THERMAL-ANALYSIS OF POWER-CABLES IN MULTILAYERED SOIL .1. THEORETICAL-MODEL

The heat dissipation and temperature distribution in multi-layered soi l surrounding a buried cable is calculated using the finite difference method and the energy conservation principle. The unrealistic simplif ying assumptions, used in the published models for calculating the hea t dissipation from the underground cable system, are not needed in the proposed model. The numerical technique proposed in this paper is ver y suitable to model any real cable installation configuration in multi -layered soil. The development of the model, and the effect of the par ameters that influence the conversion and the stability of the numeric al solution of the heat dissipation from the underground cable system, is studied in this paper. The application of the model is given in th e second part of this work submitted at the same time for publication.