Breakdown Performance Evaluation and Lifetime Prediction of XLPE Insulation in HVAC Cables

This article presents the recent developments in the field of evaluation of the breakdown performance and remaining lifetime of XLPE insulation and analyzes the accuracy of existing lifetime prediction models through experiments. The effects of the crystalline morphology, cable thickness and sampling location of XLPE insulation on the evaluation of short-term breakdown performance are reviewed in the context of the experiments. The study reviews the application of the Ramu, Simoni, and Ramu multi-stress lifetime prediction models and explores the other remaining lifetime prediction models under the combined electrothermal stresses which are applicable to XLPE insulation. Finally, this paper recommends the most effective engineering evaluation methods and provides suggestions for improving the electrical performance of XLPE insulation for high-voltage cables.