Design and Application of Cables and Overhead Lines in Wind Power Plants

IEEE PES T&D Conference and Expo

New Orleans, LA April 20, 2010

Wayne Dilling, P.E. Sr. Electrical Manager

Mortenson Construction

2010

IEEE PES Wind Plant Collector System Design Working Group

Design and Application of Cables and Overhead Lines in Wind Power Plants
The power generated in the current generation of wind power plants has exceeded the through-put power capacity of most distribution substations and feeder systems. The increased power capacity requires more extensive and higher capacity collection systems with fewer transformer and switch grounding locations, taller structures with greater lightning strike exposure, and higher grid connection voltages.
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Overview
Underground or Overhead? Underground MV Cable and Construction Cable Properties Installation Methods/Practices Cable Design Parameters Overhead Conductor and Construction Design Considerations Overhead to Underground Transitions
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Overview
A wind power plant collection system is similar to a utility distribution system but designed for a different purpose.
A wind power plant (WPP) can be thought of as a reverse load Uses larger conductors and higher amperage rated components 34.5kV is most common voltage for WPPs used in North America and is the highest voltage class for the common URD components available.

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Underground or Overhead?
Underground Considerations:
PROS CONS Aesthetics- Typically, the landowners Generally limited to a maximum of 25 preference and often a requirement to -30 MWs per circuit secure land during project development Limited impact on crane travel during construction Underground hazards/obstacles- drain tile, gas & oil lines, ravines, wetlands

Less frequent outages compared to OH Duration of outages is longer due to time in locating and repairing faults Losses tend to be less due to larger conductor sizes used for similar MW loading as compared to OH Trenching/plowing difficult in rocky regions.

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Underground or Overhead?
Overhead Considerations:
PROS More MWs able to be carried on a single circuit (generally up to 50-60 MWs) Multiple circuits can be strung on a single structure Outage durations usually less since faults easily located and repaired CONS Can impede crane travel during construction Aesthetic concerns with Landowners

More frequent outages as compared to UG Losses tend to be higher since generally more MWs are placed on a circuit

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Properties

Conductor Selection:
Copper or Aluminum
Jacket Concentric neutral or shield Insulation Conductor

Insulation shield

Conductor shield

Aluminum is the most commonly used conductor in WPP construction due to economics (copper is more than 3X the cost of aluminum and even considering losses over a 20-year operating life, copper will rarely overcome this cost differential)

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Properties

Insulation:
Contains the voltage between the conductor and the Concentric Shield
Insulation shield Conductor shield Jacket Concentric neutral or shield Insulation Conductor

Two predominant types, EPR and TR-XLPE Two predominant thicknesses, 100% and 133% Two predominant temperature ratings, MV-90 and MV-105

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Properties

InsulationEPR (Ethylene Propylene Rubber) More flexible due to its rubber properties Softer than XLPE (some users report that slightly more care is required during installation than TR-XLPE) Higher dielectric constant leading to higher losses (not a significant factor for basis of selection) Traditionally more expensive than TR-XLPE

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Properties

InsulationTR-XLPE (Tree Retardant- Cross Linked Polyethylene) Most commonly used insulation in WPP construction Significantly cleaner and improved properties than the XLPE introduced in the mid 1960s that is known infamously for failures Lower Dielectric Losses compared to EPR Traditionally lowest capital cost
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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Properties

InsulationThickness (100% or 133%) 100% (345mils at 34.5kV) permitted when the line-to-ground faults are cleared within 1 minute; common for grounded systems. 133% (420mils at 34.5kV) used when line-to-ground faults are cleared within 1 hour; common for ungrounded systems. 100% insulation is most commonly used in wind power plants
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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Properties

InsulationTemperature Rating (MV-90 and MV-105) MV-90: operation at 90degC normal conditions / 130degC under emergency overloads. MV-105: operation at 105degC normal conditions / 140degC under emergency overloads. Operating at higher temperatures results in higher losses therefore MV-90 is most often selected for WPP applications (note, most terminations and connectors are only rated to 90degC)

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Properties

Jacket Material
Most common: PVC (polyvinyl chloride) LLDPE (linear low density polyethylene) LLDPE exhibits better mechanical properties and is more resistant to moisture ingress than PVC

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Installation Methods/Practices

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Installation Methods/Practices

Typical Cable Installation Detail

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Installation Methods/Practices

Direct Buried either Trenching or Plowing

Conduit/duct bank not practical for length of runs involved

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Installation Methods/Practices

Trenching Methods- Multi-pass method where trench, cable laying, bedding performed separately

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Installation Methods/Practices

Trenching Methods- Single-pass, all activities performed in a single process

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Installation Methods/Practices

Difficult terrain can be overcome with proper bedding/burial

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Installation Methods/Practices

PlowingIssues
Not practical in rocky areas Drain tile damage will not be noticed until the next rain!! Must ensure the plow shoe allows proper cable configuration per design (trefoil or flat)

Drain Tile Strike (common in Farm fields, can be encountered as much as every 125)
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Wind Plant Collector System Design WG

Underground MV Cable & Construction Installation Methods/Practices

Cable Splicing - With long distances between turbines is unavoidable
Most Failures on WPP experienced at splices and joints Poor installation practices and inexperienced crews lead to failures (Tenting is recommended and splicers should be qualified by splice kit supplier prior to performing work)

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Installation Methods/Practices

Cable Splicing/Junctions- Types

Above Grade cable Joint

Above Grade Sectionalizing Cabinet

Direct Bury Splice

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Design Parameters

Ampacity Calculation Considerations: Soil Thermal Properties Cable Configuration (flat or trefoil) Number of Circuits Shield Bonding (multi-point, single-point, crossbonding) Others (load factor, conduit, direct bury, heat sources, etc.)

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Design Parameters

Soil Thermal Resistivity
Cable ampacity is significantly influenced by soil thermal resistivity According to Annex B in the NEC, 90% of soil in U.S. has a Rho value of 90? If true, wind plants are located on the other 10%!
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(90C Conductor, 25C earth, 36IN depth,100%LF, SC Shield)

Typical Rho Values seen for wind plants vary from 125-300
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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Design Parameters

Soil Thermal Resistivity
Soil thermal resistivity depends on the soil type and physical conditions As the Moisture Content or Dry Density decreases, the thermal resistivity increases High earth-cable interface temperatures can dry the soil resulting in an increase in thermal resistivity and thus conductor temperature Limiting the earth interface temperature in the 50 to 65C range may be necessary to prevent Thermal Runaway
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Underground MV Cable & Construction

Cable Design Parameters (Shield Resistance)
When the shields of single-conductor cables are bonded and grounded at multiple points, cable ampacities may be significantly reduced by the resultant circulating current losses This effect is most apparent on spaced single-conductor cables with large conductor sizes and low resistance shields For smaller conductor sizes, the variation of ampacity with shield resistance is relatively small

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Design Parameters

Small conductor sizes with short circuit (S/C) shields As spacing increases the ampacity increases due to a reduction in mutual heating Large conductor sizes with S/C shields As spacing increases the ampacity decreases due to an increase in shield circulating current losses
Cable Configuration: (Trefoil vs. Flat)

(90C Conductor, 25C earth, 36IN depth,100%LF, SC Shield, Flat configuration at 7.5IN separation)

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Design Parameters

Shield Bonding Alternatives

Single-Point Bonded Shields Multi-Point Bonded Shields (Open-Circuit) (Short-Circuit)

Cross-Bonded Shields

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Design Parameters

Single Point Bonded Shields (Open-Circuit Shields)
Shield circulating current losses eliminated regardless of configuration Cable circuit length may be limited by the voltage induced in shield

Solidly Bonded & Grounded Shields (Short-Circuit Shields)

Simplest solution to the problem of induced shield voltages Available ampacity can be significantly reduced on large single-conductor cables with low resistance shields due to circulating current losses

Cross Bonded Shields

Prevention of induced shield voltages and reduction of shield losses Can be economically justified on large conductors circuits and extremely heavy loads where all heat generation has to be minimized Consists of sectionalizing the shields into minor sections and cross connecting them so that total induced voltage is essentially neutralized in three consecutive sections

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Underground MV Cable & Construction Cable Design Parameters

Shield Sizing Considerations Must be sized to handle the available fault current, particular attention should be made to those conductors nearest the substation.

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Overhead Conductor & Construction -Transmission level conductor applied at SubTransmission Level Voltage

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Overhead Conductor & Construction Design Considerations

Conductor type and size Sized based on ampacity requirements but primary consideration is for losses. Structure type, strength, configuration, and insulator size Selected based on NESC and regional loading considerations (wind, ice, etc.) and minimizing cost while avoiding excessive outages due to mechanical failure and lightning strikes.

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Overhead Conductor & Construction Design Considerations

Aeolian Vibration and GallopingThe wake effect of the wind turbine must be considered for OH construction in close proximity to the wind turbine tower. Turbines up to a mile away could pose problems. Unventilated or Ventilated Riser-The riser portion of the circuit (underground to overhead) may be the limiting factor for the underground circuit

(90C Conductor, trefoil, 90 Rho, 25C earth, 36IN depth,100%LF, SC Shield- Riser 40C air, full sun, no wind)

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Design and Application of Cables & Overhead Lines in Wind Power Plants
Questions?

Wayne Dilling, PE Sr. Electrical Manager

Feeding time at a wind plant

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