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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_UKPN0030
Title	Development of Oil-filled Cable Additive- Phase 2
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution) 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given UK Power Networks
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 November 2017
End Date	01 December 2019
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£1,988,128
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , UK Power Networks (100.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_UKPN0030
Objectives	Prior to this project (Phase 2), Phase 1 Stages 1 to 4 were successfully delivered under the NIA. Phase 1 Stages 1 to 3 assessed a number of different chemistries for the self-healing fluid (SHF) and helped identify the chemical technologies for fluid systems that are capable of providing a repair function for a variety of cable sheath defects and damage types that may occur. Stage 4 of Phase 1 helped accelerate Phase 2 (i.e. this project) by informing the scope, objectives and planning for it.Phase 2 will cover a wide range of activities, intended to allow the rapid deployment of the technology upon the completion of the project. During the first stage, the project will focus on mobilisation and scale up prior to testing within Stages 2 and 3, including the transfer of the SHF formulation to a large-scale fluid supplier and the construction and commissioning of primary and secondary rigs. During this phase, fluid samples will be collected from FFC network for analysis, and provide short lengths of cable for cable aging and compatibility trials.During Stages 2 and 3, the volume-produced SHF will be tested within the primary and secondary rigs to establish the performance of SHF over a range of conditions expected within operational cables. Upon the successful conclusion of rig trials, the SHF formulations will progress to circuit trials. During the final stages of the project, the system will be transitioned to business as usual to ensure that the system can be taken up quickly upon its conclusion.Activities of this project will be carried out within the following 3 Stages and 9 Work Packages:Stage 1: (Project mobilisation and construction of test rigs)Work Package 1: SHF Consolidation and Industrial Scale-upWork Package 2: FFC Cable circuit oil sampling for oil characteristics and gas content & sourcing of cable samplesWork Package 3: Cable aging and compatibility - short length thermal aging with variable oxygen concentration, ageing temperature and time with oil analysisWork Package 4: FFC Rig construction and commissioning - primary and secondaryStage 2: (SHF Cable Rig Trialling)Work Package 5: FFC Rig Leak Repair testingWork Package 6: Containment testing and Rig 2 testing programmeStage 3: (SHF Cable Circuit Trialling and transition to Business as Usual)Work Package 7: FFC Circuit triallingWork Package 8: Project Management, Coordination, and ReportingWork Package 9: Transition to business as usual The aim of Phase 2 is to trial few circuits and confirm the satisfactory operation of the new SHFs in fluid filled cables representative of those in distribution networks and in FFC circuits. The project will also ensure SHF production and quality assurance at industrial production level.Northern Power Grid is a project partner and will supply cable and oil samples from their network for testing in the project. Stage 1 concerns the sourcing and preparation of cable test samples, equipment necessary to carry out rig and laboratory testing throughout the remainder of the project. During this stage, circuits will also be nominated for future circuit trials pending the completion of rig trials.Stage 1 Objectives:Scale-up, transfer, and qualification of the SHF formulation to a major cable oil supplier. This will ensure that sufficient volumes of SHF are available for circuit and rig trials.Understand electrical characteristics, oxygen and particulate content of oil samples drawn from across the network.Understand thermal ageing on cables with SHF. Preparation of cable aging trials to have cable samples filled with degassed SHF.Construct and commission primary and secondary FFC test rigs in preparation for SHF rig trials.Develop test geometries necessary to produce suitable leak rates for testing for both primary and secondary rigs.Nominated circuits and sourcing of cable samples that match the design of the length for testing.In Stage 2 SHF samples will be trialled on the primary and secondary FFC rigs. This period will also cover initial field trials which will commence upon the successful completion of a complete set of rig trials on a given circuit. Laboratory trials, including ageing studies will continue to progress.Stage 2 Objectives:Determine the effects of ageing on SHF-soaked cable samples.Planning and preparation for rig trial testing. Carry out contaminated testing and cable repair and jointing trials on secondary cable test rigs.Prepare selected circuits for rig trial testing. Train cable operators in handling and injection of SHF blend.Initial circuit trials, including flushing the cable with new SHF blend and assessment of both asset and SHF health.The final stage is primarily concerned with the completion and collection of data from cable rig and circuit field trials, with the aim of demonstrating the efficacy of the selected SHF formulation under operational conditions prior to transfer to business as usual. During this period laboratory trials will also be completed, which will provide valuable information regarding the long-term stability of the selected formulation under operational conditions.Stage 3 Objectives:Removal and dissection of the final samples within the ageing study, to assess changes in the SHF blend and cable over the course of the trial.Completion of assessment of selected samples within primary and secondary rigs. The rigs will still remain in place to allow for future testing if required.Completion of field trials. This will include the long-term assessment of circuits treated with SHF during the course of Stage 2 as well as demonstrations of sheath repair and jointing. The completion of this work package will demonstrate the efficacy of the SHF formulation operating within a decommissioned cable including compatibility with common cable repair techniques.
Abstract	The aim of Phase 2 is to trial few circuits and confirm the satisfactory operation of the new SHFs in fluid filled cables representative of those in distribution networks and in FFC circuits. The project will also ensure SHF production and quality assurance at industrial production level.Northern Power Grid is a project partner and will supply cable and oil samples from their network for testing in the project.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	15/12/22