Green abundant carbon additives for high voltage cable insulation materials

Research question

To increase the transmission efficiency of electrical power in high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables, it has been proposed to move towards a 1-megavolt system. This, in turn, imposes greater demands on the insulation material of the high-voltage cables. It has been verified that adding certain nanoparticles improves the dielectric properties by several different and independently contributing factors regarding the crystal formation, boundary regions, surface compatibility, cavitation volumes, moisture content, and/or polar chemicals from processing.

Therefore, this project will focus on improving the insulation materials by investigating the dielectric performance of nanocomposites with abundant green carbon additives such as ultrafine carbon nanoparticles. The goal is to first study the extent of the dielectric performance improvement and establish its reproducibility and dependence on nanoparticle characteristics such as distribution, dispersity, and morphology. Secondly, using antioxidant additives such as green radical scavenging molecules and space charge accumulators will be investigated to further enhance the dielectric properties of the formed nanocomposites.

Sustainability aspects

HVDC cables are crucial in transitioning towards greener energy by facilitating efficient long-distance connections to, for example, offshore wind farms. The project’s successful outcome would enable advancements towards higher voltage systems, effectively leading to significantly reduced transmission energy losses over long distances and increased power transmittance capacity per installation. This project is closely related to goal 7 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) regarding affordable and clean energy and also synergizes well with SDGs 11, sustainable cities and communities, and 13, climate action.