ADVANCED INSULATION MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES FOR HIGH-VOLTAGE DC POWER CABLES: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, CHALLENGES AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Long-distance transmission of electrical energy is important for the integration of international and national power grids. The use of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables enables the transmission of large electric power quantities with limited energy losses and improves the stability of the power grids. The insulation of HVDC cables is made of materials with a high breakdown voltage. While some insulation materials are made of XLPE and mass-impregnated paper, the continuous increase in the demand for the transmission of electrical energy and the operating conditions require the development of new and improved insulation materials. In this work, recent improvements in high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) power cable insulation materials are presented. Additionally, the improvements in the performance of HVDC power cables with advanced manufacturing, space-charge reduction, and condition monitoring are discussed. Other issues, such as materials reliability, insulation aging, electrical breakdown, and thermal stress are addressed. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in diagnostics and condition monitoring is discussed. The review focuses on the development of HVDC cables for the future power systems and presents methods and materials that improve the insulation of HVDC power cables.