Effects of different ionic solutions on statistical length distribution of water trees in XLPE cable insulation

Tests are conducted to investigate the role of varying concentrations of different salt solutions on the water needle and vented water trees grown in insulation discs cut from transmission class XLPE cables. An increase in salt concentration displayed different effects on the average length of the needle grown trees which depended upon the salt solution used. Statistical length distributions of vented water trees produced at the solid-liquid interface was found to be best described by a 2D Weibull stochastic model, rather than the log-normal model.