Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cable insulation material undergoes simultaneous, accelerated thermal and gamma-radiation aging to simulate the long-term aging environment within nuclear power plants (NPPs). A variety of materials characterization tests, including scanning electron microscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, oxidation induction time, gel-fraction and dielectric properties measurement, are conducted on pristine and differently aged XLPE samples. A preliminary model of one possible aging mechanism of XLPE cable insulation material under gamma radiation at elevated temperature of 115 °C is suggested.
Revised: January 17, 2017 |
Published: December 19, 2016
Citation
Liu S., L.S. Fifield, and N. Bowler. 2016.Towards aging mechanisms of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cable insulation materials in nuclear power plants. In IEEE Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena (CEIDP 2016), October 16-19, 2016, Toronto, Canada. Piscataway, New Jersey:IEEE.PNNL-SA-123219.doi:10.1109/CEIDP.2016.7785636