The performance ability of wind power generators is generally on the rise. That is why the operating voltage of the connection cables from the wind turbines to the collection and connecting platforms is now being increased to 66 kilovolts everywhere. The design of these cables corresponds more to a high-voltage than a medium-voltage cable, which is why the experts at the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) decided to permit – in addition to the SOAK test (a 24-hour test at nominal voltage) – only resonance testing for operating voltages greater than 36 kilovolts in the new standard IEC 63026.
Weatherproof cable testing for offshore wind parks
IEC standard 63026 dictates the resonance method for testing cables in offshore wind parks. Reinhausen subsidiary HIGHVOLT has designed a weatherproof testing system.
Weatherproof cable testing for offshore wind parks
IEC standard 63026 dictates the resonance method for testing cables in offshore wind parks. Reinhausen subsidiary HIGHVOLT has designed a weatherproof testing system.
Alternative testing methods have a hard time detecting installation errors on fittings and terminations in these cables – but these are the causes of faults in more than half of all cases! Yet conventional testing systems for examining cables are not designed for the conditions of an offshore platform. Both salty air as well as rain, snow or rough seas make reliable operation impossible. Trusted options in on-site tests on land, such as the use of tents, do not help here. Similarly, the transport of people and materials with special ships or helicopters is difficult and has to be planned far in advance. The time windows in which the wind parks are even accessible constitute just a few months per year. That is why practical, weatherproof offshore testing systems that also meet the standard specifications are required.
The most frequent causes of faults in offshore cable systems
57 %
Installation errors
13 %
Design errors
8 %
Manufacturing errors
8 %
Aging
8 %
Unknown
8 %
External damage
On-site testing at an offshore wind park
Reinhausen subsidiary HIGHVOLT solved this dual challenge, developing an offshore testing system that meets the requirements for on-site testing on the high seas. The technology is based on proven HIGHVOLT resonance testing systems, which have been used all over the world hundreds of times. Adjustments were made to the details. The engineers in Dresden checked each individual component for its compatibility for offshore use and fortified or redeveloped it as needed. For example, this includes the use of corrosion-free materials which are unharmed by salt water spray, shielded and offshore-certified plug connectors and a gas-insulated module for reliable, interruption-free connection of the system components and voltage measurement.
This testing system from HIGHVOLT gives system operators, cable manufacturers and testing service providers the flexibility needed to ensure continuous function of complex electrical offshore infrastructure.
