insulation. The high frequency pulse is detected by means of a bypass lead wire, a metal foil electrode, a detecting coil, and the like provided on the electric apparatus without interrupting a live operation of the electric apparatus.

Description: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a method for locating faults in an electric power cable line to diagnose the deterioration of the insulation. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION An electric power cable system comprises a plurality of electric power cables which are connected to provide power cable lines by normal joints, insulating joints, etc., wherein the power cable lines are connected through terminal joints at both ends to high voltage conductors. Each of the power cables comprises, for instance, an electric conductor, an inner semi-conductive layer provided around the electric conductor, an insulation provided around the semi-conductive layer to insulate the electric conductor, an outer semi-conductive layer provided around the insulation, a metal sheath provided around the outer semi-conductive layer, and an anti-corrosion layer of polyvinyl chloride provided around the metal sheath. In this power cable system, the metal sheath is connected, typically, at the normal joints, the terminal joints, etc. to the ground by lead wires. In detecting partial discharge in the insulation of the power cable, a high voltage applied to the power cable system is turned off to stop operation thereof, and a detecting impedance is inserted into a selected one of the lead wires connecting the metal sheaths to the ground. Furthermore, an apparatus for detecting the partial discharge is connected to both terminals of the detecting impedance. Then, a predetermined high voltage is applied to the electric conductor of the power cable, so that the partial discharge occurs at deteriorating or defect portions of the insulation, thereby generating a high frequency pulse therein. This high frequency pulse induces a high frequency current flowing through the lead wire, so that an electric potential difference is generated across the both terminals of the detecting impedance. The electric potential difference is detected in the partial discharge detecting apparatus to diagnose the deterioration of the insulation. In the other method for detecting the partial discharge in the insulation of the power cable, the detecting impedance is inserted between a coupling capacitor, which is connected to the high voltage conductor connected through the terminal joint to the electric conductor of the power cable, and the ground, and the apparatus for detecting the partial discharge is connected to the both terminals of the detecting impedance. The partial discharge is detected in the same manner as described in the former method. However, the conventional method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric power cable has a first disadvantage in that the reliance of the electric power cable system is lowered, because the selected lead wire is removed to insert the detecting impedance between the metal sheath and the ground, and an original state is restored, after the partial discharge detecting procedure is over. Furthermore, second and third disadvantages are observed in that operation of the power cable system is interrupted as described before, and in that the detecting operation is troublesome, because the insertion of the coupling capacitor is inevitable. In addition, there is a fourth disadvantage in that the high frequency pulse is attenuated to be propagated to the coupling capacitor in the latter method, and the coupling capacitor must withstand a high voltage. More additionally, fifth to seventh disadvantages are found in that a high detecting sensitivity of the high frequency pulse is not obtained, because the power cable is exposed to external noise, and an overall capacitance of the power cable is large, in that a S/N ratio is lowered, where a measuring frequency is coincident with a frequency at which a noise level is high, and in that a calibration of the apparatus for detecting the partial discharge is difficult in operation, where the partial discharge is detected at the normal joints, the insulating joints, the cable insulation, etc. which are remote from the terminal joints, because a calibration pulse is applied to the high voltage conductor connected to the electric conductor of the power cable. The document IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, Vol. 3, No. 4, October 1988, pages 1289 - 1294, "Tests on XLPE-insulated cable arcing faults and arcproofing" discloses several test conditions and equipment suitable for locating faults in an electric power cable line. Accordingly, it is a first object of the invention to provide a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric power apparatus, by which the reliance of the electric power cable apparatus is not deteriorated. It is a second object of the invention to provide a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric power apparatus which is carried out without interrupting operation of the electric power apparatus. It is a third object of the invention to provide a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric power apparatus in which the detecting operation is simple. It is a fourth object of the invention to provide a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric power apparatus in which the attenuation of a high frequency pulse is avoided, and an additional device such as a coupling capacitor is not required to be provided. It is a fifth object of the invention to provide a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric power apparatus in which a detecting sensitivity of a high frequency pulse is high. It is a sixth object of the invention to provide a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric power apparatus in which a S/N ratio is improved. It is a seventh object of the invention to provide a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric power apparatus in a calibration of an apparatus for detecting the partial discharge is easy. These objects are solved by the method defined in the single claim. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The Figs. 1A to 1C are explanatory diagrams showing conventional methods for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric apparatus, Figs. 2A and 2B are an explanatory diagram and an equivalent circuit for calibrating operation in a conventional method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric apparatus, Figs. 3A to 3C are a frequency spectrum of noise obtained from an electric power cable, Figs. 4A and 4B are an explanatory diagram and a graph indicating a signal intensity for location of partical discharge in a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric apparatus in a preferred embodiment according to the invention, Fig. 5 is another graph indicating signal intensities in the preferred embodiment, Figs. 6A and 6B are explanatory diagram and a graph indicating a signal intensity for location of partical discharge in a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric apparatus in a second preferred embodiment according to the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before explaining a method for detecting partial discharge an insulation of an electric power apparatus in a preferred embodiment according to the invention, the aforementioned conventional methods for detecting-partial discharge will be explained. Figs. 1A to 1C show an electric power cable line, to which the conventional methods for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of a power cable, comprising power cables 1 which are connected to each other by a normal joint 2, and each of which is connected to a high voltage conductor 4 by a terminal joint 3. Metal sheaths (not shown) of the power cables 1 are connected at the normal joint 2 and the terminal joint 3 to the ground by lead wires 5 and 6, respectively. In Fig. 1A, a detecting impedance 9 is inserted between the metal sheath and the ground by use of the lead wire 6 connected to the terminal joint 3, and an apparatus 10 for detecting partial discharge is connected to both terminals of the detecting impedance 9. In addition, a coupling capacitor 8 is connected between the high voltage conductor 4 and the ground, thereby providing a closed circuit for the partial discharge detection. In Fig. 1B, a coupling capacitor 8 is provided be connected at one electrode to the high voltage conductor 4 and at the other electrode to the detecting impedance 9, and a choke coil 7 is provided to stop a high frequency pulse to be passed therethrough and allow the high frequency pulse to be passed through the coupling capacitor 8. As a matter of course, the partial discharge detecting apparatus 10 is connected to the both terminals of the detecting impedance. In Fig. 1C, the detecting impedance 9 is inserted between the metal sheath and the ground by use of the lead wire 5 connected to the normal joint 2, and is connected at the both terminals to the partial discharge detecting apparatus 10. In operation, a predetermined high voltage is applied to the high voltage conductor 4. Where partial discharge occurs in the insulation of the power cable 1, especially at the normal and terminal joints 5 and 3, a high frequency pulse is induced between the electric conductor and the metal sheath, so that an electric potential difference is generated across the both terminals of the detecting impedance 9 in accordance with the flowing of a high frequency current through the detecting impedance 9 from the metal sheath to the ground. The electric potential difference is detected by the apparatus 10, so that the deterioration of the insulation is diagnosed in the apparatus 10. Next, the calibration of the partial discharge detecting apparatus 10 will be explained in Fig. 2A, wherein like parts are indicated by like reference numerals as used in Fig. 1C, except that a calibration signal generator 11 is connected to the high voltage conductor 4 and the metal sheath of the terminal joint 3, and a coupling capacitor 8 of a capacitance C K is connected between the high voltage conductor 4 and the ground. Fig. 2B shows an equivalent circuit corresponding to the construction of Fig. 2A. In Fig. 2B, the calibration signal generator 11 supplies a high frequency pulse having a voltage V Q through a capacitor of a capacitance C Q across the conductor 12 and the metal sheath 14 of the power cable 1, between which a capacitor 13 of a capacitance C C is formed. Thus, the high frequency pulse flowing through the capacitor 13 is partially shunted into the detecting impedance 9, so that an electric potential difference is generated across both terminals of the detecting impedance 9. Then, the sensitivity calibration of the partial discharge detecting apparatus 10 is carried out. Here, if it is assumed that an apparent charge of discharge which is carried out by the capacitor 13 is Q, and an electric potential difference across the capacitor 13 is V 1 , the equation (1) obtained Q = V Q · C Q = V 1 · C C From the equation (1), the equation (2) is obtained. V 1 = C Q C C . V Q In an actual power cable system, a length of a power cable line is, for instance, several Km, so that the capacitance C C is much greater than the capacitance C Q (C C > C Q ). Consequently, the voltage V 1 becomes very small, so that the calibration of the partial discharge detecting apparatus 10 is difficult in operation to be carried out. In other words, the high frequency pulse V Q is attenuated to reach the normal joint 2, at which the partial discharge detecting apparatus 10 is located to be connected across the detecting impedance 9. In the explanation of the methods for detecting partial discharge in the insulation of the power cable system, frequency dependency of noise which has been confirmed by the inventors will be finally explained. In the detection of the noise frequency dependency, the method as shown in Fig. 1B is used, wherein a length of the power cables 1 is 10 Km, and the partial discharge detecting apparatus 10 is of a frequency-sweep type signal intensity detector. Figs. 3A to 3C show a frequency spectrum of noise which is received by the apparatus 10, where no voltage is applied to the conductors of the power cables 1. As clearly illustrated, Fig. 3A shows the frequency spectrum ranging up to 10 MHz which is characterized by having a high level of noise in the vicinity of 4 MHz, and Figs. 3B and 3C show enlarged frequency spectrums which cover ranges of 3 to 5 MHz and 3.8 to 4.2 MHz, respectively. As shown, especially, in Fig. 3C, noise is high in its level at 3.82 MHz, and 3.92 to 3.95 MHz, and low at 3.88 MHz, and 4.0 to 4.14 MHz. It should be noted that the noise level is lower at 3.88 MHz than at 3.82 MHz by approximately 35 dB. The inventors have confirmed that partial discharge in an insulation of an electric power cable is also of a frequency spectrum similar to that as described above, because: (1) a circuit structure of an electric power cable system is complicated to have a number of inductance and capacitance components, by which resonance and anti-resonance are generated at various frequencies, so that an amplitude of a signal is complicatedly varied dependent on a frequency of the signal; and (2) a high frequency pulse is reflected to go forward and back along an electric power cable line in accordance with the mismatching of impedance, thereby generating a standing wave, so that a high detecting sensitivity is obtained, where a peak point of the standing wave is positioned at a detecting location, while a low detecting sensitivity is obtained, where a nodal point of the standing wave is positioned at the detecting location. Fig. 4A shows a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric apparatus in a preferred embodiment according to the invention. In this method, the power cables 1 are connected by the insulating joints 20-1, 20-2, 20-3, and 20-4, and the normal joint 2. At each of the insulating joints 20-1, 20-2, 20-3, and 20-4, a pair of metal foil electrodes 110 are provided to be connected to the detecting impedance 9. In operation, where partial discharge occurs in one of the insulating and normal joints, an electric potential which is reversely proportional to a distance from the partial discharge is generated across each of the detecting impedance 9, as indicated in the below table. INSULATING JOINT SIGNAL INTENSITY 2-1 -75 dBm 2-2 -65 dBm 2-3 -65 dBm 2-4 -79 dBm This detected results are also shown in Fig. 4B, in which the maximum value M is obtained by connecting the signal intensity points A, B, C, and D. As a result, it is concluded that the partial discharge is located at the normal joint 2. Next, frequency spectrums of the signals which are obtained at the insulting joints 20-1 and 20-2 are detected by the detecting apparatus (not shown) connected to the detecting impedances 9. The frequency spectrums are shown in Fig. 5, in which signal intensity differences V 1 and V 10 are calculated at frequencies of 1 MHz and 10 MHz respectively. Then, a difference Δ V between the differences V 1 and V 10 is calculated in the below equation. ΔV = V 10 - V 1 Thus, the partial discharge is located in accordance with the difference ΔV and a frequency difference f (10MHz - 1MHz). Where the located results in Figs. 4B and 5 are combined, a precision of locating the partial discharge is more increased. Fig. 6A explains location of partial discharge in a method for detecting partial discharge in an insulation of an electric apparatus in a second preferred embodiment according to the invention. In this method, reference numerals 20-5, 20-6, 20-7, and 20-8 designate the insulating joints, and 2-2 and 2-3 designate the normal joints. At each of the insulating joints, the detected results are obtained as shown in Fig. 6B, so that partial discharge occurs at the normal joint 2-3 corresponding the maximum value M in accordance with the same principle as in the first preferred embodiment. Although the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiment for complete and clear disclosure, the appended claim is not to be thus limited but is to be construed as embodying all modification and alternative constructions that may occur to one skilled in the art which fairly fall within the basic teaching herein set forth.

Claims: Method for locating faults in an electric power cable line, comprising: detecting signal intensities of a partial discharge at at least three different positions (20-1, 20-2, 20-3, 20-4, 20-5, 20-6, 20-7, 20-8) of said electric power cable line (1), and locating a position of a maximum value (M) in a signal intensity in accordance with increased and decreased inclinations of said signal intensities in a longitudinal direction of said electric power cable line (1), the position of said maximum value (M) being determined to be the place, where a discharge occurs in an insulation of said electric power cable line (1).

Inventors: ENDOH TAKESHI, HAGIYA MIKIO, IKEDA CHUKI, IMAI TOMOAKI, ENDOH, TAKESHI, HAGIYA, MIKIO, IKEDA, CHUKI, IMAI, TOMOAKI, ENDOH, TAKESHI, C/O CABLE LABORATORY, HAGIYA, MIKIO, C/O CABLE LABORATORY, IKEDA, CHUKI, C/O CABLE LABORATORY, IMAI, TOMOAKI, C/O CABLE LABORATORY
Applicants: HITACHI CABLE, HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: G01R31
IPC codes: G01R31