Underground Cables
Underground Cables
Underground Cables
EETE-327 [email protected]
References:
Principles of Power System
V.K.Mehta
INTRODUCTION
• Electric power can be transmitted or distributed either by overhead system or by underground cables
• The chief use of underground cables for many years has been for distribution of electric power in
congested urban areas at comparatively low or moderate voltages
• However, recent improvements in the design and manufacture have led to the development of cables
suitable for use at high voltages
• This has made it possible to employ underground cables for transmission of electric power for short or
moderate distances
• An underground cable essentially consists of one or more conductors covered with suitable
insulation and surrounded by a protecting cover.
COMPARISON BETWEEN UNDERGROUND CABLES AND OVERHEAD LINES
Figure 1 shows the general construction of a 3-conductor cable. The various parts are :
(i) Cores or Conductors
A cable may have one or more than one core (conductor) depending upon the type of service for which it is intended. For
instance, the 3-conductor cable shown in Figure 1 is used for 3-phase service. The conductors are made of tinned copper
or aluminium and are usually stranded in order to provide flexibility to the cable.
(ii) Insulation
Each core or conductor is provided with a suitable thickness of insulation, the thickness of layer depending upon the
voltage to be withstood by the cable. The commonly used materials for insulation are impregnated paper, varnished
cambric or rubber mineral compound.
Figure 1
CONSTRUCTION OF CABLES
The insulating materials used in cables should have the following properties :
• Rubber
• Polyethylene
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• Fibrous material such as paper, jute etc.
CAPACITANCE OF A SINGLE CORE CABLE
MATH 11.4
DIELECTRIC STRESS IN A CABLE
Under operating conditions, the insulation of a cable is subjected to electrostatic forces. This is known as dielectric
stress. The dielectric stress at any point in a cable is in fact the potential gradient at that point.
Consider a single core cable with core diameter d and internal sheath diameter D. The electric intensity at a point x
meters from the center of the cable is
DIELECTRIC STRESS IN A CABLE
MOST ECONOMICAL SIZE IN A CABLE
MOST ECONOMICAL SIZE IN A CABLE
GRADING OF CABLES
The process of achieving uniform electrostatic stress in the dielectric of cables is known as grading of cables.
The unequal stress distribution in a cable is undesirable for two reasons.
Firstly, insulation of greater thickness is required which increases the cable size.
Secondly, it may lead to the breakdown of insulation.
In order to overcome above disadvantages, it is necessary to have a uniform stress distribution in cables. This can be
achieved by distributing the stress in such a way that its value is increased in the outer layers of dielectric. This is
known as grading of cables. The following are the two main methods of grading of cables:
(i) Capacitance grading
(ii) Intersheath grading
CAPACITANCE GRADING
The process of achieving uniformity in the dielectric stress by using layers of different dielectrics is known as
capacitance grading.
CAPACITANCE GRADING
INTERSHEATH GRADING
In this method of cable grading, a homogeneous dielectric is used, but it is divided into
various layers by placing metallic intersheaths between the core and lead sheath. The
intersheaths are held at suitable potentials which are in between the core potential and
earth potential. This arrangement improves voltage distribution in the dielectric of the
cable and consequently more uniform potential gradient is obtained.
INTERSHEATH GRADING
MATH 11.12
MATH 11.12
MATH 11.15
MATH 11.15