SESSION 12: MV UNDERGROUND CABLE

SYSTEM – TNB’S EXPERIENCE by Ir. C. H. TAN

• Development of TNB MV Underground Cable
Specification
• TNB MV Underground Cable Installation Practice
• Development of TNB Underground Cable Maintenance
Practices
• Future Development in TNB MV Underground Cable
System
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 Objective
• To enhance understanding on technical requirements
for TNB’s cables.
• To share TNB standard process & foster better
understanding.
• To inform public on TNB’s effort in developing high
reliability underground cable system
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Development of TNB MV Underground Cable
Specification
• Types of cables used in TNB
– Low Voltage Cables
• PILC (4 cores)
• PVC (1 core)
• XLPE (4 cores)

– Medium Voltage (11, 22&33kV)

• PILC (3 cores)
• Oil Filled (3 cores)
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• XLPE (1 core & 3 cores)
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 Development of TNB MV Underground Cable
Specification
• TNB uses two type of MVUG Cables
– PILCDSTA (PILC)
• Before mid 1980’s
• Ceased addition since 2007

– XLPE
• Starts mid 1980’s
• Now 100% new cables

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Typical Construction of PILC Cable
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 Typical Construction of Single Core XLPE Cable
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 Typical Construction of Three Cores XLPE Cable

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 Specification Development Process
• Specification Development / Revision
– Major changes in reference standards
– New cable design is needed
• To keep up with technology advancement
• To introduce new requirements to enhance performance based on
feedback
– Diagnostic Test findings
– Failure investigation & analysis

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 Characteristic of TNB Technical Specification

• Functional requirement
• Refers International / National Standards
• Specific requirements to suit local
environmental & operational condition.

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 Functional Requirements
• System voltage
– Nominal voltage
– Maximum voltage
• System frequency
• Impulse withstand voltage level (BIL)
• Maximum continuous conductor operating
temperature
• 3 Phase Symmetrical Fault Level
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 Reference Standards
1. IEC – International Electrotechnical Commission
2. BS – British Standard (UK)
3. IEEE – Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(USA)
4. ICEA – Insulated Cable Engineering Association (USA)
5. NEMA – National Electrical Manufacturers Association
(USA)

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 Common Reference Standards
IEC 60502 -1 : Power cables with extruded insulation
and their accessories for rated voltage from 1kV
(Um = 1.2kV) up to 30kv (Um=36kV)
Part 1:
Cables for rated voltages of 1kV (Um = 1.2kV) and
3kV (Um = 3.6kV).

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 Common Reference Standards
IEC 60502 -2 : Power cables with extruded insulation
and their accessories for rated voltage from 1kV
(Um = 1.2kV) up to 30kv (Um=36kV)
Part 2:
Cables for rated voltages of 6kV (Um = 7.2kV) and
30kV (Um = 36kV).

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 Common Reference Standards

IEC 60228 : Conductors of insulated cables

BS 2627 : Wrought aluminum for electrical purposes.

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 Specific TNB’s Requirements
• Conductor screen
– Minimum thickness
– Minimum volume resistivity
• Insulation screen
– Minimum thickness
– Minimum volume resistivity
– Bonded or Striptable
• XLPE Insulation Free from voids & impurities
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 Specific TNB’s Requirements
• Triple extrusion (Method of application)
– Conductor screen
– Insulation
– Insulation screen
Metallic screen
– Type (tape / wire)
– Thickness
– Method of application
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 Specific TNB’s Requirements
• XLPE curing method (Dry)
• Type & grade of sheathing material
– MDPE ST7
– PVC ST2 (ABC)
– UV resistance
– Termite repellant
– Graphite outer coating (single core)
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 Specific TNB’s Requirements
• Filler material
– Non hydroscopic
• Moisture barrier
– Longitudinal
• Water swell-able tape
– Radial
• Lead sheath (PILC & Submarine)
• Laminated aluminum foil
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 Quality Control Testing
• Type Test
– Design verification test
• Based on IEC Standard
• Tested by Independent Approved Laboratory
• Routine Test
– Manufacturing quality control test
• Based on IEC Standard
• 100% finished product

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 Quality Control Testing
• Sample Test
– Based on IEC Standard
– Every 10kM produced
– Commencement of contract & before Factory Acceptance
Test (FAT)
• Factory Acceptance Test
– Based on IEC Standard (Routine Test)
– 10% sample
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 No
Distribution Technical
Request for New Tech Spec Approve
Committee

Yes
No

Prepare Draft Yes

Comments
Distribute to
End Users

Technical Working
Get Feedback Committee

END
Yes No
Feedback Prepare Final Draft

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 TNB UG Cable Installation Practice
• Direct buried
– Open trench
• Laid in Duct
– Busy & congested areas (HDPE / PVC pipes)
– Road / railway / stream / river crossing (HDD)
• Laid in Duct bank
– No dig policy
– Putrajaya
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 TNB UG Cable Installation Practice
• Laid in dedicated precast concrete trench
– No Dig Policy
• Medini – Iskandar Malaysia
• Utility tunnel
– Laid on cable tray
– No Dig Policy
• Putrajaya

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 Direct Buried (Before 2008)

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 Direct Buried (After 2008)

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 Direct Buried (After 2008)

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 Direct Buried

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 Cross-section of direct buried LV, 11, 22kV Cables

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 uPVC Cable Protection Slab

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 Mechanical Protection for Cables

11& 22kV Cables 33kV Cables

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 Mechanical Protection for Cables

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 River Crossing – Cable Bridge

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 Class B PVC Ducts

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 Exposed Duct : PE Vs PVC

Source : BICC Electric Cables Handbook, 3rd edition, Pg 95

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HDD – Road, Railway, Small river crossing

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 HDPE Grade PN10 Ducts

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 Cable Laying (MEDINI – Iskandar Malaysia)
No Dig Policy

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 Pre-Cast Concrete Trench Turf

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 Cable Laying (Putrajaya)
No Dig Policy

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• Single core cable installation
– LV cable
• Limitation on length allowed
• Safety / Fault current return path

– MV cable
• Single point bonding
• Both end bonding
• Cross bonding

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• Single core cable installation
– MV cable
• Single point bonding
– Sheath induce voltage - <50V
– Fault current return path
• Both end bonding
– Sheath circulation current
– De-rating of cable current carrying capacity
• Cross bonding
– Link box maintenance
– Sheath voltage management
– Sheath current monitoring

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 Sheath voltage α Load Current & Length of Cable

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 Single core cable sheath Bonding
Cross Bonding System

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 Effect of Bonding Types
Cable Laid in Trefoil Formation

Trefoil Direct buried in backfill (native soil = 1.5, backfill=1.2), cable depth = 3.5 ft, trench width = 1.64 ft
Induced
Induced
Ampacity sheath
No Cable Bonding type sheath
(A) current
voltage (V/km)
(A)
Both end 485 28.4 -
1 11 kV 1C 500 Single end 493 - 28.6
Both end 488 278.6 -
Single end 570 - 32.6
2 33 kV 1C 630 Perfect cross bond 570 - 0
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 Laying of Single Core Cables

Flat Formation Trefoil Formation

•Higher Ampacity (Flat non
touching)
•Voltage unbalance must kept
<2%
•Need to transpose core at each
cross bonding joint
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•Lower Ampacity
•No voltage unbalance
•No need for core transpose at
cross bonding joint
•Simple and easy to manage
•No confusion during fault
location
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 Do not lay single core cable in GI pipe !

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 Flat formation with Core Transposition & Cross
Bonding

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 Trefoil formation with cross bonding

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 Cross Bonding Joint & Link Box

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 Link Box

33kV Link Box

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 Link Box

11&22kV Link Box

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 Single Core Cable Maintenance Test

Sheath Voltage & Current Measurment

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 TNB’s MV System Breakdown Statistic
MV INTERRUPTIONS BY COMPONENTS FOR FY 0910

1613, 12%

7935, 59%
3880, 29%

Underground System
contributes 59% of MV Interruptions

Overhead Substation Underground

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 MVUG Cable Failure FY2010/2011

980, 12%

787, 10%
3299, 42%

2868, 36%

Cable Joint Termination Third Party

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 TNB MVUG Cable Maintenance Practices
• Maintenance required for MVUG cable?
– 3 cores cable
– 1 core cable

• What maintenance do you do for MVUG cable

system?

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 TNB MVUG Cable Maintenance Practices
• Insulation integrity
• Sheath Integrity
• Connection Integrity

• Tier 1 (common test)

• Tier 2 (Special test)

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 TNB MVUG Cable Maintenance Practices
• Insulation Integrity
– IR, PI , DAR – Tier 1
– Tan Delta – Tier 2
– PD Mapping –Tier 2
– Dielectric Spectroscopy – Tier 2
– HVDC* - Tier 1 (PILC)

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 TNB MVUG Cable Maintenance Practices
• Sheath Integrity
– Sheath test – Tier 1
• Commissioning
• Maintenance (In service)
• After repair
• Connection Integrity
– Contact resistance – Tier 1
• New & after repair (connector)
• Thermography (Bad contact)
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 Condition Monitoring
XLPE PILC LV
Technologies
1Commissio 2In- 3After Commission In- After Commission In- After
Purpose Technologies
ning Service Repair ing Service Repair ing Service Repair
        
Insulation
Resistance   
PI test
DAR test
  

Tan-delta      
Insulation
Integrity
Partial
Discharge      
Mapping

Dielectric
    
Spectroscopy

HVDC 4   

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 Condition Monitoring
XLPE PILC LV
Technologies
1Commi 2In- 3After Commi In- After Commis In- After
Purpose Technologies
ssioning Service Repair ssioning Service Repair sioning Service Repair

Sheath HVDC Sheath

  
Integrity5 Test 6

Contact
     
Resistance Test

Integrity of Metallic Sheath

        
Connections Continuity

Thermography   

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 Insulation Resistance Test (IR)

This test is done on cables at regular interval of 24

months for MV cables and 60 months for LV cables
under normal condition. This test results are considered
for condition assessment while the cable is in service.

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 Insulation Resistance Test (IR)
• Insulation Resistance Test
is the specific resistivity of the cable insulation
(Ωm)
is the length of cable (m)
is the external radii of insulation
is the internal radii of insulation

•Insulation resistance is temperature sensitive

•Long test time is needed to allow for charging current to ceased
•Reading is length dependent

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 Insulation Resistance Test (IR)

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 Insulation Resistance Test (IR)

PI = Polarization Index = R10 / R1

Insulation resistance measurement values are recorded at 1

minute and 10 minutes of voltage application.

The ratio at 10 minutes to 1 minute will determine the

polarization index value.

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 Results Classification Action
Normal. The monitoring periodicity of 24
PI value ≥ 3.0 Excellent months for MV cables and 60 months for
LV cables can be maintained.

The monitoring periodicity should be

1.5< PI value < 3.0 Good revised to 6 months for MV cables and 24
months for LV cables.

The monitoring periodicity should be

1.0< PI value < 1.5 Moderate revised to 3 months for MV cables and 12
months for LV cables.

Remove the Cable from service and

PI value < 1.0 Bad / Dangerous perform Tier 2 tests (if applicable)
immediately for MV cable. Replace LV
cables.

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 Insulation Resistance Test (IR)

DAR = Dielectric Absorption Ratio = R60 / R30

Insulation resistance measurement values are recorded at 30

second and 60 second of voltage application.

The ratio at 60 Second to 30 second will determine the

Dielectric Absorption Ratio value.

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 Results Classification Action
Normal. The monitoring periodicity
DAR value ≥ 1.6 Excellent of 24 months for MV cables and 60
months for LV cables can be
maintained.
The monitoring periodicity should
1.< DAR value < Good be revised to 6 months for MV
1.5 cables and 24 months for LV cables.
The monitoring periodicity should
1.0 < DAR value < Moderate be revised to 3 months for MV
1.1 cables and 12 months for LV cables.
Remove the Cable from service and
DAR value < 1.0 Bad / Dangerous perform Tier 2 tests (if applicable)
immediately for MV cable. Replace
LV cables.

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 Tangent Delta (Tan ∂) Test

This test is done on cables at regular interval of 24 months

under normal condition. This test results are considered for
condition assessment while the cable is in service.

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 Results Action
XLPE: Normal. The monitoring periodicity of all Tier 1 tests
tan δ (2 U0) < 1.2 E-3 and can be maintained at 24 months. Practice Tan delta
[tan δ (2 U0) - tan δ (U0)] < 0.6 E-3 test if necessary.
PILC:
tan δ (50Hz) < 2.3 E-3
XLPE: Retest the cable for Tan delta test after 6 months.
1.2 E-3 ≥ tan δ (2 U0) < 2.2 E-3 and The monitoring periodicity of all Tier 1 tests should
0.6 E-3 ≥ [tan δ (2 U0) - tan δ (U0)] < 1.0 E-3 be revised to 6 months.
PILC:
2.3 E-3 < tan δ (50Hz) < 3.0 E-3
XLPE: Retest the cable for Tan delta test after 3 months.
2.2 E-3 ≥ tan δ (2 U0) < 2.8 E-3 and Arrange for replacement of defective section(s).
1.0 E-3 ≥ [tan δ (2 U0) - tan δ (U0)] < 1.5 E-3
PILC:
3.0 E-3 < tan δ (50Hz) < 3.5 E-3
XLPE: Indicates serious problem requiring immediate
tan δ (2 U0) ≥ 2.8 E-3 or evaluation, additional testing and consultation with
[tan δ (2 U0) - tan δ (U0)] ≥ 1.5 E-3 experts. Recommendation is to remove from service
PILC: immediately and replace the cable..
tan δ (50Hz)
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 Tan ∂ Measurement

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 PD Mapping

High Voltage Part Operator Desk

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 Joint

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 PD Mapping
Results Action
Severity Index < 2 Normal. The monitoring periodicity of all Tier 1 tests can be maintained
at 24 months. Practice partial discharge test if necessary.

2 < Severity Index < 5 Retest the cable for partial discharge after 6 months. The monitoring
periodicity of all Tier 1 tests should be revised to 6 months.

5 < Severity Index < 7 Retest the cable for partial discharge after 3 months. Arrange for
replacement of defective section(s).

Severity Index > 7 Indicates serious problem requiring immediate evaluation, additional
testing and consultation with experts. Recommendation is to remove from
service immediately and replace the cable.

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 Sheath Integrity Test

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 VLF Withstand Test

• Replacement test system for HV DC for XLPE cables

• Destructive test
• To proactively flush out weak spot in cable system
• Also used as High Voltage Source for PD Mapping

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 VLF Withstand Test
Before 2007
• Commissioning Test &
• Routine Maintenance Test
– Test Voltage 3Uo
– Test Duration 60 min
– Test Frequency 0.1Hz, 0.05Hz, 0.02Hz

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 VLF Withstand Test
Since 2007/8
• Commissioning Test
– New cables
• Test voltage 2.0Uo
Alternative to VLF Withstand
• Test duration 30min
Test – 24 hour system voltage
• Test Frequency 0.1Hz SOAK Test
– After fault repaired
• Test voltage 1.6Uo
• Test duration 15min
• Test Frequency 0.1Hz
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 TNB’s Experience
Duration Nos. of failure %
(Minutes)
0-12 1472 67.62

13-30 496 21.54

31-45 129 5.93

46-60 107 4.92

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 IEEE Std 400.2–2004
IEEE Guide for Field Testing of Shielded Power Cable Systems Using
Very Low Frequency (VLF)

• The results of field tests on over 15000 XLPE cable circuits

tested showed that ~68% of the recorded failures occurred
within 12 minutes, ~89% within 30 minutes, ~95% after 45
minutes, and 100% after 60 minutes (Moh [B17]).

• The recommended testing time varies between 15 and 60

minutes, although the data in Moh [B17] suggest a testing
time of 30 minutes.
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 Future Development

• Cable Design & Construction

– Tree Retardant (TR-XLPE)
– Stringent requirement on insulation compound cleanliness
– Strict requirement on eccentricity of cable core
– Fully bonded insulation screen
– Water tight cable construction

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 Future Development

• Cable Operation & Maintenance

– Sheath Integrity test for 3 core cables
– Advance CBM diagnostic test
• On-line PD Detection & Location

– Monitoring of Water Tree in MVUG Cables

• Dielectric Spectroscopy test
• Polarization & Depolarization Current Measurement
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 Dielectric Spectroscopy

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 Dielectric Spectroscopy (DS) Test

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 Conclusion
• TNB continuously seek to improve its MVUG
cable system performance via
– Improve quality of cable and its accessories
– Adopt new Accessories technology
– Adopt new methodology for
• Installation method
• Condition based maintenance practice
• New diagnostic tools
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 Thank You
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