Improvement of cable current carrying capacity using COMSOL software

Abstract

Based on the limitation of the characteristics of materials, in the transmission and distribution network of power system, the relationship between cable current carrying capacity and temperature is inseparable. Improving the ampacity of power cables within the allowable range of temperature is important to the power grid. Using COMSOL multi physical field simulation software, the model of cable to calculate the current carrying capacity is established, and the relationship between cable capacity and temperature field is analyzed. On this premise, the effects of cable placement, convective thermal conductivity and different environmental conditions on the temperature field distribution are further analyzed. The simulation results show that increasing the cable spacing, improving the convective thermal conductivity and maintaining a low ambient temperature the current carrying capacity of the cable can be improved.

Keywords

• COMSOL
• Current carrying capacity
• Temperature field
• Laying mode