A frequency domain method for partial discharge location in underground power cables

A frequency domain method to determine the location of partial discharges (PD) from one-end of underground power cable is presented in this paper. This method is developed based on the phase difference between the direct and reflected waves of a PD pulse. The phase difference as a function of frequency is obtained using the cross Fourier spectral density function. The defect in the cable can be located after implementing a phase unwrapping algorithm. Laboratory experiments using a model of a 3.3 kV, 50m underground cable have been carried out and the statistical results are presented as well. The comparison results with the time domain methods are also given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.