IEEE 1718-2012

This guide presents an overview of the existing and emerging temperature monitoring systems related to power cable installations. It summarizes the features, benefits, and limitations of both discrete and distributed temperature monitoring for cable ratings. This guide addresses the various aspects of user interface and data communication issues needed to make the system more effective and more user friendly.

The purpose of this guide is to assist users in applying offline or real-time temperature monitoring of power cable systems by addressing the following major issues: a) Type of cable system installation: existing or new. b) Circuit length, type of terrain, and backfill along the cable route that may favor the use of distributed rather than discrete temperature measurement or vice versa. c) Advantages/disadvantages of using a real-time monitoring versus offline monitoring system. d) System complexity, performance, reliability, and maintenance. e) Recommended design, operating criteria, and data transfer. f) Influence of adjacent circuits.

New IEEE Standard - Inactive-Reserved. The various existing technologies that are used or can be used to monitor the temperature of cable systems are reviewed in this guide. The conventional technologies, like thermocouples and resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), and the more recent technologies, like the distributed temperature sensing known as DTS, are covered. The latter technology is treated in more detail in this guide because it constitutes the logical and obvious choice for advanced and more accurate cable temperature monitoring where the hot spots along the cable route can be easily identified. This guide can also be considered as the first step that a potential user should consult before dealing with the issue of real-time rating of cable systems.