A new approach for the failure prediction in XLPE power cables using acoustic emission technique

•There is no specific method to predict the failure load of XLPE power cable.•Failure prediction is possible for XLPE power cables using empirical relation.•The correlation of all the cables is better with an error margin at 50–75% of MEOV.

Acoustic Emission (AE) is a Non destructive testing technique which has the unique potential for evaluating degradation and possibly failure prediction of XLPE cables as well. The authors have demonstrated its capability towards failure prediction on XLPE cables. In this study, five sets of fifty number of identical XLPE cables were taken up for the investigation. These tests were carried out on both damaged and undamaged conditions. The acoustic emission data acquired during their loading cycles is analyzed and a lucid empirical relation is developed to predict their failure performance. Using this approach one could appreciate that impending failure is significant even at 50–60% of maximum expected operating voltage (MEOV) with a reasonable error margin. In fact, till date there is no lucid method spelt out in the open literature for the failure prediction of XLPE Cables. Moreover, this methodology can also be applied to predict in real time the failure of similar XLPE cables made of other material systems.