High Voltage Cable Systems
“To allow the wide-scale integration of renewable energies, networks must be able to transmit electricity over long distances and for this, HVDC cable systems are essential. We support the development of innovative solutions to ensure the reliability of underground and subsea HVDC cable systems.”
Marie-Hélène Luton, Department Director – High Voltage Cable Systems
We provide a wide range of services and solutions for HVDC grids, MVDC grids and offshore wind farm grid connections.
Thanks to our understanding of the behaviour of insulating materials under high dielectric and thermal stress, we drive the development of high-performance materials for HVDC cables and accessories.
Because reliability is a key concern for transmission systems, we develop innovative methods and devices for HV cable monitoring based on analyses of the physical phenomena that cause ageing in insulation materials.
We design and operate various test platforms to reproduce the real-life conditions of high voltage cable systems and subsea equipment, including standard testing conditions, new types HVDC system transients, and combined high voltage and hyperbaric conditions.
Our projects cover:
Recent publications
Endurance Test on Nomex 410 to Assess Partial Discharge Activity under High dv/dt Square Voltage
This study evaluates Partial Discharge Activity in Nomex 410 insulation exposed to high dv/dt square voltage. Based on endurance testing and UHF measurements, the results show that Partial Discharge Activity significantly reduces insulation lifetime in medium-frequency transformers.
Reduction of Passive Components in Quasi-2-Level Operated MMC for MVDC DAB Converter
This paper presents a Quasi-2-Level operated MMC for MVDC DAB converters. The proposed design reduces passive components while maintaining Zero-Voltage Switching through frequency adaptation and optimized converter design.
Thermal Measurement of Asymmetric Losses in a Submodule of an Isolated Modular Multilevel DC-DC Converter
This study experimentally quantifies asymmetric losses in an Isolated Modular Multilevel DC-DC Converter (IM2DC) submodule, showing that low-side devices can dissipate up to twice the losses of high-side devices. A thermal imaging-based calorimetric method provides accurate, nonintrusive measurements, supporting future optimization of converter design, thermal management, and reliability.
