Research on the Thermo-mechanical Effect of Large-size Cables and its Influence on Insulation Based on Finite Element Method

Abstract

In order to study the thermo-mechanical effect of large-size cables, the thermal-structural coupling model is established to calculate the stress and deformation of the cables based on finite element method. According to the model, the distribution characteristics of temperature, stress and deformation are analysed in this paper. It turns out that, the maximum stress appears in metal sheath and the largest axial deformation in insulation layer. By means of curve fitting, a quick formula is proposed to calculate the stress on metal sheath and the axial deformation of conductor. Finally, its influence on insulation is studied by the simulation of electric field. The results show that, the electric field strength on the surface of insulation layer increases significantly under this circumstance, leading to the occurrence of partial discharge.