MoM-SO: a Complete Method for Computing the Impedance of Cable Systems Including Skin, Proximity, and Ground Return Effects

The availability of accurate and broadband models for underground and submarine cable systems is of paramount importance for the correct prediction of electromagnetic transients in power grids. Recently, we proposed the MoM-SO method for extracting the series impedance of power cables while accounting for skin and proximity effect in the conductors. In this paper, we extend the method to include ground return effects and to handle cables placed inside a tunnel. Numerical tests show that the proposed method is more accurate than widely-used analytic formulas, and is much faster than existing proximity-aware approaches like finite elements. For a three-phase cable system in a tunnel, the proposed method requires only 0.3 seconds of CPU time per frequency point, against the 8.3 minutes taken by finite elements, for a speed up beyond 1000 X.Comment: This paper has now been published in the IEEE Trans. on Power Delivery in Oct. 2015, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 2110-2118. DOI: 10.1109/TPWRD.2014.237859

Proximity-Aware Calculation of Cable Series Impedance for Systems of Solid and Hollow Conductors

Wide-band cable models for the prediction of electromagnetic transients in power systems require the accurate calculation of the cable series impedance as function of frequency. A surface current approach was recently proposed for systems of round solid conductors, with inclusion of skin and proximity effects. In this paper we extend the approach to include tubular conductors, allowing to model realistic cables with tubular sheaths, armors and pipes. We also include the effect of a lossy ground. A noteworthy feature of the proposed technique is the accurate prediction of proximity effects, which can be of major importance in three-phase, pipe type, and closely-packed single-core cables. The new approach is highly efficient compared to finite elements. In the case of a cross-bonded cable system featuring three phase conductors and three screens, the proposed technique computes the required 120 frequency samples in only six seconds of CPU time.Comment: Update: This paper has been accepted for publication in the IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery. DOI: 10.1109/TPWRD.2014.233099

A Novel Single-Source Surface Integral Method to Compute Scattering from Dielectric Objects

Using the traditional surface integral methods, the computation of scattering from a dielectric object requires two equivalent current densities on the boundary of the dielectric. In this paper, we present an approach that requires only a single current density. Our method is based on a surface admittance operator and is applicable to dielectric bodies of arbitrary shape. The formulation results in four times lower memory consumption and up to eight times lower time to solve the linear system than the traditional PMCHWT formulation. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed technique is as accurate as the PMCHWT formulation.Comment: Submitted to IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters on November 18, 201

Fast Computation of the Series Impedance of Power Cables with Inclusion of Skin and Proximity Effects

We present an efficient numerical technique for calculating the series impedance matrix of systems with round conductors. The method is based on a surface admittance operator in combination with the method of moments and it accurately predicts both skin and proximity effects. Application to a three-phase armored cable with wire screens demonstrates a speed-up by a factor of about 100 compared to a finite elements computation. The inclusion of proximity effect in combination with the high efficiency makes the new method very attractive for cable modeling within EMTP-type simulation tools. Currently, these tools can only take skin effect into account.Comment: Submitted for publication to IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery. Update: Published in IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery with the revised title of "An Equivalent Surface Current Approach for the Computation of the Series Impedance of Power Cables with Inclusion of Skin and Proximity Effects