Three-phase single-core cable system with core-redundancy

Heiner Brakelmann Marten Jensen

University of Duisburg-Essen GEO mbH
Energy-Transport and -Storage Enge-Sande

1. Problem

Planning new extension routes for the power grid reinforcement leads directly to the question:
“overhead line or underground cable?”. Amongst all the considered technical and ecological
weighing ups, the economical comparison is mostly the decisive factor [1]. While, for thermal
reasons, the cable has a considerably greater conductor than the overhead line and therefore
noticeably lower loss costs, the overhead line normally causes lower investment costs even in
rural areas. One decisive advantage of a cable route, however, is its better acceptance by the
citizens and, by this, better prospects of a fast realization. As a consequence the approval
procedures for cables within 1-2 years are usually substantially faster than these of overhead
lines. Furthermore interferences to nature and scenery as well as the expenditures for their
compensation are reduced considerably.

Regarding the reliability aspects of supply, the so called (n-1)-redundancy, realised in the
cable route, is often demanded by the utility. This means a twin system for the overhead line,
which, however, is useful in many cases concerning the loss costs [1]. The destruction of
power poles, for example during the gale-force storms in France in 1999, leads to a loss of the
redundancy of the overhead line twin system though.

When undergrounding cables, often two parallel systems are laid into the trench side by side.
For the transmission of great power, the single core cables will not be arranged bundled but in
a flat formation (as in fig. 1b). In order to suppress sheath- or screen-losses by circulating
currents, a cross-bonding of the sheaths/screens is carried out.

The broken line in fig. 1b suggests to provide an additional fourth core instead of a complete
second system. Such a suggestion is already discussed for long rural routes under the aspects
of redundancy and economy in [2]. This principle was realised in 1995 for a short 380°kV-
VPE-cable route of a power station[3]. The copper screens of these cables of only 100 m in
length are only one-side bonded. Moreover it was accepted in [2, 3], that in the case of failure
the installation of the fourth backup core and the setting-up operation will take up hours.

These disadvantages, which possibly are not acceptable for a normal power grid operation, are
avoided by the installation concept which will be described in the following.

2. Installation concept

Fig. 1 explains the advantages of a cable route with only four cores: if a fast switching of the
cores and of their screens is achieved in the case of failure, the expenses for two cable cores
can be saved, while the reliability of the system remains nearly unchanged. This means
approximately the saving of one third of the total cable costs and additionally, for a flat
arrangement, the saving of one third of the trench width. In comparison with the single cable
system, the investment cost will increase by less than one third.

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 a)

c)

b)

Fig. 1: a) Two single core cable systems in trefoil c) Four-core cable system in flat
formation formation
b) like a), but: flat formation

Fig. 2 shows two further possible arrangements of four-core cable systems, where the lower
core is pulled into a pipe for the reason of easy repair and interchangeability.

Fig. 2: Different arrangements of the four-core cable system

a) Three levels b) Two levels
lower core in c) lower core in
a pipe a pipe

The suggested fast-switching principle for the cores is described by fig. 3. A combination of
circuit breakers, realising a single-pole switching from the troubled to the fourth core, will be
needed. For a switching without interruption, in the 110-kV power grid with an inductive
grounded neutral point, economical disconnecting switches can be used. In power grids with
direct neutral earthing however, circuit breakers become necessary.

However, this four-core variant may lead to a serious problem: a cross-bonding of the screens
as in a normal three-core cable system, as shown in fig. 4, can no longer be realised: in the
three-core arrangement the induced longitudinal screen voltages of the three subsections, see
fig. 4b, add up to an insignificant residual voltage Ur, while the induced longitudinal screen
current becomes zero.

2
 S2-1
IL1
S2-2
IL2
S2-3
IL3
S1-1
S1-2
I
S1-3

Fig. 3: Splitting three phases to four cores (S = circuit breaker)

The current split accords fig. 5
Switching-logic: S2-1 closed/S1-1 open or: S2-1 open/S1-1 closed etc.
S2 opens unipolar in the case of failure
Additional disconnection switches, overvoltage protection (arresters) or compensation
installations are not shown here

Dividing the cable installation into four sections like in fig. 5 and cross-bonding cyclically the
screens of the four cores (of which just three are carrying a current: in fig. 5 the first, third and
fourth core), it is true that the longitudinal screen voltage of the three current-carrying, red
marked cores, again, will add to zero (for a symmetrical arrangement). However, the screen
voltage UII (green in fig. 5), which is induced into the currentless core II in the second cross-
bonding section, would last as a driving voltage in the total screen path, compare fig. 6.

UI UII
1 2 3 3 UIII

Ur = 0 UI

UIII UII

I II III
l0 l0 l0
3 l0
Fig. 4: a) Cross-bonding main section in the three core system b) Addition of the symmetrical
with subsections of the same length l0 screen voltages UI, UII , UIII to
(overvoltage arresters are not shown) the driving voltage in the
1 conductor 2 copper screen 3 Outer serving screen path: Ur = 0 V

In fact the cable installations in [2] and [3] are not cross-bonded, which however becomes
necessary for cables of greater conductor cross sections (starting at approx. 500 mm2) and
especially for flat formations. Otherwise the screen losses by circulating screen currents may
increase excessively.

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 I L1 UII I L1
1 2 3

I L2 I L2

I L3 I L3
I II III IV

l0 l0 l0 l0
4 l0

Fig. 5: Division of a four-core cable system into four cross-bonding subsections and cyclical
cross-bonding of the for screens
(overvoltage-arresters at the cross-bonding points are not shown)

A requirement to implement the suggested solution is an arrangement of the four cores in a

way, that, dependent on the operating situation, the three current-carrying cores are arranged
approximately symmetrically which leads to an induction of longitudinal screen voltages of
similar values. This is given in fig. 2a in an ideal way, because any three of the four cores
form a symmetrical triangle. Under the aspects of laying, assembly and repair, in this
arrangement the lower core will be laid into a pipe, which is laid first. The requirement of
similar longitudinal screen voltages holds approximately also for the arrangements of fig. 2b
and 2c, while in the flat arrangement 2c a balance of the longitudinal voltages can be achieved
by a regular transition of the both inner cores.

For the sake of simplicity a completely symmetrical arrangement assumed, according to fig.
2a, as well as a current split of the system according to fig. 5. Therefor, each of the four
screen paths will get induced the voltage UII of the currentless core-sections as a residual
voltage.

UIV
UÍI
UI
UÍ UÍII

UIII U =U =0
UÍV r II

Fig. 6: Screen voltages of the coloured screen path in fig. 5 for a symmetrical cable
arrangement according to fig. 6a
The residual voltage Ur corresponds to the screen-voltage UII of the currentless cores in
subsection II

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It depends on the momentary operating situation, which of the four cores will remain
currentless. In the case of failure, this will naturally be the damaged core. Still for the same
current split (core 2 is currentless), fig. 7 shows the suggested solution to compensate the
residual voltage UII.

First of all the four screens are short-circuited and connected to four pole switch. In the
present example, this switch (KKS) connects to a compensation cable (KK, green), which –
being closely arranged beside the second core – is routed back from the end of the cross
bonding section.

Into this compensation cable the longitudinal voltage (- UII) is induced along the last cross-
bonding section IV, so that the total voltage is reduced to zero in all the four screen paths at
the left end of this cable.

From here, the final problem consists in getting back by means of a connection cable from the
left end of the compensation cable to the right end of the cross bonding section, i.e. without
getting inducing an additional longitudinal voltage into this connecting cable. According to
fig. 7 this can be realised by the fact that this cable (NPK = neutral path cable) changes its
place in each third of section IV, in each third laying close beside one of the three current-
carrying cores. Similar to a normal cross-bonding of a three-phase cable, the voltages of the
sections are added up to zero as well, so that one can call this a neutral path.

Uges = 0 KKS
I L1 - UII
KK
I L2

I L3
NPK
III IV
Fig. 7: Compensation circuit of the screens while the second core is currentless
(only the second of four compensation circuits is shown)
KK compensation cable NPK neutral path cable
KKS switch for the compensation cables

The compensation cable and the neutral path cable are exposed to similar voltage loads like
the corrosion protection of the cable. For this reason, 1 kV-cables can be used, assuming an
adequate, normal overvoltage-protection of the system by arresters.

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Since each of the four cable cores could fail or be currentless, one compensation cable
arrangement has to be realised for each of the four cores according to fig. 7. This means that
one compensation cable has to be laid alongside each cable core of the last section. The
required neutral path cable for the three subsections can be realised by three-core1 kV-cables
with a splitting-up of the cores corresponding to the subsections.

An additional possibility is given by integrating the compensation cable into the construction
of the high voltage cables (“High voltage cable with compensation screen”), actually
realizable by a second copper screen which is insulated against the normal cable screen.
Under the aspect of an induced longitudinal voltage of exactly the same value, this is the
perfect solution which saves effort for laying, positioning and possibly fastening of the
additional cables at the same time.

Fig. 8 illustrates the both possibilities a cable core with two parallel cables (a) and a cable
core with one parallel cable (NPK) and one integrated additional screen as a compensation
conductor (b), respectively.

1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
5 5
NPK 6
NPK 6
9 7
8 8
KK 9

Fig. 8: High voltage cable core in the last subsection

a) compensation cable (KK) and b) like a), but compensation cable
additional neutral path cable integrated as screen (8)
NPK in parallel
1 conductor 2 inner conduction layer 3 el. insulation 4 outer conduction layer 5 cushion
6 copper screen 7 insulation layer 8 additional screen (KK) 9 corrosion protection

2.1 Multiple main sections of the cross-bonding system

When the route length is longer than the length of a cross-bonding main section A (e.g. of
5 km), according to fig. 9 a mirrored arrangement can be carried out as a continuation into the
next main section B. At the end of this main section B and at the beginning of the next main
section C the screens can be solidly bonded again, according to fig. 10.

Thus in the distance of to main-sections, – for example every 10 km, two switches for
compensation cables must be installed. These switches have to be provided with energy, and
they have to be able to be triggered from the end of the cable route, e.g. by means of the cable
screens.

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 KKS
I L1

IL2

IL3
NPK
A-III A-IV B-I B-II
Fig. 9: Continuation of the screen circuit for the transition from main section A to main
section B
(conductor connections and overvoltage-protective arresters are not shown)

B-III B-IV C-I C-II

Fig. 10: Continuation of the screen circuit for the transition from main section B to main
section HA C
(conductor connections and overvoltage-protective arresters are not shown)

3. Comparison of costs

In the following chart 1 some cost estimations are made, comparing the single-core system
without redundancy with the twin system on the one hand and with the four-core system on
the other hand. The rating of the single-core 150-kV-XLPE-cable-system (cross-section of the
copper conductor: 1400 mm2) in an bundled arrangement is, for the case of predominant wind
power transmission [4], approx. 335 MVA.

If the same rating is to be realised by the same cable type, but the cables-cores arranged in a
flat formation with 500 mm distance of the axes, the cross-section of the copper conductors
can be reduced to 1000 mm2. For this, the cables costs of the four-core system do not differ
essentially from that one of the three-core system.

Adding the other costs for planning, trenching, laying, installation, tests etc. results to total
costs for the supposed rural route, which mean an increase of the investment costs of the four-
core system versus the three-core system by approx. 21 %, whereas the for the four-core
system provides a by far higher redundancy.

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 200 410 410 410
400
200
2000
1000 1200

trench (depth*width): 1500*1000 1500*1300 1500*2000

cable type: 2XS2Y 150 kV 2XS2Y 150 kV 2XS2Y 150 kV
3*1*1400/50 2*3*1400/50 4*1*1000/50
rating: MVA 335 335 335
(n-1 system) (n-1 core)
costs
cable T€/km 270 540 280
laying, installation, T€/km 55 110 70
tests
trench T€/km 50 65 90
planning, authori- T€/km 45 55 60
sations etc.
compensation, over- T€/km 20 40 30
voltage protection
circuit-breakers, T€/km - - 10
cross-bonding
total T€/km 440 810 530
relative costs % 100 184 121

Chart 1: Investment costs (per unit length) of a rural route of 30 km length for wind
power transmission (150-kV-XLPE-cables)

4. Conclusions

A single-core cable system is presented, which guarantees (n-1)-redundancy by means of a

fourth core. In contrast to a cost-intensive twin system, such an arrangement is able to save
considerable investment costs.

Comparing a three-core system in a bundled arrangement with the four-core cable system in a
flat arrangement, the latter of the high voltage cable, respectively. According to the trans-
mission capacity, this cost reduction possibly can compensate the costs of the fourth core, so
that the additional costs, caused by the fourth core, are limited. In the chosen example of a
rural cable route the increase of investment costs of the four-core system is not higher than
21 %.

Possibilities to realise a switching of the conductors and the screens without an interruption of
operation as well as the compensation of residual voltages in the cross-bonding system,
caused by the fourth cable, are presented.

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5. References

[1] H. Brakelmann Netzverstärkungs-Trassen zur Übertragung von Windenergie:

Freileitung oder Kabel ?
BWE-Studie, Duisburg, 2004
www.wind-energie.de

[2] D. Karlsson Comparison of 130 kV XLPE cable systems and OH lines

e.a. - loading capability, reliability and planning criteria
CIGRE-Report 37-104, Session 2002

[3] B. Jahnke 380-kV-Kabelanlage für einen Kraftwerksanschluß

D. Speck El.wirtsch. (1996) pp. 1736-1743
K.-H. Weck

[4] H. Brakelmann Bemessung der Landkabel für die Netzanbindung von

F. Richert Windfarmen
to be published in: Bull. SEV (2005)

Appendix:

Fig. 11 shows the compensation circuit in the sections a, b and c. For the case, that in section
IV alongside each of the four HV-cables a three-core 1 kV-cable is placed as compensation
cable and as neutral path cable as well, chart 2 gives the necessary numbers of 1 kV-cores
which are needed in the three subsections a, b and c.

Subsection HV- core 1 core 2 core 3 core 4

cable:
KK 1 1 1 1
a NPK 2 2 - -
Sum: 3 3 1 1
KK 1 1 1 1
b NPK 1 1 1 1
sum: 2 2 2 2
KK 1 1 1 1
c NPK - - 2 1
sum: 1 1 3 3

Chart 2: Split of the 1 kV-cores

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 KKS subsection:
KK
a b c
I L1
core 1 KK:
I L2 currentless 1 1 1
I L3 NPK:
NPK 2 4 3
III IV
Uges = 0 KKS
I L1 - UII
KK
core 2 KK:
I L2 currentless 2 2 2
NPK:
1 3 4
I L3
NPK
III IV

KKS
KK
I L1 core 3 KK:
I L2 currentless 3 3 3
NPK:
2 1 4
I L3
NPK
III IV

a b c KKS
I L1 core 4 KK:
currentless 4 4 4
I L2 NPK:
I L3 1 2 3

KK NPK
III IV

Fig. 11: The four switching states: necessary cores of the compensation cable (KK)
and the neutral-path cable (NPK) in the subsections a, b and c

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