Experimental Investigation and Modelling of the Incipient Fault of Low-Voltage XLPE Cables in Wet Environments

The study of incipient faults due to insulation defects in cables is crucial for preventing electrical fires and ensuring personal safety. However, research on incipient faults in low-voltage cables remains relatively underexplored compared to that on medium-voltage cables. This paper focuses on low...

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Main Authors: Chen Zeng, Yunhe Wang, Miaomiao Wu, Yanru Lei, Jing Yong, Xiaojing Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/8/4524
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author Chen Zeng
Yunhe Wang
Miaomiao Wu
Yanru Lei
Jing Yong
Xiaojing Wang
author_facet Chen Zeng
Yunhe Wang
Miaomiao Wu
Yanru Lei
Jing Yong
Xiaojing Wang
author_sort Chen Zeng
collection DOAJ
description The study of incipient faults due to insulation defects in cables is crucial for preventing electrical fires and ensuring personal safety. However, research on incipient faults in low-voltage cables remains relatively underexplored compared to that on medium-voltage cables. This paper focuses on low-voltage cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables and investigates the changes in voltage and current caused by insulation defects in different wet conditions. The main findings are that the voltage applied to the cable with defective insulation shows sub-cycle disturbances that become more frequent. The current in the cable conductor shows a pulsed shape, coincident with the voltage disturbances. Over time, the sub-cycle disturbances gradually disappear, instead, the steady-state leakage current emerges. The wet conditions affect waveforms of the voltage/current disturbance and the frequency of occurrence. The findings provide detailed and unique characteristics of the voltage and current during the cable incipient fault, which are different from those of the incipient fault in the medium-voltage cables. The simulation and analysis support the experimental results. Based on the experimental results, a model is developed for further research on LV-cable incipient fault detection and protection.
format Article
id doaj-art-eab63ccf982f46bfa6cd869d6e0cc96e
institution OA Journals
issn 2076-3417
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Applied Sciences
spelling doaj-art-eab63ccf982f46bfa6cd869d6e0cc96e2025-08-20T02:28:40ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-04-01158452410.3390/app15084524Experimental Investigation and Modelling of the Incipient Fault of Low-Voltage XLPE Cables in Wet EnvironmentsChen Zeng0Yunhe Wang1Miaomiao Wu2Yanru Lei3Jing Yong4Xiaojing Wang5State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment Technology, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaThe study of incipient faults due to insulation defects in cables is crucial for preventing electrical fires and ensuring personal safety. However, research on incipient faults in low-voltage cables remains relatively underexplored compared to that on medium-voltage cables. This paper focuses on low-voltage cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables and investigates the changes in voltage and current caused by insulation defects in different wet conditions. The main findings are that the voltage applied to the cable with defective insulation shows sub-cycle disturbances that become more frequent. The current in the cable conductor shows a pulsed shape, coincident with the voltage disturbances. Over time, the sub-cycle disturbances gradually disappear, instead, the steady-state leakage current emerges. The wet conditions affect waveforms of the voltage/current disturbance and the frequency of occurrence. The findings provide detailed and unique characteristics of the voltage and current during the cable incipient fault, which are different from those of the incipient fault in the medium-voltage cables. The simulation and analysis support the experimental results. Based on the experimental results, a model is developed for further research on LV-cable incipient fault detection and protection.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/8/4524low-voltage cableswet environmentincipient faultcharacteristics of voltage and currentincipient fault model
spellingShingle Chen Zeng
Yunhe Wang
Miaomiao Wu
Yanru Lei
Jing Yong
Xiaojing Wang
Experimental Investigation and Modelling of the Incipient Fault of Low-Voltage XLPE Cables in Wet Environments
Applied Sciences
low-voltage cables
wet environment
incipient fault
characteristics of voltage and current
incipient fault model
title Experimental Investigation and Modelling of the Incipient Fault of Low-Voltage XLPE Cables in Wet Environments
title_full Experimental Investigation and Modelling of the Incipient Fault of Low-Voltage XLPE Cables in Wet Environments
title_fullStr Experimental Investigation and Modelling of the Incipient Fault of Low-Voltage XLPE Cables in Wet Environments
title_full_unstemmed Experimental Investigation and Modelling of the Incipient Fault of Low-Voltage XLPE Cables in Wet Environments
title_short Experimental Investigation and Modelling of the Incipient Fault of Low-Voltage XLPE Cables in Wet Environments
title_sort experimental investigation and modelling of the incipient fault of low voltage xlpe cables in wet environments
topic low-voltage cables
wet environment
incipient fault
characteristics of voltage and current
incipient fault model
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/8/4524
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AT yunhewang experimentalinvestigationandmodellingoftheincipientfaultoflowvoltagexlpecablesinwetenvironments
AT miaomiaowu experimentalinvestigationandmodellingoftheincipientfaultoflowvoltagexlpecablesinwetenvironments
AT yanrulei experimentalinvestigationandmodellingoftheincipientfaultoflowvoltagexlpecablesinwetenvironments
AT jingyong experimentalinvestigationandmodellingoftheincipientfaultoflowvoltagexlpecablesinwetenvironments
AT xiaojingwang experimentalinvestigationandmodellingoftheincipientfaultoflowvoltagexlpecablesinwetenvironments