# US 2014/0266271 A1 · Injection protocol > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0266271 A1 - Document ID: US20140266271A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/843,708 - Filed: 2013-03-15 - Published: 2014-09-18 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-15 - Assignees: UTILX Corporation - Applicants: UTILX Corporation - Inventors: William R. Stagi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140266271A1 ## CPC - G01R 31/58: Testing of lines, cables or conductors (testing of electric windings G01R31/72) - G01R 31/1272: {of cable, line or wire insulation, e.g. using partial discharge measurements (locating faults in cables G01R31/083)} - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) ## Abstract An injection protocol for a cable includes selecting a cable for testing, selecting a pre-injection electrical discharge test for determining if electrical discharge activity occurs at or about operating voltage of the cable, configuring the cable for the pre-injection electrical discharge test; running the pre-injection electrical discharge test on the cable, and determining whether to inject the cable with a restorative fluid based upon electrical discharge activity detected at or about operating voltage of the cable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An injection protocol for a cable, comprising: (a) selecting a cable for testing; (b) selecting a pre-injection electrical discharge test for determining if electrical discharge activity occurs at or about operating voltage of the cable; (c) configuring the cable for the pre-injection electrical discharge test; (d) running the pre-injection electrical discharge test on the cable; and (f) determining whether to inject the cable with a restorative fluid based upon electrical discharge activity detected at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The injection protocol of claim 1, wherein the pre-injection electrical discharge test is an on-line partial discharge test. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The injection protocol of claim 1, wherein the pre-injection electrical discharge test is an off-line partial discharge test. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The injection protocol of claim 1, wherein the cable is injected with a restorative fluid if no electrical discharge activity is detected at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The injection protocol of claim 1, further comprising performing at least one of injecting the cable, taking the cable off-line, and repairing a damaged portion of the cable if electrical discharge activity occurs at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The injection protocol of claim 1, wherein the pre-injection electrical discharge test is an off-line test that indirectly detects the presence of an electrical discharge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The injection protocol of claim 6, wherein the off-line test is chosen from the group consisting of tan delta, tan delta tip up, Dielectric Spectroscopy, DC leakage current, and Harmonic Distortion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3, 6, 7) The injection protocol according to claim 3, 6 or 7, wherein the off-line test includes supplying voltage to the cable at or below 1.75 times the operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3, 6, 7) The injection protocol according to claim 3, 6 or 7, wherein the off-line test includes supplying voltage to the cable at or below 1.25 times the operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The injection protocol of claim 1, further comprising: (a) selecting an off-line in-process electrical discharge test for determining if electrical discharge activity occurs at or about operating voltage of the cable after at least one of configuring the cable for injection and injecting the cable with a restorative fluid; (b) configuring the cable for the off-line in-process electrical discharge test; (c) running the off-line in-process electrical discharge test on the cable; and (d) evaluating the electrical discharge activity detected at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The injection protocol of claim 10, further comprising determining whether to re-energize the cable after injecting the cable with a restorative fluid based, at least in part, on the electrical discharge activity detected at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The injection protocol of claim 10, further comprising determining whether to inject the cable with a restorative fluid based, at least in part, on the electrical discharge activity detected at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The injection protocol of claim 10, further comprising re-energizing the cable if no electrical discharge activity is detected at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The injection protocol of claim 10, further comprising performing at least one of re-energizing the cable, leaving the cable off-line, and repairing a damaged portion of the cable if electrical discharge activity occurs at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The injection protocol of claim 10, wherein the off-line in-process electrical discharge test is an off-line partial discharge test. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The injection protocol of claim 10, wherein the off-line in-process electrical discharge test is an off-line test that indirectly detects the presence of an electrical discharge. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The injection protocol of claim 16, wherein the off-line in-process electrical discharge test is chosen from the group consisting of tan delta, tan delta tip up, Dielectric Spectroscopy, DC leakage current, and Harmonic Distortion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The injection protocol of claim 10, wherein the off-line in-process electrical discharge test includes supplying voltage to the cable at or below 1.75 times the operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 19 (depends on 10) The injection protocol of claim 10, wherein the off-line in-process electrical discharge test includes supplying voltage to the cable at or below 1.25 times the operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1, 10) The injection protocol according to claim 1 or 10, further comprising: (a) selecting an on-line post-injection electrical discharge test for determining if electrical discharge activity occurs at or about operating voltage of the cable after the cable has been injected with a restorative fluid and connected to a system power source; (b) configuring the cable for the on-line post-injection electrical discharge test; (c) running the on-line post-injection electrical discharge test on the cable; and (d) determining whether to leave the cable on-line based, at least in part, upon electrical discharge activity detected at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The injection protocol of claim 20, wherein the on-line post-injection electrical discharge test is an on-line partial discharge test. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The injection protocol of claim 20, further comprising leaving the cable on-line if no electrical discharge activity is detected at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The injection protocol of claim 20, further comprising performing at least one of taking the cable off-line, and repairing a damaged portion of the cable if electrical discharge activity occurs at or about operating voltage of the cable. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The injection protocol of claim 20, further comprising running the on-line post-injection electrical discharge test within about 7 days of connecting the cable to the system power source. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The injection protocol of claim 20, further comprising automatically sensing and monitoring the cable for electrical discharge activity after running the on-line post-injection electrical discharge test. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The injection protocol of claim 25, wherein the sensing and monitoring is performed for at least the first three months of cable operation after running the on-line post-injection electrical discharge test. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1, 10) The injection protocol of claim 1 or 10, further comprising: (a) selecting an on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test for detecting a change in cable impedance; (b) configuring the cable for the on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test; (c) running, prior to injecting the cable with a restorative fluid, the on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test; (d) analyzing the detected changes in cable impedance; and (e) making the determination of whether to proceed with one of injecting the cable or running an on-line pre-injection electrical discharge test based, at least partially, on the detected changes in cable impedance. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The injection protocol of claim 27, wherein the step of analyzing the detected changes in cable impedance includes looking for splice count. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The injection protocol of claim 27, wherein the step of analyzing the detected changes in cable impedance includes looking for cable neutral condition. ### Claim 30 An injection protocol for a cable, comprising: (a) selecting a cable for testing; (b) making a first selection of one of a pre-injection electrical discharge test for determining if electrical discharge activity occurs at or about operating voltage of the cable and an on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test for detecting a change in cable impedance; (c) configuring the cable for the first selected pre-injection test; (d) running the first selected pre-injection test on the cable; (e) analyzing results of the first selected pre-injection test; and (f) making a first determination of whether to inject the cable with a restorative fluid based, at least in part, on the results of the first selected pre-injection test. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The injection protocol of claim 30, further comprising: (a) making a second selection of the other of the pre-injection electrical discharge test for determining if electrical discharge activity occurs at or about operating voltage of the cable and the on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test for detecting a change in cable impedance; (b) configuring the cable for the second selected pre-injection test; (c) running the second selected pre-injection test on the cable; (d) analyzing results of the second selected pre-injection test; and (e) making a second determination of whether to inject the cable with a restorative fluid based, at least in part, on the results of the second selected pre-injection test. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The injection protocol of claim 30, wherein if the selected test is the on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test, the step of analyzing the results of the on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test includes looking for splice count. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The injection protocol of claim 30, wherein if the selected test is the on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test, the step of analyzing the results of the on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test includes looking for cable neutral condition. ### Claim 34 (depends on 20) The injection protocol of claim 20, further comprising: (a) selecting an on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test for detecting a change in cable impedance; (b) configuring the cable for the on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test; (c) running, prior to injecting the cable with a restorative fluid, the on-line pre-injection TDR assessment test; (d) analyzing the detected changes in cable impedance; and (e) making the determination of whether to proceed with one of injecting the cable or running an on-line pre-injection electrical discharge test based, at least partially, on the detected changes in cable impedance.