Experimental Investigation of Electrical Parameter Variations in XLPE Insulated MV Cables Under Heating Cycle Tests

Türkçe

This study presents an experimental approach to evaluate the insulation performance of medium-voltage power cables. A combination of partial discharge (PD), dielectric dissipation factor (tan δ), and heating cycle tests was used to examine the dielectric strength and durability of the insulation material in detail. The experiments were conducted on a 20.3/35 kV cable, and the standard 20-cycle heating test was deliberately extended to 40 cycles. Thus, a clearer understanding of the cable’s response under long-term and accelerated thermal aging conditions is obtained. The measurements of PD and tan δ offered critical data for detecting small degradations within the insulation, including dielectric losses, micro-cracks, and possible structural weaknesses. Although the cable is exposed to two sets of heating cycles, the cable insulation showed no failures, and all values remained within the limits specified by the standards. The results indicate that the tested cable can maintain stable and safe performance even under demanding operating conditions. These findings confirm that both the material quality and the design of the cable provide a high level of endurance and reliability, making it suitable for long-term applications in the field.