Chalmers University of Technology
Materials in high voltage
technology
insulating materials
conducting materials
magnetic materials
contacts and resistive materials
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Requirements
Selection of materials is usually based on a compromise
between diverse requirements and required properties
technical function (electrical,
mechanical and thermal properties)
technological properties (workability,
homogeneity, dimensional stability,etc.)
economical aspects
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Conducting materials
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Conducting materials
T = 0 [1 + 0 (T T0 )]
the product is a characteristic
temperature independent constant for
each metallic conductor
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Conducting materials
Copper
Lines
Aluminium
Cables
Steel
Busbars
Other metals and alloys
Machines and apparatus
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Copper
the effect of small additions of various elements on the room
temperature resistivity of copper
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Copper
variation of resistivity with work hardening
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Line conductors
Ferrolines
Aldrey lines
6n wires in nth layer
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Insulating materials
Gaseous
Organic solids
Liquid
- natural
- synthetic
Solid
Inorganic solids
Combined
- natural
- minerals
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Vacuum, Air and SF6
self-restoring
relatively high
breakdown strength
open constructions with air
low permittivity
closed constructions
low losses
non-flammable
(outdoors and indoors)
vacuum and compresses gas insulated
systems
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Liquids
Insulating oils - natural and synthetic
often used as cooling medium
Liquefied gases (nitrogen, helium)
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Solids
porcelain
synthetic resins
glass
polyethylene
mica
synthetic rubbers
paper
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Polymers - properties
depend on .
Polymer
constituents
Additives
Properties
Processing
Design
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Insolation system
An insulation
system is
composed of
different materials
with different
properties. For
optimising such a
system, numerous
factors must be
considered...
electrode geometry
interfaces/boundaries
voltage form
inhomogeneities
electric strength
creepages
thermal properties
processability
r,
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Cable insulation
1 - conductor
2 - conductor screen
3 - main insulation
4 - core screen
5 - return conductor
HV cable - a simple product but
requiring perfect and sophisticated
production techniques
6 - external protection
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Polymer cable design
Metallic shield
Jacket
Conducting
layer
Insulation Conductor
screen
screen
Filler Insulation Conduct or
Conductor: Al, Cu, solid or
stranded
Insulation: EPR, PE, XLPE
Semiconducting screens:
1st taped conductor and insulation
screen
2nd extruded conductor screen
and tape/graphite insulation
screen
3rd extruded conductor and
insulation screen
Fillers
Shield
Jacket: PVC, PE
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Paper-oil cable
50%
25%
Paper - thickness, registration, density, porosity
Oil - viscosity
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Semicon screen
il
i
V
Ed =
=
=
l
Sl S
Vs iR i
Es =
= =
l
l
S
Es = 0.01 [kV mm]
For Es=0.1 kV/mm
required resistivity
Es
=
10 [m]
0.01
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Field grading
electrode grading
permittivity grading
capacitive grading
resistive grading
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Cable stress cone
tangential field Et arises at
the interface of main cable
insulation, which is a weak
spot of the construction - it
should be kept as low as
possible
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Cable stress cone
C1
C2
Calculation steps
potential at point P on the interface
between 2 concentric capacitances C1
and C2
assuming field Et to be constant
deriving y=f(x)
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Cable joint
Et x x
=
E
s y
U
E=
x ln( R r )
U
dx
1
dy =
Et ln( R r ) x
x
y
U ln( x r )
y=
Et ln( R r )
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Field control - Epsilon control
Electric field in an insulation system
combined of different dielectric
materials distributes itself iverseproportionally to the permittivety r
(low r yields high field). This
phenomenon can be used for field
control, for example in a cable with
concentric layers having different r.
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Field control - Geometric control
By making use of the refraction
phenomenon one can influence
the field distribution through
changes in the angle at which
field lines approach the
interface between media. A
good example is a cable
termination (stress cone).
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Field control - Capacitive control
Electric field distribution can be
influenced by introducing metallic
electrodes with floating potentials
into the insulation system. The
electrodes force the field to be
distributed accordingly to the
capacitance between them. Larger
bushings are constructed with
metallic cylinders placed axiconcentric in the insulation.
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Field control - Capacitive control
An optimal field distribution is
obtained if the capacitances between
metallic cylinders are made equal voltage drop over each capacitance is
then equal.
2 0 r l
C=
d
where d is the distance between two
cylinders.
If C is to be constant and r
and d are usually constant,
the optimal field grading is
obtained at
rl = const
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Field control - Resistive control
Distribution of electric field can be
changed by introducing resistive
materials into the insulation system.
This technique is used for example in
cable terminations where a resistive
layer is placed in contact with the
semiconducting screen.
