Proton microprobe analysis of water trees in underground high voltage cables

Abstract

The micro-PIXE technique was employed to analyze water trees in the polymeric insulation of some field-aged underground high voltage cables from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. X-ray spectra of water trees, the inner and outer semiconductive compound layers of the cable samples, and the insulation matrix were acquired. Simultaneously, two-dimensional elemental distribution profiles across the water trees were also obtained. The results show how knowledge of the elemental constituents of water trees on a microscopic scale can be useful in attempts to understand premature degradation of underground power cables. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.