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Stress Control: Equipotential Lines 20% 40% 60% 80%

The document discusses stress control methods for shielded cable terminations. When the shield is removed at the termination, it creates a discontinuity that results in high electric stresses. There are two main methods to control this stress: 1) Geometric stress control extends the shield to reduce the stress concentration. 2) Capacitive stress control uses a high dielectric constant material at the shield end to redistribute the electric field and equalize stresses. Both methods aim to reduce the stress from several hundred volts per mil to acceptable values below 50 volts per mil.

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Jalal Albadri
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33 views

Stress Control: Equipotential Lines 20% 40% 60% 80%

The document discusses stress control methods for shielded cable terminations. When the shield is removed at the termination, it creates a discontinuity that results in high electric stresses. There are two main methods to control this stress: 1) Geometric stress control extends the shield to reduce the stress concentration. 2) Capacitive stress control uses a high dielectric constant material at the shield end to redistribute the electric field and equalize stresses. Both methods aim to reduce the stress from several hundred volts per mil to acceptable values below 50 volts per mil.

Uploaded by

Jalal Albadri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Stress Control Equipotential Lines

In a continuous shielded cable, the


electric field is uniform along the 20%
cable axis, and there is variation
in the field only in a radial section. 40%
Figures 8 and 9 show the field
distribution over such a radial 60%
section. The spacing of the electric
flux lines and the corresponding 80%
equipotential lines is closer in the
vicinity of the conductor than at the
shield, indicating a higher electric
100%
stress on the insulation near the
conductor. This stress increase, or
concentration, is a direct result of Figure 8
the geometry of the conductor
and shield in the cable section
and is accommodated in practical
cables by insulation thickness Electric Flux Lines
sufficient to keep the stress on the
insulation near the cable’s outside
diameter within acceptable values.

In terminating a shielded cable, it


is necessary to remove the shield
to a point some distance from
the exposed conductor as shown
in Figure 10. This is to secure a
sufficient length of insulation
surface to prevent breakdown
along the interface between the
cable insulation and the insulating
material to be applied in the Figure 9
termination. The particular
length required is determined
by the operating voltage and
the properties of the insulating
materials. This removal of a
portion of the shield results in a
discontinuity in the axial geometry
of the cable, with the result
being that the electrical field is
no longer uniform axially along
the cable, but exhibits variations
in three dimensions.

Figure 10

20
Electric Flux Lines

Figure 11

Equipotential Lines
50% 60%
40%

80%
20%

Figure 12

Figure 11 shows the electric field in the vicinity of the shield discontinuity.
The electric flux lines originating along the conductor are seen to converge
on the end of the shield with the attendant close spacing of the equipoten-
tial lines signifying the presence of high electric stresses in this area. This
stress concentration is of much greater magnitude than that occurring near
the conductor in the continuous cable, and as a result, steps must be taken
to reduce the stresses occurring near the end of the shield if cable insulation
failure is to be avoided.

All terminations must at least provide stress control. This stress control may
be accomplished by two commonly used methods:

1. Geometric stress control


2. Capacitive stress control

21
1. Geometric
stress control
This method involves an extension
of the shielding (Figure 13), which
expands the diameter at which the
terminating discontinuity occurs
and, as a result, reduces the stress
at the discontinuity. It also reduces
stresses by enlarging the radius of
the shield end at the discontinuity.
(Figures 14 and 15)
Figure 13

Electric Flux Lines

Figure 14

Equipotential Lines
40%

20% 50%
60%
80%

Figure 15

22
2. Capacitive
stress control
This method consists of a material
possessing a high dielectric
constant (K), generally in the range
of K30, and also a high dielectric
strength.
K3
Dielectric Constant = K: K30
A measurement of the ability of a
material to store a charge.
Figure 16
Material K
Air 1
Cable Insulation 3
130 C Tape 3
High K Material 30
Electric Flux Lines

This K is generally an order of


magnitude higher than the cable
insulation. Located at the end of
the shield cut-back, the material
capacitively changes the voltage
distribution in the electrical field
K3
K30
surrounding the shield terminus.
Lines of electrical flux are regulated
to equalize the electrical stresses Figure 17
in a controlled manner along the
entire area where the shielding has
been removed. (Figures 16 and 17)
40% Equipotential Lines
By changing the electrical field
surrounding the termination, the 50%
stress concentration is reduced 20%
60%
from several hundred volts per
80%
mil to values found in continuous
cable — usually less than 50 volts
per mil at rated cable voltage. (For
a detailed technical explanation
see “High Dielectric Constant
Materials for Primary Voltage Cable
Termination” by P.N. Nelson and
H.C. Hervig, 3M Company.)

Figure 18

23

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