EA Technology CableData Collector
Asset managers around the world have a very real need to understand the condition of their ageing Medium and High Voltage (MV/HV) cables, to help with the management of these assets and ultimately improve network reliability.
There is a growing concern about the increasing age and reliability of MV/HV distribution networks: and considerable pressure to implement the most cost–effective management of network assets.
The strategy of moving towards maintaining and replacing assets only when strictly necessary (Condition Based Maintenance) can help considerably in meeting these needs. Implemented correctly, this approach can deliver significant cost savings, whilst keeping reliability and quality at the required level for electrical assets.
Replacing and maintaining underground cable circuits, particularly with the need for excavation, can be very expensive, hence network managers need evidence to justify maintenance/replacement actions.
The Value of Partial Discharge (PD) Testing:
The CableData Collector Solution: EA Technology has developed an online solution for the collection of partial discharge information in MV/HV cables, called the CableData Collector (CDC).
This solution allows companies to:
- Introduce a simple-to-use, effective tool for the collection of Partial Discharge (PD) signals on live HV cables
- Quickly assess large numbers of cables and build up a total view of the condition of the distribution cable network
- Collect accurate cable PD data without the need for deployment of specialist engineers and expensive off-line test equipment on all circuits
CableData Collector Key Features:
- Identifies cable defects before they fail
- Does not require a cable outage
- Quick, safe and non-destructive
- Expert cable condition analysis and reports
- Detects and measures PD activity in single and three phase cables
- Works with most insulated cable types up to distances of several miles
- Small, robust, portable and easy to use
What comes with the CableData Collector?
- CableData Collector Unit
- 3 x HFCTs
- 3 x 5m BNC cables
- Phase reference transformer with cord and country appropriate wall adapter
- Collection software
- Rigid hard carry case
- Instruction manual
- Calibration certificate
The Cable Data Collector Unit
On the front panel, there are four BNC connectors that will be used during testing. Three of the connectors are for use with the supplied RFCTs for capturing data. The fourth connector is the auxiliary input, which can be used to provide a phase reference.
A phase reference is required by the CableData Collector to improve the data analysis and allows classification of events based on the phase position. A phase reference can be supplied to the CableData Collector by one of two sources: either by a phase reference transformer or one of the measurement RFCTs. The phase reference transformer is the default source for the phase reference, but the instrument can also detect the phase reference from the connected RFCTs when possible.
The supplied HFCTs Units
The supplied RFCTs are connected to the earth braid of the cable as shown in below examples:
