Comparison of acoustic and electrical partial discharge measurements on cable terminations

The medium voltage cable networks act important role in electric energy distribution. One of the most important issues of the reliability of cable lines is the condition of the cable accessories especially terminations and joints. The condition of the terminations and joints can be tested by on-line acoustic and electrical methods. The main reason of failures of these accessories can be related to the inadvertent installation. In this study, cable terminations with artificial defects are examined by electrical and acoustic partial discharge detection methods in laboratory conditions. The results of the examinations are compared from the point of view of sensitivity and selectivity, and discussed in this paper.