Theoretical investigation on skin effect factor of conductor in power cables

Abstract This paper describes a newly derived theoretical equation on the skin effect factor of power cables, and its application to large‐size OF and XLPE cables with segmental conductors, including insulated wires. The skin effect factors calculated with the new equation were fit very well to measurements in a wide range of conductor sizes. In the new equation, the important factor which characterizes the skin effect of segmental conductors is the “equivalent conductivity ratio” v defined by the ratio of longitudinal conductivity in axial direction of conductor to conductivity of conductor wires. Since the obtained ratio v in XLPE cable was three times greater than that in OF cable, the larger longitudinal eddy current passing from a wire to another increased the eddy current loss in conductor, which increased the conductor loss of XLPE cable. The new equation enables us to investigate quantitatively the dominant loss component affecting the skin effect factor. Then, the skin effect factors and coefficients for OF and XLPE cables were investigated with the new equation. It was revealed that the best number of separation, in which the skin effect reached a minimum, existed in OF and XLPE cables with segmental conductors. In addition, it was confirmed that the skin effect coefficients ks1 calculated with the new equation were very consistent with those used in JCS. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 165(1): 18–34, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20576