Thermal Stability

Thermal stability is a concept used to describe the ability of a moist soil to maintain a relatively constant thermal resistivity when subjected to an imposed heat load, thus preventing a power cable from exceeding its safe operating temperature. Thermal instability (or “thermal runaway”) occurs when a soil is unable to sustain the heat from a cable and the soil progressively dries resulting in a substantial increase in the soil thermal resistivity and attendant increase in the cable operating temperature. If moisture is not replenished or current reduced, the ultimate result may be cable failure due to overheating.

Please contact us to discuss conducting a thermal stability study.