Simulation and analysis of underground power cables faults

The experience in operation of electrical equipment has shown that partial discharges shorten the life insulation systems. Therefore, the partial discharge can become the cause of serious economic losses by requiring repairs and early changes in electrical equipment, efficiency loss and safety in the operation of communication systems and disruption of service delivery energy. On the other hand, the partial discharges phenomenon also serves as a characterization parameter for incipient faults in electrical equipment. That is the reason why the study of this phenomenon is of great importance. This document presents the proposal of a partial discharges simulation model, aiming at the visualization and understanding of the phenomenon, with comparative results with respect to type of failure in a laboratory installation of underground cables, besides the partial discharge study as a tool in the characterization of faults in underground cables.