METHOD FOR LOCATING DISRUPTIONS IN UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL CABLE

摘要

There is disclosed a relatively quick and reliable non-destructive method for locating an obstruction, leak or fault in a buried electrical cable segment and determining the extent thereof, said cable having a central stranded conductor encased in a conductor shield, the latter being surrounded by a polymeric insulation cover, said method comprising: (I) fitting a first gas flow measuring means to said cable segment, said first measuring means being capable of monitoring the influx of a gas flow to any void space between said conductor strands and said conductor shield; (II) fitting a second gas flow measuring means to said cable segment at some distance relative to said first gas flow measuring means, said second measuring means being capable of monitoring the efflux of said gas; (III) introducing a gas flow to said first measuring means; and (IV) observing the relationship between the influx and efflux of said gas flow through said cable segment.