Electric cable

A power cable is an assembly of two or more electrical conductors, usually held together with an overall sheath. The assembly is used for transmission of electrical power. Powercables may be installed as permanent wiring within buildings, buried in the ground, run overhead, or exposed. Flexible power cables are used for portable devices, mobile tools and machinery.

Semi-conductive, moisture barrier shielding tape and cable:

ELECTRIC CABLE COVERED WITH FOAMED WATER-BARRIER SEMICONDUCTING LAYER:

FIELD: power transmission or distribution cables for carrying intermediate- or high-voltage

currents.

SUBSTANCE: cable is covered with metal sheath and foamed water-barrier semi conducting
layer. This layer performs three main functions, as follows: (1) flexible and at the same time uniform suppression of radial expansion forces and reduced number of cable covering layers as result of heat cycles occurring in the course of cable operation thereby preventing deformation and fracture of metal sheath; (2) maintenance of electric circuit continuity between cable core and metal sheath; (3) effective shielding against ingress and spreading of moisture and/or water over cable core that may occur, for example, due to probable fractures in metal sheath. Third function is afforded due to inclusion of water-swelling material in foamed layer.

EFFECT: enhanced operating reliability of cable. 29 cl, 1 tbl

ELECTRIC CABLE COVERED WITH POLYETHYLENE INSULATING LAYER:

DESCRIPTION: The present invention relates to electrical cable insulation. More particularly it relates
to a new and improved shielding tape for use in insulating underground cables which provides an electrostatic shield and moisture barrier to the cables. Polyethylene is widely used as high-frequency insulation on power and coaxial cables and as primary insulation on telephone cables, multi conductor control cables, television lead-in wire and appliance wire. The characteristics of polyethylene include: good electrical properties; chemical resistance to solvents, acids and alkalies; toughness and flexibility even at low temperatures; good barrier properties; adaptability to many processing techniques; and relatively low cost.

In order to improve the corrosion resistance of the shielding tape of bare metal, a special adhesive polyethylene film may be applied to cover one or both sides of the metallic strip. Such an adhesive polyethylene film is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,036, wherein a graft copolymer of polyethylene and a monomer with a reactive carboxyl group, such as acrylic acid or acrylic acid ester, is applied to both sides of an aluminum foil tape. These laminated tapes are preferable to uncoated metallic tapes or to plain polyethylene coated tapes because, although polyethylene films generally satisfy the requirements of electrical resistivity and resistance to chemicals and moisture, they develop only a mechanical bond with the metallic tapes based on friction-type adhesion, and de lamination of polymer film from the metal tape does occur. The carboxyl components of the copolymer, on the other hand, have the property of forming chemical bonds with the metal to provide improved bonding of film to metal. It has presently been discovered that improved polyolefin based cable shielding tapes incorporating a voltage gradient (an electrostatic shield) and a moisture barrier, and having resistance to de lamination may be prepared if the polyolefin is rendered semi conductive and the metallic foil is pre-treated with certain adhesion promoting materials.

-ANJALI MAHAJAN EN-E 1021117