Abstract:Cross linked polyethylene has been widely used in the power cable

and the growth of electrical tree is significant foundations in the researching of insulation reliability. Considering the situation that Cross linked polyethylene cable worked in the condition of light load and low temperature in extreme weather

a set of electrode device that multiple samples can be tested at a time was used in the experimental system in order to research the initiation and the growing behaviors of electrical tree in cross linked polyethylene under different temperatures. The experiments of electrical tree were carried out under different temperatures from 0℃ to -50℃

and used the one under +25℃ as the comparison

it showed that temperature had a significant impact on the initiation、growth speed and the typical morphology of electrical tree. As the falling of temperature

the 50% initiation voltage increased obviously

and the increasing range was getting smaller as the temperature getting lower. The low temperature had some inhibitory impacts on the growth speed of electrical tree

and the lower temperature

the more obvious effect. There were two particular types of morphology in low temperature environment

and the growth site of electrical tree was different from the one growing in +25℃.