A Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Time Domain Reflectometry for Power Cable

To tackle the critical challenge of maintaining an extensive network of aging power cables, a fault diagnosis approach utilizing the TDR method was explored. This involved a detailed examination of the physical model for signal transmission within power cables, with the aim of extracting fault characteristics from reflected signals to facilitate swift testing and diagnosis of cable faults. Focusing on ethylene propylene rubber-insulated cables, the propagation characteristics of traveling waves within these cables were analyzed, grounded in the fundamental principles of TDR. The reflection and transmission signal output models for a single cable were deduced and formulated based on the transmission line's distributed parameter model and the time-domain telegraph equation, while also providing a methodology for calculating the cable parameters. The TDR method was then applied to the fault diagnosis of individual cables. Utilizing the fault diagnosis principles of TDR, a simulation model for power cable faults was developed within the Matlab/Simulink environment. The method's efficacy and applicability were subsequently verified through a series of simulation experiments, which encompassed various types of fault points and distances.