Comparison of on-line partial discharge detection methods for XLPE cable joints

There is no standard technique for on-line detection of partial discharge (pd) activity within high voltage cable circuits and consequently there are several different on-line pd detection methods. There is a standard method for electrical detection of pd within the laboratory using commercially available pd detectors, but this approach is difficult to implement on a cable in service. A comparison of three different methods has been studied to determine which approach is best suited for detecting sources of pd activity within cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) high voltage cable joints.