A Study on Water Tree Degradation Using Image Measurement in Underground Power Cables

화상계측에 의한 지중 전력케이블의 수트리 열화에 관한 연구

Water treeing in underground distribution power cable is not easy to observe by nondestructive method and it has very complex patterns. This study describes the principles and practices of a continuous observation of initiation and growth of tree in polymeric insulation material using an image measurement technique. Using this technique we could observe water tree and the growing process of electrical tree due to the water tree and the growing process of electrical tree due to the water tree. All of these growing process is analyzed quantitatively by image measurement program composed of borland c++. We fabricated the thin film type specimen to observe water tree easier and also the needle electrode was prepared by etching method using electrolytes. Initiation and the growth of three was observed somewhat different depending on the applied voltage and the water electrode. AgNO$_3$solution electrode accelerates the initiation and the growth of water tree, compared to those of distilled water electrode. The water and the electrical tree occurred by water tree has discontinuous growth characteristic.