Influence of sample preparation on space charge behavior of crosslinked polyethylene for HVDC cables

The aim of this study is to demonstrate how the space charge behavior can be dependent on the choice of sample preparation and electrode configuration. The space charge behavior of crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) has been investigated by measuring with the pulsed electro acoustic method on plaque samples from both pellets and pre-extruded tape and tested with three different electrode configurations. The result revealed that different types of plaque preparation had a clear impact on the space charge data at elevated test temperature, whereas the effect from electrode configuration could be seen even at room temperature.