Presentation 29.

1
OMICRON electronics Asia Limited 2013 Conference on Electrical Power Equipment Diagnostics
PD Simultaneous Measurement duri ng HVAC Test
Dong Hoon Lim (KESCO), Won Nyon Kim (KESCO)

1. Introducti on

With the recent increase in diagnosis of extra-high
voltage cable, partial discharge (PD) tests are
widely used. Taihan Electric Wire and LS cable
that are manufacturer introduced the PD test while
they laid the underground line of 345kV XLPE
cable in 2003. In the recent years, PD test is widely
expanded at the 154kV cable.

In 2005, Taihan obtained the turn-key project of
Transpower in New Zealand. KESCO cooperated
with Taihan, who performed the test after
installation of the 220kV underground line. We
used the MPD 600 PD system according to the
request of the customer. In addition, we installed
the foil sensor at the outside of the cable to
perform the PD test.
The MPD600 could cover the configuration of
North Island Upgrade project, because maximum
distance between joints was less than 800[m].
The optical fiber cable was installed in the 32mm
HDPE pipe along the power cable route and used
to connect MPD600s with each other.

The 220kV underground cable connection between
Brownhill and Pakuranga was 10.874km XLPE
three-phase cable system in Auckland, New
Zealand. PD measurements (Off-line PD test) were
carried out by Taihan personnel on 22nd-29th
J une, 2012 on the 220kV underground cable.

PD measurements were carried out on the site by
means of the MPD600 system which is designed
and manufactured by OMICRON.
The drawing relevant to the entire circuit from
Brownhill to Pakuranga is depicted below Figure 1.


Figure 1.Circuit Diagram from Brownhill to Pakuranga

Customer Transpower
Location & Country Auckland, New Zealand
Cable Circuit Brownhill to Pakuranga
Installer Taihan / LS
Cable Type 220kV 1C * 2500SQ XLPE
Circuit length 10.874km
Test voltage
and frequency
180kV(Ph-Grd) =1.4Uo
23Hz (off-line)
Cable length[km]
Circuit#1 : 32,622
Circuit#2 : 32,793
Total : 65,415
Outdoor Sealing End
Circuit#1 : 6
Circuit#2 : 6
Total : 12
Premolded Insulating J oint
Circuit#1 : 51
Circuit#2 : 48
Total : 99

2. PD Measuring System

2.1 PD Anal yzing System
The Synchronous Multi-Channel PD Measuring
System MPD600 of OMICRON electronics is
developed and optimized for on-site PD cable
testing.

Due to its modular design it can easily be adapted
to the required number of measurement channels
depending on the cable length. This allows a
synchronous PD measurement for all joins and
cable terminations at one time. Therefore a fiber
optic connection is required from one acquisition
unit to the next (BUS-system) and finally to the PC.

Figure 2.Connection between MPD600s

Presentation 29.2
OMICRON electronics Asia Limited 2013 Conference on Electrical Power Equipment Diagnostics
2.2 PD Sensor
The copper foil sensors were installed on the
cable PVC or PE jacket around an insulated joint
(I.J ) and they had capacitive characteristics
electrically. The foil sensors did not affect electrical
and mechanical characteristics of the cable or the
joint. Four sensors should be attached on the cable
and two of them were for calibration, and the rest
of them were connected to impedance box for
measurement as shown in figure 3. An adhesive-
lined heat shrinkable tube shall be used as
waterproof covers for the foil sensors.




Figure 3.Capacitive Foil Sensor Installation at the
Insulation J oint

RG213 cable was used to connect the foil sensor
with measurement device. As shown in figure 3, in
the case of the foil sensor equivalent circuit, there
were capacitances (C3, C4) between the foil
sensor and the Power cable, and these were
connected to measurement impedance Z. It was
desirable for impedance of C3 and C4 to be small
enough compared with Z. Effects of C3 and C4
were negligible if the size of foil sensors were big
enough. Cg was the defect at figure 10 when a PD
happens at the left side of the insulated joint box or
the cable. Then C2 of the right side worked as a
Capacitor Divider Ck, and PD signal could be
detected through the measurement impedance Z
which was connected to foil sensors attached on
the joint divided by the insulator.


Figure 4.Equivalent Circuit of the Sensor and J oint


Figure 5.Capacitive Foil Sensor Installation at
Outdoor Sealing End

Two capacitive copper foil sensors are attached
on the cable of an Outdoor sealing end as shown
in figure 5. One is connected to impedance box
and used for PD measurement, and the other one
is used for calibration.

2.3 AC Phase Synchronization
For AC phase synchronization around the 22Hz
frequency range component was accepted from
the voltage divider of HVAC.

Figure 6.Connection between HVAC voltage
divider and MPD600.

2.4 Conceptual Diagram of AC Test and PD
Measurement
The AC voltage generator was connected to
PAKURANGA S/S considering site condition.
Capacitive foil sensors, their coaxial cables, and
optical cables were installed permanently, and
coaxial cables reach at the IP level box which
located at a space near the link box.
Presentation 29.3
OMICRON electronics Asia Limited 2013 Conference on Electrical Power Equipment Diagnostics
Shown in figure 7, impedance boxes, coaxial
cables, MPD600, and MCU502 will be installed at
the site temporarily for simultaneous
measurement. Sensitivity will be measured at each
joint bay before AC high voltage test, and MPD600
which is connected to fully charged battery pack
under AC test.

Figure 7.During HVAC test, PD measurement data is
acquired from each MPD600 unit

2.5 Test Equipment List

Item Description
22 x MPD 600 Partial Discharge Acquisition Units
22 x MPP 600 Battery packs for MPD 600 units
21 x CPL 542 impedance boxes
MCU 502 Fiber optic bus controller
CAL 542 Charge calibrator
Software For partial discharge analysis

2.6 Calibration
Prior to testing, the inner pair of PD sensors at
each joint had been calibrated by applying a
calibration signal on the outer pair of foil sensors
with a Z box and MPD 600 connected across the
inner pair. The calibration was done at each joint
and termination at a measurement frequency that
gave the best signal to noise ratio at that position.
This resulted in the signal divider (gain) of the MPD
600 varying between 9 and 212 between individual
joints. Part of the variation was explained by the
different measurement frequency used (2.4 to 6
MHz) as a higher gain was required at a higher
frequency. However as the PD sensor foils and
220 kV joint and cable arrangements at each joint
were identical there should be only small
differences in gain required between joints.
The test procedure given in NIGUP-TZ-ENG-173
Section 2.12 Procedure of ACHV Test and PD
Measurement required common settings including
frequency tuning and divider factors to be applied
to all joint MPD 600s factors a significant difference
in calibration pulse amplitudes to be investigated
before testing commences.
The calibration carried out prior to testing was
therefore not considered acceptable and it was
decided to select a common measurement
frequency of 3 MHz with a bandwidth of 300 kHz
as being the best compromise of signal to noise
ratio and gain required.
The BHL termination was then calibrated for PD
measurements by connecting a Z box and MPD
600 to the test sets capacitor divider and applying
a calibration pulse between the HV connection to
the cable termination and earth


3. Concl usi ons
220kV underground cable partial discharge
diagnosis at 111 points has been carried out and
concluded that PD signal was not detected.
Partial discharge measurements were
successfully carried out during the high voltage
withstand test on BHL-PAK Circuit 1 and 2 and no
partial discharges could be detected from the cable
circuits.
Background noise levels varied being highest at
the terminations (20 to 30 pC) and lowest at joints
(5 to 10 pC). Reinstatement and earthworks were
still being carried out on some long sections of the
cable route when the tests were being done out
and this resulted in higher noise levels.
Weather conditions were marginal with several
rain showers that interrupted testing.
Consequently the capacitor voltage dividers
although protected by tarpaulins during rain were
subjected to a damp environment from the 19 to 29
J une 2010.
There was a high level of noise generated by the
test set which was removed by dynamic gating.
The test set noise significantly increased during the
tests with apparent misfiring of the IGBTs and the
cause of this requires investigation.


References
[1] Takesi Endoh : Development of PD Decection
Method for Long-Distance Transmission
Cable Lines : T,IEE J apan. Vol.121-B, No.4,
2001
[2] J . Kaumanns and E. Plieth : On-Site AC
Testing and PD Measurement of 345 kV/2500
mm : XLPE Cable Systems for Bulk Power
Transmission : J ICABLE 03 - International
Conference on Insulated Power Cables
[3] Test Report : North Island Upgrade Project
Brownhill RD to Pakurnaga Design, Supply
and Install -220kV Under Gruoud Cables : PD
Simultaneous Measurement during HVAC
Test
Presentation 29.4
OMICRON electronics Asia Limited 2013 Conference on Electrical Power Equipment Diagnostics

Lim Dong Hoon
Lim is now head of Engineering Service of
KESCO. Lim has worked for 27 years at KESCO.
He studied electrical engineering at the University
of Kwangwoon and received the Masters degree.
He has more than 20 years of experience and
taken responsibilities in analysis of electrical power
system, commissioning of petrochemical plant and
diagnosis of electric power facilities. He is an
evaluation member of Korea Environment
Corporation and Energy team of Seoul City. He
also is an active member of subcommittee at the
Korea Electric Association.

Kim Won Nyon
Kim is now worked for Engineering Service of
KESCO. Prior to joining the KESCO team, he
worked at the company that manufacture and
construct the cable. He has lots of experience in
the commissioning and maintenance of the extra-
high voltage cable. Since 2006, he has worked for
the diagnosis of electric power system at the
KESCO. His main responsibility is in PD testing of
different type of electrical systems.