XLPE-insulated cables temperature monitoring for the determination of their residual life

The issues of cable insulation temperature monitoring are one of the topical problems of the electric power engineering industry. One of the most promising researches in this field is the development of techniques for the cable insulation remaining life determination. It can be calculated using the insulation temperature monitoring data and data about other influences that have a significant effect on the insulation material. The possible ways of the insulation temperature monitoring of XLPE-insulated cable power lines were analyzed. Technical solutions for the use of contact, non-contact temperature sensors and fiber-optic conductors are considered. They depend on the features of the monitoring object. Block diagrams of the cable insulation temperature monitoring are proposed. Experimental cable surface temperature measurement using the multi-zone contact temperature sensors was carried out. The measurement showed uneven distribution of the cable surface temperature both in sunny and cloudy weather. The temperature difference exceeds the sensors inaccuracy and increases with the environment temperature growth. The cable insulation temperature monitoring allows calculating its residual life, determining the location of the defect, implementing thermal protection of the cable and increasing its throughput.