Frequency dependence parameter analysis of underground cables with and without joint

This paper represents the dielectric investigation of XLPE power cables with and without cable joint (premolded joint) by using polarization and depolarization current (PDC) measurement. To investigate the polarization phenomena of the underground cable (case 1) and the underground cable with the premolded joint (case 2), the XLPE cables with the cross-section area of 240 mm² and 5 m long with rate voltage of 12/20(24) kV with and without premolded joint were used in the experiment. In this research work, the DC voltage of 1,000V was applied to insulation system for measuring polarization current, i_pol(t). Then, suddenly disconnected the DC applied voltage source to short circuit the tested cable to measure depolarization current, i_dep(t), In case 1, the PDC measurement was only for 100 seconds due to its homogeneous insulation of XLPE cable; only conduction current and interfacial polarization current with short relaxation time existed. In case 2, the PDC measurement was done for 2,000 seconds. In this case the polarization current was from XLPE cable mentioned and the interfacial polarization current from the barrier between XLPE cable and cable joint. From the experiment, the frequency dependence of the complex capacitance and dielectric dissipation factor of the underground cable and the underground cable with the premolded joint were analyzed. It is found that the trend of real part of the complex capacitance and the conduction loss of both case studies is not much different. However, the trend of imaginary part of the complex capacitance and polarization loss of both case studies is clearly different. Two peaks of imaginary parts of complex capacitance and polarization loss of the underground cable with joint is from XLPE and the junction of XLPE and joint.