Novel Insulation Materials for High Voltage Cable Systems

Abstract

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) has replaced oil-paper insulated systems as the primary solution for medium and high voltage AC cables decades ago, since they enable marginally higher operating temperatures and can be produced with high throughput and well-controlled extrusion technology [1]. The base for this insulation is polyethylene (PE), which can be crosslinked either with peroxide cure (involving thermal decomposition), or by grafting silane onto the polymer chains, and the use of moisture-based cure [2]. Cross-linking is deemed necessary, since commercially available, branched low-density PE (LDPE) has more significant melting at temperatures around 100°C and the material loses all of its mechanical stability. In contrast, linear high-density PE (HDPE) has a higher melting point and can achieve higher operating temperatures. But, although HDPE found some success in medium voltage cables, it has not managed to establish a foothold in the high voltage (HV) cable sector [3]. After decades of research, conventional XLPE is at the limit of its capabilities, as outlined below, and further development is bound to have diminishing returns. Further, the costs of large extrusion and catenary cross-linking manufacturing facilities and the costs and time of degassing larger cross-section HV and extrahigh voltage cables present significant sustainability issues for cable manufacturers.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Thomas Andritsch: orcid.org/0000-0002-3462-022X

ORCID for Alun Vaughan: orcid.org/0000-0002-0535-513X

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