Nordic Insulation Symposium - Nord-IS 13 - Trondheim, Norway, June 9 - 12, 2013

P. Mohaupt, K. Misteli, H. Geyer

Mohaupt High Voltage GmbH, Austria

manufactured and tested up to 200kV with close to 1µF

load capacitance.
A new testing method for testing long and extra-long
high voltage cables, called Differential Resonance
Technology (DRT) is presented. The working principle,
the application, as well as the several challenges for The demand for testing long and extra-long HV and
onsite testing in an on- and offshore environment are UHV cables such as submarine cables has considerably
described. increased over the last years. Established test
techniques using a variable frequency resonant circuit
reach their limit due to the size, weight and handling of
the required components. A new testing technology
based on DRT was recently published by the authors in
This is a description of a new method for testing long [1,2]. This testing technology has now been
and extra-long high voltage cables, called Differential implemented in a unit for field operation up to 200kV
Resonance Technology (DRT). Discussed are the (see Fig.1).
working principle, the application as well as the
background for onsite testing especially relating to wind
farms.

In the last few years, the demand for testing extra-long

cables, such as submarine cables has grown rapidly. The
traditional testing methods have been complemented by
a new testing technology called DRT (Differential
Resonance Technology). This method enables testing of
extra-long cables with comparably small and light-
weight equipment using a very low frequency (VLF) for
the test voltage, e.g. 0.1Hz up to 5Hz. This also leads to
a significantly lower power requirement of the test
source [1].
In a resonant circuit only the losses of the generator’s
individual components, specifically the high voltage
reactor, have to be covered by the mains. The testing
power itself remains fully compensated. Typical ratios
between the testing power and the input power of Fig. 1: On Site Test System DRT200-1, 200kV, 1µF
resonant test systems start at 50 and go up to 100,
depending on the load. Unfortunately, voltage
Fig. 2 shows the basic working principle of a DRT
generation based on inductive generation principles
system. The capacitive load (test object) is charged by a
such as resonant circuits cannot be used economically
sinusoidal beat frequency oscillation (BFO) over a
for frequencies below 10Hz due to the massive iron
demodulator setup (switched valve unit - SVU). The
cores needed for such a low frequency.
beat frequency oscillation consists of the carrier
The DRT method for the generation of low frequency
frequency in the range of 1kHz, whose amplitude is
high voltage is based on a high frequency voltage whose
modulated by the desired test frequency of, e.g., 0.1Hz
amplitude is modulated by the desired low frequency.
or higher. Therein, a resonant circuit tuned to the carrier
Using a resonator, which is tuned to the high frequency,
frequency allows for the simple generation of the
and a demodulator, the desired low frequency high
necessary high voltages. The output frequency can be
voltage can be generated [1,2]. The input power
easily changed in the range from 0.1Hz up to 5 or even
required - and in direct relation the size and weight of
10Hz by changing the modulation frequency. Higher
the equipment - is significantly smaller than for other
frequencies, however, require a higher input power of
existing methods.
the system which implies that the system components
The theoretical approach was experimentally
need to be designed for that. The patented [4,5] working
substantiated by measuring the output voltage and the
principle of a DRT system is described in more detail in
input power of a prototype unit ultimately designed to
[1,2,3,6].
produce 200 kV rms. Meanwhile the first units were

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 Nordic Insulation Symposium - Nord-IS 13 - Trondheim, Norway, June 9 - 12, 2013

demodulator (SVU) Although all components of high and extra high voltage
cables for transmission systems are factory routine
tested before deployment, this does not guarantee a
flawless operational start or continued operations for the
resonator
inductor complete transmission system. The dependency on a
high voltage infrastructure is ever increasing and
disruptions in transmission are affecting more and more
power users, hence becoming less accepted. The change in grid
modul topology resulting from the increasing amount of
renewables installed, adds to the complexity of the
situation. With the trend to deliver longer cables without
exciter joints to reduce time, effort, cost and – at the same time
Fig. 2: Working principle DRT system – increased reliability of the cable system it is a logical
consequence that thorough testing of the completely
installed system is required The network owners and
Additionally, a DRT system can also do testing at DC operators usually do not accept anymore the traditional
by charging a capacitive load with a charging current of existing solutions such as “24 hour soak tests” or partial
up to several Ampere. A controlled discharge is testing of systems as a final test. The DRT technology
achieved by applying the same constant, but reversed, provides a very cost effective, fast and technologically
current to the test setup. This is realised in one system simple and reliable solution to this problem.
together with a standard DRT setup. Fig. 3 shows the
voltage at the resonance circuit (pink) and at the
output/test object (yellow).

In comparison to land-links, failures on offshore links

have a much higher impact for 2 main reasons: Longer
repair times on complex underwater or offshore
installations result in higher loss of revenues and actual
repair cost are very high due to special equipment and
engineers required to perform the underwater and
offshore inspections and repairs. It is also obvious, that
a disruption in cash flow due to non-delivery can have
severe impact on a network operator’s financial results.
High voltage transmission cables on land on the other
Fig. 3: Resonance Voltage (pink) and output hand are almost always integrated into an existing grid-
voltage (yellow) at 200kV structure, which is designed with certain resilience to
avoid the impact of cable or line disruptions. Based on
these criteria the impact of failures in offshore
connections is significantly higher than those for
comparable land-cables.

High voltage overhead lines are increasingly unpopular

[7,8] and with the need to extend the capacity of high To understand the need for after laying testing, let’s
voltage transmission infrastructure several transmission look at the off-shore wind farm power transmission
network operators are planning to build longer cable connections. Initially most wind farms were relatively
sections at 400kV and higher. Field-test solutions for close to the shoreline, and several windmills were
these deployments are currently unavailable or connected to one transmission link. Power transmission
impractical to use. Furthermore an entire new for the “close” wind farms was implemented by
infrastructure concept has been designed over the last providing multiple connections at 20kV or generation
years to provide transmission connections to large scale voltage, which at land was either connected into the
off-shore wind farms, requiring AC and/or DC links. distribution grid, or was transformed on-shore to a
The DRT systems will provide an excellent solution for higher voltage and connected to the transmission grid.
all these emerging testing requirements.
With the higher capacities per windmill this practice
became unsuitable, and higher voltage connections were
installed to overcome capacity limitations and avoid

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 Nordic Insulation Symposium - Nord-IS 13 - Trondheim, Norway, June 9 - 12, 2013

excessive losses. This required the installation of [4] Patent WO PCT/AT09/00211 00, VLF Test
offshore transformers at a central connection point and a Generator
high-voltage AC connection to the transmission network [5] Patent WO PCT/AT09/00212 00, VLF Test
on-shore, a practice that has now been operational for Generator
some years [9]. [6] W. Kemmetmüller, A. Kugi, “Mathematical
With even larger wind farms and even further offshore Modelling and Analysis of a DRT-VLF High
the transmission links became more powerful and Voltage Test Generator”, e&i – Elektrotechnik und
longer, driven by the continuously increasing power of Informationstechnik, to appear, 2011
the individual windmill and the number of windmills [7] Statnett, What is the value of avoiding overhead
within the parks. These powerful links served multiple lines, Internal publication,
wind farms off-shore and required a direct connection to www.statnett.no/en/About-Statnett/Research-and-
the high voltage transmission grid to avoid bottlenecks innovation-/What-is-the-value-of-avoiding-
in the integration with the existing transmission overhead-lines
infrastructure. These very high capacity wind farms [8] R. Schrott, State of the Art of HV/UHV power
currently favour HVDC connections to the shore and the cables. Elektra 229. 2006
use of AC connections for infield cables. [9] Tennet CDV 09-076 Positioning Paper Infra op Zee,
page 4. Internal publication
As a consequence of this development the need for
testing offshore high voltage AC and DC cables has
strongly emerged, increasingly even more supported by
latest developments in wind farms technology.

Long lengths MV cables are tested already for several

years with MV VLF test equipment. Testing longer
lengths high voltage cables outside a laboratory or
factory is still a challenge today. Clustering several
modules of test equipment onshore is a logistical,
technical and economical mission. Performing these
tests in an offshore environment is beyond any
economic, technical and operational feasibility. Severe
weather conditions with seawater swept over the test
setup can delay a test for several days or weeks, a totally
unacceptable risk and the planning nightmare of each
project manager. This has led to a widespread
acceptance of “24 hour soak tests” as the in use test-
method.
The DRT equipment mentioned above, overcomes all
these limitations, and can carry out onshore and
offshore tests, using VLF and DC in the same totally
encapsulated test equipment, completely weather
agnostic.

[1] P. Mohaupt, A. Bergman, “A New Concept for Test

Equipment for Testing Large HV and UHV Cables
On-site”, CIGRE 2010, Paris, Paper B1_302_2010
[2] P. Mohaupt, T. Mehl, “A New Approach For
Testing Long HV and UHV Cables”, Jicable 2011,
Versailles, Paper 0116 A.8.4
[3] S. Bergman, A. Bergman, “New Reference
Measurement System for Calibration of VLF High
Voltage”, IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas. Vol. 60, no.
7, pp. 2422-2426, July 2011.

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