TOPIC

FAULT DETECTION
IN UNDERGROUND
CABLE

TYPES OF CABLE FAULTS

It is under stood that cable fault is damage to cable which will
change resistance in the cable. If allowed to persist, this can
lead to voltage breakdown in cable. There are different types
of cable faults which has to be classified before identification.
Also, The insulation of the cable plays significant role
1. Screening faults
A contact between conductor and screen generates a varying
resistance.
2. Phase faults
The contact between multiple conductors generates a varying
resistance.

3. Sheath faults
Sheath faults are damage of the cable sheath
that allows the surroundings contact with the
cable screen.
4. Faults due to moisture
Water penetrates into the cable sheath and
contacts the conductors.Impedance
changesat the fault location make measuring
more difficult. The resistance usually lies in
the low-ohmic range.
5. Disruptions
Combination of series and parallel resistances,
usually in the form of a wire break. The
voltage is interrupted, i.e. = .
TYPES OF CABLE FAULTS

Cable fault
Joint failures
Over heating
Outer sheath failure
Inner sheath failure
Insulation failure
Rough Semicon screen

surfaces
Failure due to voltage
surge

CABLE FAULT
DETECTION
METHODS

Method- 1
The project uses the standard concept of Ohms law i.e., when a low

DC voltage is applied at the feeder end through a series resistor

(Cable lines), then current would vary depending upon the location of
fault in the cable.
In case there is a short circuit (Line to Ground), the voltage across
series resistors changes accordingly, which is then fed to an ADC to
develop precise digital data.
The project is assembled with a set of resistors representing cable
length in KMs and fault creation is made by a set of switches at every
known KM to cross check the accuracy of the same. The fault
occurring at a particular distance and the respective phase is
displayed on a LCD interfaced to the microcontroller.
Further this project can be enhanced by using capacitor in an ac
circuit to measure the impedance which can even locate the open
circuited cable, unlike the short circuited fault only using resistors in
DC circuit as followed in the above proposed project.

Method 2The complete cable is divided into a number of

sections and at each section an indicator is
installed. At the time of cable fault, the
indicator of that section and those following it
will turn off due to disruption of electricity .
Indicator will be like a switch fitted with an
ohmmeter.
By the principle of wheatstone bridge we will be
able to find the distance of fault from the
datum.

ResultWe tried to detect the fault in underground

cable using 1. Arduino board
2. Indicators and ohmmeter

Prepared byAwani Gupta(3rd sem, Electrical)

Asmita Chandrakar(3rd sem, Electrical)

THANK YOU