Sensor Detection Method for Overheating and Gas Production of PVC Cable Insulation Material Inside Switchgear

As a crucial component in power systems, cable faults in switchgear can lead to localized power outages. Traditional temperature measurement methods have limitations, such as requiring contact testing, high costs, and blind spots. To address these challenges, proposes a cable overheating detection method for switchgear based on semiconductor gas sensors. First, the study investigates the gas components generated from overheating of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a material commonly used in cable insulation. Based on these decomposition gases, a gas sensor array is constructed. Then, simulated cable overheating scenarios are conducted to gather response curves from the gas sensors at various temperatures, using threshold values from these curves to identify temperature ranges indicative of overheating. Finally, a cable overheating detection device for switchgear is developed, which can accurately differentiate between overheating states and issue alarms under high-current simulated scenarios within a ventilated hood.