Underground

U d d
System
y
Overview
The Underground System
HV Underground Systems
• Lower Loss Designs are in demand
• Longer Lines and Longer Unit Lengths are in demand
• Higher Current Capacity is in demand
• Higher Reliability is Always in demand

Which leads to
• A Need for Better Insulation
• A Need for Better Protection of the
Insulation
• A need for Optimized Arrester
Selection

Graphic
Southwire G
The Underground System
High Voltage Cable

Phase Conductor
Primary Insulation
Metallic Sheath

Jacket
aphic
Southwire Gra

Graphic
Southwire G
The Underground System
The High Voltage
Riser Pole
Phase Arrester
C bl Termination
Cable T i ti

Sheath Voltage Limiter

Tower Ground
The Underground System
Protection of HV Cables with single
point bonded segmented sheaths
requires two types of Arresters

A St
Standard
d d Station
St ti Class
Cl Arrester
A t protects
t t
the primary insulation from failure.

A Sheath Voltage Limiter (low MCOV

distribution arrester without disconnector)
is used to protect the jacket of the cable
d i
during surge events
t on the
th
primary conductor.
The Underground System
Underground Cable Run

Link Box

This System
Thi S t has
h Continuous
C ti
Cross Bonding of the Sheath
p
with no Transposition of the
conductors in the Link Boxes
The Underground System
Underground Cable Run

Link Box

Cross Bonding g and Tranpositioning

p g are
techniques used to reduce steady state loses due
to currents induced onto the shield and circulated
to ground.
ground
The Underground System
Link Box

SVL, Crossover
conductors
d t and
d
interrupter
i
insulation
l ti
Sheath
Sh th Voltage
V lt
Limiter
Characteristics
Sheath Voltage Limiter
Sheath Voltage Limiter
1.Typically
1 T i ll a Distribution
Di t ib ti Class
Cl Arrester
A t
but can be a Station Class
Courtesy of Tridelta 2. Low MCOV ratings 3-22kV typically
applied

3. Metal Oxide Varistors (MOV) are the

Courtesy off Tridelta

y type
only yp of arrester used in this
application.

4. Polymer housed arresters are only

the style available.
Typical SVL Characteristics

Courtesy of Tridelta
Courtesy of Tridelta
Typical TOV data for SVL
Tridelta HC SVL
Link box for 345kV system

Link Box Data

1.Typically water tight

2. Must have same BIL rating as

cable interrupts

3.Must
3 Must be accessible for
maintenance check
Courtesy of General Cable

4.Offer option to cross bond the

sheaths
Sizing
Si i the
th
Sh th
Sheath
Voltage
g
Limiter
 Selecting the Optimum  SVL
1
Arrester Location SVL or Distribution Arrester Arrester Types

2
System Voltages and  Select  Arrester AC Rating  Arrester MCOV 

Arrester Paramete
Neutral Configuration and TOV Capability
meters

Today’s  3
System Param

BIL BSL CWW CFO

BIL, BSL, CWW, CFO Ch k M i f P t ti
Check Margin of Protection FOW, LPL, SPL
Focus
4 TLD, High Current 
Lightning Intensity Check Energy Handling Short Duration 
And Switching Surge
And Switching Surge Capability

ers
Energy 
5 Arrester Short Circuit 
System Fault Current Check Failure Mode  Capability and
Availability and Post BIL Disconnector Operation
6
Installation Parameters
Clearances, Cantilever 
Select and Check Mounting  Arrester Creep, Strike, 
Margin of Protection Re‐
Separation Distance, Lead 
check
Length
Arrester Is Selected
Selecting the SVL MCOV Rating
Step 1: Determine Sheath voltage during a fault
Example (Single Point Bonding with SVL at open end)
Sheath voltage on a flat configured 1000kcmil, 1000m cable
with 25kA (17.5kA rms) system fault using ATP transient
software

heath Voltage (green)

30 6000
[kA] Fault Current
15 [V]
Fault Current (red)

0 -1000
 Sheath Voltage
-15
Maximum Sheath

Sh
-30 Voltage -8000
0 10 20 30 40 [ms] 50
(file SVL_Fault_Analysis.pl4; x-var t) c:FAULT - v:S-OPNA during 17.5kA rms
fault is 3800 V rms

•Sheath diameter 90mm

•Conductor center to center distance 450mm
Selecting the SVL MCOV Rating
Hand calculation of d d = 90mm
Induced Voltage on S = 450mm
S/d = 240/90 = 5
Sheath
1. Determine pphysical
y dimensions
of cable construction S
2. Calculate S/d
1. S = Center to center cable spacing
2
2. D = di
diameter
t off sheath
h th
3. Using Figure 1 of IEEE 575
determine the sheath voltage
gradient for this configuration
g g at
1000 amps.
Selecting the SVL MCOV Rating
Hand calculation of Induced Voltage on Sheath
Step 3
Sheath voltage gradient from
Figure 1 is 200v/km/1000A

Step 4 Determine the voltage for

the length of cable and fault
current level

Max V = L x Vg x I
Where
L = length of cable section in km
Vgg = Sheath Voltage
g Gradient
I = Amplitude of fault current in kA

Max V = 1 x 200 x 17.5

Max V = 3400V rms
Selecting the SVL MCOV Rating
Alternative to Using the IEEE 575 Graph
The general equation for the log linear
curves is:

Where
E is the Sheath Voltage gradient in V/km/kA
k is constant
S is center to center distance between cables
d is diameter of sheath

For Trefoil and center conductor of flat layout

E = 75 x (S/d).466

For outer conductors of flat layout

E = 107 x (S/d).369
Selecting the SVL MCOV Rating
Hand calculation of Induced Voltage on Sheath
Step 4 Choice is HC 6 
Choice is HC 6
Select the SVL that has MCOV one with a 4.8kV 
rating above the Max rms sheath MCOV
voltage for maximum fault for the
given section of line in question
question.

If the cable length was 
2km then HC 10 would be
2km then HC 10 would be 
the correct  choice
Selecting the SVL MCOV Rating
Current in SVL on a 1 and 2km cable run
60
4 8kV MCOV on 1km line
4.8kV 30uA SVL
[uA]

10
current on
1km line
-40
0 10 20 30 40 [ms] 50
(file SVL_Fault_Analysis.pl4; x-var t) c: -SVL1B c: -SVL1A c: -SVL1C

600
[A]
300
550A SVL
current on
0
2km line
4.8kV MCOV on 2km
-300 line

-600
0 10 20 30 40 [ms] 50
(file svl_fault_analysis_with_wrong_svl.pl4; x-var t) c: -SVL1B c: -SVL1A c: -SVL1C

50 400
*10 3 Immediate Failure of SVL 10kJ per half
300
30 cycle and about 50 °C per half cycle
200
10
100

-10 0
0 10 20 30 40 [ms] 50
4.8kV MCOV on(file
2kmsvl_fault_analysis_with_wrong_svl.pl4; x-var t)
line c: -SVL1B c: -SVL1A c: -SVL1C t:JOULES t:TEMP
 Checking Energy Handling
Capability
If the SVL is chosen correctly, it will not adsorb
any energy during a fault.
fault
However it will during a And during a lightning
switching surge surge
SVL Switching Surge Analysis

Large Switching Surge on Primary Conductor

- With a 1MJ
1 energy dissipation off the primary arresters 5kJ/kV
/ MCOV
CO
1.2
[MJ]
0.8

0.4

0.0
14.0 14.5 15.0 15.5 16.0 16.5 [ms] 17.0
(file svl_switching_analysis.pl4; x-var t) e:X0002A- e:X0002C-

- Results in only 4kJ on the SVL which is .5kJ/kV-MCOV

5kJ/kV MCOV
- This energy absorption level is only 25% of a heavy duty
distribution arrester capability
5000 20
4000
3000
10
2000
1000
0 0
14.0 14.5 15.0 15.5 16.0 16.5 [ms] 17.0
(file SVL_Switching_Analysis.pl4; x-var t) t:JOULES t:TEMP
SVL Lightning Surge Analysis

115kA Lightning Surge on Primary Conductor

Th Riser
The Ri Pole
P l Arrester
A t takes
t k 100kA and
d th
the SVL sees 17kA
120
[kA]
100

80

60
Strike 115kA
40
Riser Pole at 100kA
20
SVL 15kA
0

-20
20
0.270 0.285 0.300 0.315 0.330 0.345 [ms] 0.360
(file SVL_Lightning_Analysis.pl4; x-var t) c:X0002A- c:SVL1A - c:XX0025-X0003A

15kA through
g a 4.8kV SVL is not an issue. It appears
pp that as
long as there is a riser pole arrester, the SVL current will not
be significant.
SVL Lightning Surge Analysis
Margin of Protection Analysis
Voltage
g on Sheath at Open
p end without SVL Max = 260kV
300
[kV]
150

-150

-300
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 [ms] 1.6
(file SVL_Lightning_Analysis.pl4; x-var t) v:S-OPNA

Voltage on Sheath at Open end with 4.8kV SVL Max = 16.4kV

20
[kV]
13
6
-1
-8
-15
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 [ms] 3.0
(file SVL_Lightning_Analysis.pl4; x-var t) v:S-OPNA
SVL Lightning Surge Analysis
Margin of Protection Analysis
Voltage on Sheath at Open end with 8.0kV SVL Max = 27kV @15kA
30
[kV]
15

-15

-30
0.0 0.4 0.8 1.2 1.6 [ms] 2.0
(file SVL_Lightning_Analysis.pl4; x-var t) v:S-OPNA

Voltage on Sheath at Open end with 9.6kV SVL Max = 32kV @15kA
40 16
[kA]
[kV]
10
5
4

-30 -2
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 [ms] 3.0
(file SVL_Lightning_Analysis.pl4; x-var t) v:S-OPNA c:SVL1A -
SVL Lightning Surge Analysis
Margin of Protection Analysis
[ MP =( (BIL/V10kA)-1) *100 ]

230kV Sheath  230kV 345kV Sheath 

10kA  345kV
Arrester  Interrupt  to 
Discharge Interrupt  to  Margin of  Margin of 
MCOV
MCOV  Gnd BIL
Gnd BIL  Gnd BIL
Gnd BIL
V l
Voltage P
Protection
i P
Protection
i
Rating Per IEEE 575 Per IEEE 575
kV kV % %
kV
4.8 18 40 120% 60 233%
8 28 40 42% 60 140%
9.6 34 40 17.6% 60 76%

Based on this table, it would be unwise to use any arrester with an

MCOV greater than 8kV mcov on a 230kV circuit. IEEE C62.22
recommends no more than 15% on most insulation.
 In
Summary
O8

Summary
Protection of HV Cables with single
point bonded segmented sheaths
requires two types of Arresters

A St
Standard
d d Station
St ti Class
Cl Arrester
A t protects
t t
the primary insulation from failure.

A Sheath Voltage Limiter (low MCOV

distribution arrester without disconnector)
is used to protect the jacket of the cable
d i
during surge events
t on the
th
primary conductor.
Summary
When Selecting the MCOV Rating
of these Arresters

HV Station Class Arrester

The system line to ground voltage and TOV
determine the MCOV rating.

Sheath Voltage Limiter

The voltage induced on the sheath from a
fault in the phase conductor primarily
determines the MCOV
CO rating off the SVL
S
Summary
When Selecting the MCOV rating
of these Arresters

HV Station Class Arrester

In all cases, the station class arrester will
provide adequate insulation protection.

Sheath Voltage Limiter

For longer segments of cable the AC rating
may need to be closely checked and
optimized farther
f on 230kV
230 lines, but in
most other cases, the Margin of Protection
is not an issue once the AC rating is
determined
Summary
When Selecting the Energy
Rating of these Arresters

HV Station Class Arrester

Use Station Class arrester for most
applications.

Sheath Voltage Limiter

For most cases a standard distribution
class arrester will work.