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Thermal performance of high voltage power cables

Thermal performance of high voltage power cables
Thermal performance of high voltage power cables
The UK high voltage electricity transmission network continues to face annual rises in demand, with ever greater volumes of power supplied to load centres throughout the country. To operate this network effectively, it is vital to accurately calculate the maximum allowable electric current which can be safely carried by each component in the power system. In high voltage power cables, this limit is defined by the maximum operating temperature of the cable insulation. Specify this current rating to be too low and the cable asset will never be used to its full potential; conversely setting the rating to be too high risks damage to the asset as the excessive heating can cause premature failure. Thus the rating calculation must be optimised to maintain security of supply by minimising the risk of cable failure, while also maximising the returns from capital investment on the power network. This project has employed a variety of mathematical techniques to improve the methods by which current ratings are calculated. Modern computational techniques such as finite element analysis (e.g Figure 1) and computational fluid dynamics are used to create more advanced circuit rating techniques. These have been compared and refined with input gained from field data. By eliminating simplifications from existing methods, it has been possible to identify ways of increasing the utilisation of the existing network. In addition the new techniques allow examination of the potential benefits of future developments in cable technology. Benefits are being derived from this work on both a day to day and strategic planning levels. For instance, by re-evaluating the current rating method for cables installed in tunnels, it has proved possible to consider the benefits from co-locating more cables in one tunnel to best use these expensive assets. The application of this method has allowed the quantification of the benefits which might be available from next generation cable technologies, enabling the prioritisation of future research effort in cable materials. Upon completion, the knowledge gained from this work is to be used to revise the international standard on calculating current ratings in cable tunnels. Techniques such as these underpin the concept of smart grids with improved operational flexibility and capability. Simultaneously the requirement to build expensive new components into the network is limited, whilst still meeting the need to supply ever increasing volumes of power across the country.
6
Pilgrim, J.A.
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Swaffield, D.J.
a49c59cd-9f76-456a-a948-a479b9a1c154
Lewin, P.L.
78b4fc49-1cb3-4db9-ba90-3ae70c0f639e
Payne, D.
9a783127-bf02-4dfd-9a73-501a091a80df
Pilgrim, J.A.
4b4f7933-1cd8-474f-bf69-39cefc376ab7
Swaffield, D.J.
a49c59cd-9f76-456a-a948-a479b9a1c154
Lewin, P.L.
78b4fc49-1cb3-4db9-ba90-3ae70c0f639e
Payne, D.
9a783127-bf02-4dfd-9a73-501a091a80df

Pilgrim, J.A., Swaffield, D.J., Lewin, P.L. and Payne, D. (2011) Thermal performance of high voltage power cables. UHVnet 2011, Winchester, United Kingdom. 18 - 19 Jan 2011. p. 6 .

Record type: Conference or Workshop Item (Other)

Abstract

The UK high voltage electricity transmission network continues to face annual rises in demand, with ever greater volumes of power supplied to load centres throughout the country. To operate this network effectively, it is vital to accurately calculate the maximum allowable electric current which can be safely carried by each component in the power system. In high voltage power cables, this limit is defined by the maximum operating temperature of the cable insulation. Specify this current rating to be too low and the cable asset will never be used to its full potential; conversely setting the rating to be too high risks damage to the asset as the excessive heating can cause premature failure. Thus the rating calculation must be optimised to maintain security of supply by minimising the risk of cable failure, while also maximising the returns from capital investment on the power network. This project has employed a variety of mathematical techniques to improve the methods by which current ratings are calculated. Modern computational techniques such as finite element analysis (e.g Figure 1) and computational fluid dynamics are used to create more advanced circuit rating techniques. These have been compared and refined with input gained from field data. By eliminating simplifications from existing methods, it has been possible to identify ways of increasing the utilisation of the existing network. In addition the new techniques allow examination of the potential benefits of future developments in cable technology. Benefits are being derived from this work on both a day to day and strategic planning levels. For instance, by re-evaluating the current rating method for cables installed in tunnels, it has proved possible to consider the benefits from co-locating more cables in one tunnel to best use these expensive assets. The application of this method has allowed the quantification of the benefits which might be available from next generation cable technologies, enabling the prioritisation of future research effort in cable materials. Upon completion, the knowledge gained from this work is to be used to revise the international standard on calculating current ratings in cable tunnels. Techniques such as these underpin the concept of smart grids with improved operational flexibility and capability. Simultaneously the requirement to build expensive new components into the network is limited, whilst still meeting the need to supply ever increasing volumes of power across the country.

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More information

Published date: 18 January 2011
Additional Information: Event Dates: 18-19 January 2011
Venue - Dates: UHVnet 2011, Winchester, United Kingdom, 2011-01-18 - 2011-01-19
Organisations: Electronics & Computer Science, EEE

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 271874
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/271874
PURE UUID: 633ab8eb-6db9-46ec-bfbe-06ccb23e0174
ORCID for J.A. Pilgrim: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2444-2116
ORCID for P.L. Lewin: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3299-2556

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 07 Jan 2011 00:25
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:25

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Contributors

Author: J.A. Pilgrim ORCID iD
Author: D.J. Swaffield
Author: P.L. Lewin ORCID iD
Author: D. Payne

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