Diagnostic dielectric spectroscopy methods applied to water-treed cable

Considerable effort has gone into developing polymer formulations and cable designs to minimize failures through water tree growth. However, diagnostic techniques still are required to enable the estimation of the level of damage present within a service cable. This paper reports on progress regarding the application of dielectric spectroscopy to cable diagnostics. A 40 kV, crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) insulated coaxial cable was used as a model power cable. Sample lengths were immersed in a potassium chloride solution and some of these were subjected to AC electrical stress. After an 8 week duration, a high density of tress was found in the electrically stressed cable. Dielectric spectra have been measured for both sample types in the frequency range of 10^-5 to 10⁵ Hz. Insertion loss measurements were also carried out in the frequency range of 3×10 ⁵ to 3×10⁹ Hz. From both types of measurement, it was possible to distinguish between the cables containing water trees and those that were free from water tree structures. These approaches could therefore be developed in order to provide diagnostics for the detection of water tree damage in electrical power cables