Experimental Investigation of E-beam Effect on Electric Field Distribution in Cross-Linked Polyethylene/ZnO Nanocomposites for Medium-Voltage Cables Simulated Using COMSOL Multiphysics

Abstract This study investigated the electric field distribution of underground cable insulation in cross-linked polyethylene/zinc oxide (XLPE/ZnO) NPs for medium-voltage (MV) cables. The ZnO NPs that were obtained by three methods of preparation were classified using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The obtained ZnO NPs were semi-spheres with sizes of 35–55 nm on TEM images. XLPE/ZnO films with various ZnO NP weight contents (i.e., 0%, 1%, 3%, and 5%) were exposed to varied dosages of 3-MeV electron beam (i.e., 0 kGy, 15 kGy, 20 kGy, and 25 kGy). The optimum film XLPE/5-ZnO, which has ZnO NP content (5 wt%), irradiated at 25 kGy, according to alternating current (AC)/DC conductivity (AC: 1 × 10−4 S/m; DC: 12.44 × 10−2 S/m) in minimum relative permittivity (2.24), was obtained. COMSOL Multiphysics was used to simulate the electric field distribution within an MV cable of 25-kGy XLPE/5-ZnO insulation. The maximum uniform electric field was found in the middle of the 25-kGy XLPE/5-ZnO film sample, rather than at the top or bottom, which might be attributed to the significantly low relative permittivity of the new 25-kGy XLPE/5-ZnO film cable.