HVPD-Strathclyde-Alstom DECC HVDC On-Line Cable Monitor Proposal (OLPD-HVDC)

To develop a new High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) cable condition monitoring technology (the ‘HVDC-OLPD’– project working name). This new development technology will use the core condition monitoring technique of on-line partial discharge (OLPD) combined with other electrical condition monitoring modules (including sheath current, transient earth fault (TEF) detection, transient overvoltage recorder and power quality monitoring (PQM) functionalities, to be developed and incorporated in to the final system).

This diagnostic test and monitoring intelligence in the condition monitoring of HVDC cables obtained through the project is seen as the basis for the two key project outputs. It is through the development of this diagnostic intelligence in Phase 1 of the project and then applying this intelligence into through the development of a reliable permanent on-line partial discharge (OLPD) monitoring system for HVDC cables (HVDC-OLPD beta version) at by the end of Phase 2 that will define the success of the project.

The on-line PD detection and location in high voltage AC cables of moderate length (of up to 40km, measured at each end) using OLPD sensors at the cable ends is a mature and widely-used technology (this being one of the core business activities of HVPD). However, the application of these OLPD techniques to longer HVDC cables (of 100km+) is as yet not proven and represents significant additional challenges requiring technical innopvation to solve (see below). No system for long cable monitoring or is available in the marketplace (in fact, the published research in the area of condition monitoring of HVDC cables is very limited).