Polyethylene is an excellent material for electrical cable insulation. High dielectric breakdown strength and low dielectric losses are properties that allows polyethylene to be used in electrical power transmission networks. The ability of a cable to withstand high electric fields hinges upon factors such as cable construction and the incorporation of electrically compatible additives designed to protect the insulation against thermal and electrical aging.<br/>A reliable Extra High Voltage (EHV) cable system would ideally exhibit the same electric field profile around every position around the cable and along its axis. However, semiconductive protrusions at the insulation interfaces – or defects and contaminants anywhere within the cable – can create areas of increased electric field stress. Contaminants, agglomerations, voids, and hard edges from the conductor are typical sources of defects or protrusions and run the risk of accelerating electrical aging or even causing electrical discharge leading to catastrophic failure.<br/>To enable better product design – and by extension reliable EHV cable systems – it is important to identify and characterize defects and failures. This presentation centers on multiple instrumental methods of analysis of electrical cable defects and failures. Techniques include Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and Infrared Micro-spectroscopy (micro FTIR).

Forensic Investigation Techniques for Electrical Cable Defects and Failures

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.