Cable connector, tubular cable connector and tubular cable power transmission system

Abstract

The invention discloses a cable connector, a tubular cable connector and a tubular cable power transmission system, and the cable connector comprises a sub-head which is connected with a section of cable; the female head is connected with the other section of the cable, and at least part of the male head is embedded in the female head; and the sealing element is clamped between the son head and the mother head, and the son head and the mother head abut against the sealing element in the extending directions of the corresponding cables respectively. As the sealing element is respectively abutted against the son head and the mother head in the extending directions of the corresponding cables, when two adjacent sections of cables tend to be separated due to thermodynamic cycle or vibration and the like in work, the sealing element is pressed against the son head and the mother head, and the airtight effect of the cable connector under special conditions is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of energy transmission technology, and in particular to a cable connector, a tubular cable connector, and a tubular cable power transmission system. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, special cables are widely used in complex scenarios such as high-power-density power transmission and distribution, ship and marine engineering equipment, mines and tunnels, high-temperature production lines, and power plants. Their application environments typically involve complex conditions including high heat loads, strong electromagnetic field coupling, salt spray, and chemical corrosion. Against this backdrop, special cables need to maintain effective isolation between the working medium and the external environment throughout their entire service life to prevent leakage of cooling or insulation media and the intrusion of external moisture or corrosive gases. Therefore, these cables have significantly higher requirements for airtightness than conventional cables. They typically employ precious metals in electrical contacts to improve their conductivity stability at high temperatures and to meet resistance to welding. They must also maintain low permeability and the ability to maintain a continuous sealing pressure under conditions of high temperature, high pressure, strong vibration, and frequent thermal cycling.

[0003] To optimize the sealing performance of cables under special operating conditions, existing technologies have proposed a variety of improvement methods. For example, by setting an armor layer, an enveloping tube, or a multi-layer sheath on the outside of the outer tube, the resistance to compression and impact can be improved. The above measures have achieved positive results in improving the system's resistance to external disturbances and maintaining basic sealing.

[0004] However, in practical applications, long-distance power transmission often requires the sequential connection of multiple cable segments. Existing improvements to the external sheathing mainly focus on the protection and thermal insulation optimization of the cable body itself. The connection points of multiple cable segments often become the weak points of the entire power transmission system. Once moisture intrusion or overheating occurs at the connection point, it can lead to the paralysis of the entire power transmission system. Especially in high-temperature and high-thermal-cycle operating scenarios, the repeated expansion and contraction of the connectors can easily lead to the breakdown of the airtightness of the connection. Therefore, how to maintain or improve the airtightness of the connectors while ensuring connection reliability and addressing the dimensional and stress changes caused by operating heat has become a pressing technical problem that needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One object of this application is to provide a cable connector, a tubular cable connector, and a tubular cable transmission system, which aims to solve the technical problem of poor airtightness at cable joints in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, this application provides a cable connector, comprising: a female connector for connecting to a section of cable; a female connector for connecting to another section of cable, wherein the female connector is at least partially embedded within the female connector; and a sealing element sandwiched between the female connector and the female connector, wherein the female connector and the female connector respectively abut against the sealing element in the extension direction of their respective cables.

[0007] In this application, when the two cables connected by the cable connector tend to separate, that is, with the seal as a reference point, the first cable moves in the first direction and the second cable moves in the second direction. At this time, both the male and female connectors are pressed against the seal, thereby sealing the gap between the male and female connectors and ensuring the airtightness of the cable connector.

[0008] In existing technologies, pre-tightening at the connection point of two cable segments buffers dynamic changes in the cable. As long as the cable deformation is less than the pre-tightening deformation, the contact and sealing of the two cable segments can be ensured. However, this is limited by the pre-tightening capacity of the connector, and under highly dynamic conditions, the actual deformation of the cable may exceed the pre-tightening deformation. Compared to existing technologies, in this application, when the two cable segments tend to separate and undergo dynamic deformation, the female and male ends actually press against the sealing element. Theoretically, as long as the cable joint does not suffer structural damage, the female and male ends will be sealed by the sealing element, thereby ensuring the airtightness of the cable joint.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the sub-head includes a sub-tube and a sub-flange, the first end of the sub-tube is connected to its corresponding cable, and the sub-flange is wrapped around the outside of the second end of the sub-tube; the female head includes a female tube and a female flange, the first end of the female tube is connected to its corresponding cable, and the female flange is embedded inside the second end of the female tube; a sealing element is wrapped around the sub-tube, and the sealing element is sandwiched between the sub-tube and the female tube, and the sealing element is sandwiched between the sub-flange and the female flange.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the coefficient of thermal expansion K of the seal is ≥300×10⁻⁶. -6 / K.

[0011] Typically, the coefficient of thermal expansion of cable conductors such as copper is approximately 17 × 10⁻⁶. -6 / K, the coefficient of thermal expansion of cable encapsulation structures such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is 40~200×10. -6 / K, setting the coefficient of thermal expansion of the seal to K≥300×10 -6 / K ensures that the deformation of the seal is greater than that of the rest of the cable structure. When the cable system as a whole undergoes thermal expansion, the seal has a stable relative volume expansion compared to the rest of the structure, thus ensuring the sealing effect.

[0012] Secondly, this application also provides a tubular cable connector, wherein the tubular cable includes an inner tube and an outer tube nested together, and a conductor sandwiched between the inner tube and the outer tube. The tubular cable connector includes two sets of cable connectors according to any of the above embodiments, and the two sets of cable connectors are respectively used for connecting the inner tube and the outer tube.

[0013] In conjunction with the second aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the tubular cable connector further includes a reinforcing clamp, which is sleeved on the cable connector of the corresponding outer tube, and the orthographic projections of the two sets of cable connectors on the axis of the tubular cable at least partially overlap.

[0014] Thirdly, this application also provides a tubular cable power transmission system, including: multiple tubular cable segments and a tubular cable connector of the above embodiments, with adjacent tubular cable segments connected by the tubular cable connector, the tubular cable including an inner tube, an outer tube and a conductor, a first heat conduction channel formed in the inner tube for introducing cooling fluid, the inner tube passing through the outer tube, and an accommodating space formed between the inner tube and the outer tube for the conductor to pass through.

[0015] In conjunction with the third aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the tubular cable transmission system further includes a heat-conducting element filled within the accommodating space.

[0016] In conjunction with the third aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the cable connector of the outer tube is provided with a locking tooth on the side facing the accommodating space. The locking tooth is respectively provided on the surface of the female connector and the male connector, and is at least partially embedded in the heat-conducting element; the thermal expansion coefficient of the heat-conducting element is greater than the thermal expansion coefficient of the outer tube.

[0017] The thermal expansion coefficient of the heat-conducting component is greater than that of the outer tube. That is, when the tubular cable transmission system heats up due to operation, the expansion of the heat-conducting component is greater than that of the outer tube. There is a tendency for the outer tubes of two adjacent sections of tubular cable to separate. Therefore, the sealing of the cable connector corresponding to the outer tube is compressed, and the sealing performance of the cable connector is improved when the tubular cable transmission system is in operation.

[0018] The embedded heat-conducting component in the retaining teeth section can increase the interaction force between the outer tube and the heat-conducting component, thereby enhancing the aforementioned separation tendency and increasing the interaction force between the seal and the female and male connectors. The heat-conducting component can be a strip extending in the direction of the tubular cable extension, or it can be granular filler. Both can maintain a relatively stable shape when wrapped in the outer tube. An exemplary method for setting the heat-conducting component in a tubular cable is as follows: after the conductor is twisted and sleeved on the outer tube, heat-conducting particles are filled in while wrapping the outer tube. As the temperature rises subsequently, the heat-conducting particles react with heat and wrap around the conductor to form a whole that fills the accommodating space. Alternatively, heat-conducting silicone with a processing temperature above the conductor's operating temperature can also be used.

[0019] In conjunction with the third aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the tubular cable power transmission system further includes: an envelope tube, which is sleeved outside the tubular cable and the tubular cable connector, forming a second heat conduction channel between the outer tube and the envelope tube; and a shunt tube, which passes through the accommodating space and connects the first heat conduction channel and the second heat conduction channel, with multiple shunt tubes spaced apart in the extension direction of the tubular cable.

[0020] In conjunction with the third aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the tubular cable power transmission system further includes: a fluid pump connected to an inner tube corresponding to the tubular cable located at one end of the tubular cable power transmission system, for introducing cooling fluid into the first heat-conducting channel; in the flow direction of the cooling fluid, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat-conducting channel gradually decreases, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat-conducting channel gradually increases.

[0021] In conjunction with the third aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the cross-sectional areas of the first heat-conducting channel and the second heat-conducting channel change only at the branch pipe, and any branch pipe satisfies: S1>s1, S2<s2, S1+S2=s1+s2, S3≥S1-s1; where S1 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat-conducting channel upstream of the branch pipe, s1 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat-conducting channel downstream of the branch pipe, S2 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat-conducting channel upstream of the branch pipe, s2 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat-conducting channel downstream of the branch pipe, and S3 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the branch pipe.

[0022] In conjunction with the third aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, multiple sets of wires are arranged around the outer tube, and the area between two adjacent sets of wires in the outer tube is recessed toward the inner tube.

[0023] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following technical effects: Since the seal abuts against the female and male connectors respectively in the direction of their respective cable extensions, when two adjacent cable segments tend to separate due to thermal cycling or vibration during operation, the seal abuts against the female and male connectors, thus ensuring the airtightness of the cable connector under special circumstances.

[0024] Other advantages, objectives and features of this application will be partly apparent from the description below, and partly understood by those skilled in the art through study and practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the tubular cable power transmission system provided in this application, with part of the envelope layer removed; Figure 2 It is along Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the cross section of line AA in the middle; Figure 3 yes Figure 2A magnified view of a portion of region B in the middle; Figure 4 This is a partial disassembly diagram of the tubular cable power transmission system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a cable connector provided in another embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of the tubular cable power transmission system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 7 This is one of the cross-sectional schematic diagrams of the tubular cable power transmission system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is a second schematic cross-sectional view of the tubular cable power transmission system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 9 This is the third cross-sectional schematic diagram of the tubular cable power transmission system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 10 This is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram of a tubular cable power transmission system provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0027] Explanation of icon numbers 10. Cable connector; 11. Female connector; 111. Female conduit; 1111. First part; 1112. Second part; 1113. Third part; 112. Female flange; 12. Female connector; 121. Female conduit; 122. Female flange; 1221. First female flange; 1222. Second female flange; 13. Seal; 14. Clamping teeth; 20. Tubular cable; 21. Inner tube; 22. Outer tube; 23. Conductor; 24. First heat conduction channel; 25. Accommodation space; 26. Heat conduction component; 27. Envelope tube; 28. Diverter tube; 29. ​​Second heat conduction channel; 30. Reinforcing clamp. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] Specialty cables are widely used in complex environments such as high-power-density power transmission and distribution, shipbuilding and marine engineering equipment, mines and tunnels, high-temperature production lines, and power plants. Their operating environments often involve complex conditions including high heat loads, strong electromagnetic field coupling, salt spray, and chemical corrosion. To prevent leakage of cooling or insulation media and the intrusion of external moisture and corrosive gases during operation, specialty cables must possess higher airtightness and environmental isolation capabilities than conventional products, maintaining low permeability and continuous sealing pressure under conditions of high temperature, high pressure, strong vibration, and frequent thermal cycling. To this end, existing technologies enhance resistance to compression and impact by configuring armor layers, enveloping tubes, or multi-layered sheaths on the outer surface of the outer tube, thereby strengthening overall protection and basic sealing to a certain extent.

[0030] However, in practical engineering, long-distance power transmission usually requires the connection of multiple cable segments. Existing improvements mostly focus on the protection and thermal insulation optimization of the cable body, while the connection points are prone to becoming weak links in the system: once moisture intrusion or local overheating occurs at the connection point, it may lead to cooling failure, insulation degradation, or even paralysis of the entire power transmission system. Especially under high temperature and intense thermal cycling conditions, the repeated thermal expansion and contraction of the connector can easily cause fluctuations in the assembly gap and a decrease in the sealing pressure, inducing micro-leakage and accelerating degradation. Therefore, how to continuously maintain or improve the airtightness of the connection point while ensuring connection reliability and addressing the dimensional and stress changes caused by operating heat has become an urgent technical problem to be solved in this field.

[0031] To solve the above technical problems and improve the sealing performance of cable joints, please refer to... Figures 1 to 4 As shown, in a first aspect, this application provides a cable connector 10, which includes: Sub-head 11 is connected to a section of cable; specifically, the cable connected to sub-head 11 is designated as the first cable, and the extension direction of the first cable is designated as the first direction.

[0032] The female connector 12 is connected to another cable, and the female connector 11 is at least partially embedded in the female connector 12; specifically, the cable connected to the female connector 12 is designated as the second cable, and the extension direction of the second cable is designated as the second direction.

[0033] The sealing element 13 is sandwiched between the male connector 11 and the female connector 12. The male connector 11 and the female connector 12 abut against the sealing element 13 in the extension direction of their respective cables. Specifically, the male connector 11 abuts against the sealing element 13 in a first direction, and the female connector 12 abuts against the sealing element 13 in a second direction.

[0034] During cable expansion / contraction caused by thermal cycling and cable vibration directly caused by dynamic operating conditions, adjacent cable segments tend to either press together or separate. The latter poses a greater threat to the cable's airtightness. Therefore, current reinforcements at the connection points, such as flanges, clamps, and ferrules, create pre-tight compressive stress and deformation between the two cable segments during assembly. This buffers the tendency for separation during operation. As long as the deformation and displacement caused by vibration and contraction do not exceed the pre-compression deformation, the adjacent cable segments can maintain a stable contact, ensuring airtightness. However, because the reinforcements themselves also experience thermal expansion, vibration, loosening, and deformation, the cable connection structure often loses its airtightness before reaching the preset limit conditions. This is particularly evident in the harsh operating conditions faced by special cables.

[0035] In this application, when the two cables connected to the cable connector 10 tend to separate, that is, with the seal 13 as a reference point, the first cable moves in the first direction and the second cable moves in the second direction. At this time, both the male connector 11 and the female connector 12 press against the seal 13, thereby sealing the gap between the male connector 11 and the female connector 12, ensuring the airtightness of the cable connector 10.

[0036] In existing technologies, pre-tightening at the connection point of two cable segments buffers dynamic changes in the cable. As long as the cable deformation is less than the pre-tightening deformation, the contact and sealing of the two cable segments can be ensured. However, this is limited by the pre-tightening capacity of the connector, and under highly dynamic conditions, the actual deformation of the cable may exceed the pre-tightening deformation. Compared with existing technologies, in this application, when the two cable segments tend to separate and undergo dynamic deformation, the female connector 11 and the female connector 12 actually compress the sealing element 13. Theoretically, as long as the cable connector 10 does not suffer structural damage, the female connector 11 and the female connector 12 will be sealed by the sealing element 13, thereby ensuring the airtightness of the cable connector 10.

[0037] It should be understood that a cable includes at least a current-carrying conductor (exemplarily, wire 23 in this application) and an encapsulation structure for protecting the conductor (exemplarily, inner tube 21, outer tube 22, armor layer, etc. in this application). The connection of the conductor focuses on high-stability conduction with low resistance, while the connection of the encapsulation structure needs to ensure the sealing of the conductor and the structural strength of the cable. The connection of the two represents two different structures in this technical field and is usually implemented by different equipment in different steps. This application only designs improvements to the encapsulation structure. After connecting the encapsulation structures of the two cable segments using the cable connector 10 of this application, the conductor portions of the two cable segments can be connected in any way. Since this application does not involve restrictions on the conductor structure, the cable connector 10 of this application has good process compatibility with existing conductor connection methods and equipment, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0038] For example, after the female connector 11 and the female connector 12 are connected to the cable, the female connector 11 is inserted into the female connector 12, or the female connector 12 is sleeved on the outside of the female connector 11, and during the assembly process, the sealing element 13 is embedded in the female connector 12 and sleeved on the outside of the female connector 11 in any order.

[0039] In conjunction with the first aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the sub-head 11 includes a sub-tube 111 and a sub-flanged flange 112, the first end of the sub-tube 111 is connected to its corresponding cable, and the sub-flanged flange 112 is wrapped around the outside of the second end of the sub-tube 111; the female head 12 includes a female tube 121 and a female flange 122, the first end of the female tube 121 is connected to its corresponding cable, and the female flange 122 is embedded inside the second end of the female tube 121; the sealing member 13 is wrapped around the sub-tube 111, and the sealing member 13 is sandwiched between the sub-tube 111 and the female tube 121, and the sealing member 13 is sandwiched between the sub-flanged flange 112 and the female flange 122.

[0040] This embodiment provides a specific structure of a female head 11 and a female head 12. The female head 11 includes a female tube 111, and the female head 12 includes a female tube 121. The female tube 111 is inserted into the female tube 121, and a sealing element 13 is sandwiched between the two. At the same time, the female flange 112 connected to the female tube 111 and the female flange 122 connected to the female tube 121 sandwich the sealing element 13. While stabilizing the structure of the female head 11 and the female head 12, the position of the sealing element 13 is also locked, which is beneficial to the rapid positioning during the assembly process and the subsequent structural stability.

[0041] It should be understood that the terms "sub-head 11" and "female head 12" in this application are only defined in terms of their assembly relationship. Sub-head 11 is partially embedded in female head 12, hence the name. This does not imply any priority relationship between the two in the upstream and downstream cable relationship. During the connection of specific two cable segments, either cable can be connected to either sub-head 11 or female head 12, and the other cable can be connected to the other.

[0042] The accompanying drawings and embodiments shown in this application are only some preferred structures. In practical applications, those skilled in the art can flexibly adjust the structure of the female connector 11 and the female connector 12 according to the cable structure and application scenario. For example, the female flange 112 can be a complete circular ring structure or a petal shape with multiple spaced loops around the female tube 111. The female tube 121 can also be a complete cylinder, or have a groove at one end near the female flange 122 to allow room for the female connector 11 and the female connector 12 during assembly. As long as it can be ensured that the female connector 11, the female connector 12, and the seal 13 together form a complete sealed profile, and the structure will not deform or fail during cable operation, it is acceptable.

[0043] Preferably, the outer edge of the sub-flanged flange 112 abuts against the inner side of the mother tube 121, and the inner edge of the mother flange 122 abuts against the outer side of the sub-tube 111.

[0044] Please refer to the above as well. Figure 5 As shown, the sub-tube 111 further includes a first part 1111, a second part 1112 and a third part 1113. One end of the first part 1111 is connected to the cable, and the other end of the first part 1111 is wound around and connected to the second part 1112. One end of the third part 1113 is wound around and connected to the second part 1112, and the other end of the third part 1113 is connected to the sub-flanged flange 112. A sealing element 13 is also sandwiched between the second part 1112 and the female flange 122.

[0045] In this way, not only when the two cable segments tend to separate, the female flange 112 and the female flange 122 will clamp the seal 13, but when the two cable segments tend to press against each other, the female flange 122 and the second part 1112 will also clamp another seal 13, so that the seal 13 can be pressed against each other under both cable separation and pressing tendencies to achieve a stable sealing effect.

[0046] In this embodiment, the specifications and materials of each sealing element 13 can be set as needed. For example, considering that the sealing function is mainly undertaken by the sealing element 13 between the sub-flanged flange 112 and the female flange 122, in a preferred technical solution, the sealing element 13 includes a main sealing element and a secondary sealing element. The main sealing element is sandwiched between the sub-flanged flange 112 and the female flange 122, and the secondary sealing element is sandwiched between the second part 1112 and the female flange 122. The size of the main sealing element is larger than that of the secondary sealing element. Thus, while ensuring the effect of the main sealing element, the sum of the sizes of each sealing element 13 is reduced to a certain extent.

[0047] In conjunction with the first aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the coefficient of thermal expansion K of the seal 13 is ≥300×10⁻⁶. -6 / K.

[0048] The above embodiments only analyze the clamping of the male end 11 and female end 12 to the seal 13 from the dynamic perspective of the cable. This embodiment optimizes the material selection of the seal 13 so that the seal 13 can expand and press against the male end 11 and female end 12 when the cable is heated during operation, thereby further improving the airtightness on the basis of the aforementioned technical effects.

[0049] Typically, the coefficient of thermal expansion of cable conductors such as copper is approximately 17 × 10⁻⁶. -6 / K, the coefficient of thermal expansion of cable encapsulation structures such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is 40~200×10. -6 / K, setting the coefficient of thermal expansion of seal 13 to be K≥300×10 -6 / K ensures that the deformation of the seal 13 is greater than that of the rest of the cable structure. When the cable system as a whole undergoes thermal expansion, the seal 13 has a stable relative volume expansion compared to the rest of the structure, thereby ensuring the sealing effect.

[0050] Secondly, this application also provides a tubular cable connector. The tubular cable 20 includes an inner tube 21 and an outer tube 22 nested together, and a wire 23 sandwiched between the inner tube 21 and the outer tube 22. The tubular cable connector includes two sets of cable connectors 10, which are used for connecting the inner tube 21 and the outer tube 22 respectively.

[0051] The tubular cable connector of this embodiment includes the cable connector 10 described in any of the above embodiments. Therefore, this embodiment also has the technical effects of the above embodiments, that is, a stable and well-sealed connection structure is formed between the inner tubes 21 and the outer tubes 22 of the two cable segments, thereby achieving a stable enveloping effect on the conductor 23.

[0052] For example, the conductor 23 uses a high-purity oxygen-free copper substrate and is plated with a silver (Ag) or silver-palladium (Ag-Pd) alloy layer with a plating thickness of 3–10 μm, thereby reducing contact resistance and temperature rise, suppressing oxide film and maintaining low contact resistance under high-temperature cycling and micro-vibration conditions.

[0053] In conjunction with the second aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the tubular cable connector further includes a reinforcing clamp 30, which is sleeved on the cable connector 10 corresponding to the outer tube 22, and the orthographic projections of the two sets of cable connectors 10 on the axis of the tubular cable 20 at least partially overlap. Preferably, the orthographic projections of the two sets of cable connectors 10 on the axis of the tubular cable 20 completely overlap.

[0054] In this embodiment, the cable connector 10 is fixed by the reinforcing clamp 30 to prevent radial deformation of the cable connector 10, which would affect the sealing performance of the tubular cable connector. Furthermore, considering that in production practice it is easy to reinforce the outer tube 22 by setting a reinforcing structure on the outside of the tubular cable 20, but difficult to access the inner tube 21, this embodiment limits the orthographic projections of the two sets of cable connectors 10 on the axis of the tubular cable 20 to at least partially overlap. Therefore, by constraining the cable connector 10 corresponding to the outer tube 22, the cable connector 10 corresponding to the inner tube 21 is indirectly strengthened, enhancing the structural stability of the cable connector 10 corresponding to the inner tube 21.

[0055] For example, the reinforcing hoop 30 can be manufactured using a porous metal structure, which reduces its own weight while ensuring radial reinforcement.

[0056] Thirdly, this application also provides a tubular cable 20 power transmission system, comprising: The multi-segment tubular cable 20 includes an inner tube 21, an outer tube 22, and a conductor 23. A first heat-conducting channel 24 is formed inside the inner tube 21 for introducing cooling fluid. The inner tube 21 passes through the outer tube 22, and an accommodating space 25 is formed between the inner tube 21 and the outer tube 22 for the conductor 23 to pass through. In the tubular cable connector of the above embodiment, two adjacent tubular cable segments 20 are connected by the tubular cable connector.

[0057] As described in the second aspect, the tubular cable connector provided in this application has the technical effect of stably connecting two tubular cable segments 20 respectively, while the tubular cable 20 power transmission system provided in the third aspect of this application uses a tubular cable connector to connect multiple tubular cable segments 20. Therefore, the tubular cable 20 power transmission system provided in this application also has the above-mentioned technical effects, that is, the inner tubes 21 and outer tubes 22 of adjacent tubular cables 20 are stably connected, and good airtightness of the connection can still be maintained under harsh working conditions, thereby maintaining a relatively independent accommodating space 25 and the first heat conduction channel 24. This not only prevents the conductor 23 from being corroded by moisture under poor external environmental conditions, but also avoids the cooling fluid in the first heat conduction channel 24 from being relatively isolated from the conductor 23, and also avoids phenomena such as induced creepage of the conductor 23 through the first heat conduction channel 24.

[0058] It should be understood that the cooling fluid described in this embodiment can be either gas or coolant. Both types of cooling media are relatively mature technologies in the field of energy storage cooling. Under the premise that the first heat conduction channel 24 is well sealed in this application, those skilled in the art can flexibly choose according to actual cooling needs and conditions such as transmission distance and ambient temperature.

[0059] In conjunction with a third aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the tubular cable 20 power transmission system further includes a heat-conducting element 26, which is filled within the accommodating space 25.

[0060] The heat-conducting element 26 enhances the efficiency of heat transfer from the conductor 23 to the first heat-conducting channel 24, preventing air gaps between the conductors 23 from affecting heat dissipation, further increasing the heat dissipation efficiency of the tubular cable 20 power transmission system, and reducing the average operating temperature of the conductors 23. Furthermore, it fills the gaps between the conductors, physically filling the accommodating space 25 and reducing the risk of deformation of the cable connector 10 within the accommodating space 25. Preferably, the sum of the volumes of the conductors 23 and the heat-conducting element 26 is the same as the volume of the accommodating space 25; in other words, the accommodating space 25 is completely filled.

[0061] For example, the heat-conducting component 26 can be made of a thermally conductive insulating material containing rare earth compounds, such as a filler mainly composed of high-purity rare earth oxides or rare earth nitrides, in order to maintain excellent insulation performance while ensuring high thermal conductivity.

[0062] In conjunction with the third aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the cable connector 10 connecting the outer tube 22 is provided with a locking tooth 14 on the side facing the accommodating space 25. The locking tooth 14 is respectively provided on the surface of the female connector 11 and the female connector 12, and is at least partially embedded in the heat-conducting element 26; the thermal expansion coefficient of the heat-conducting element 26 is greater than the thermal expansion coefficient of the outer tube 22.

[0063] The thermal expansion coefficient of the heat-conducting element 26 is greater than that of the outer tube 22. That is, when the power transmission system of the tubular cable 20 heats up due to operation, the expansion of the heat-conducting element 26 is greater than that of the outer tube 22. There is a tendency for the outer tubes 22 of two adjacent sections of the tubular cable 20 to separate. Therefore, the sealing element 13 of the cable connector 10 corresponding to the outer tube 22 is pressed tight, and the sealing performance of the cable connector 10 is improved when the power transmission system of the tubular cable 20 is in operation.

[0064] The tooth 14 is partially embedded in the heat-conducting element 26, which can increase the interaction force between the outer tube 22 and the heat-conducting element 26, thereby enhancing the separation tendency and increasing the interaction force between the sealing element 13 and the male and female heads 11 and 12. The heat-conducting element 26 can be a strip extending in the extension direction of the tubular cable 20 or it can be filled with particles. It can have a relatively stable shape when wrapped by the outer tube 22. An exemplary way to set the heat-conducting element 26 of the tubular cable 20 is as follows: after the conductor 23 is twisted and sleeved on the outer tube 21, heat-conducting particles are filled in while wrapping the outer tube 22. As the temperature rises, the heat-conducting particles react with heat and wrap the conductor 23 to form a whole that fills the accommodating space 25. Alternatively, heat-conducting silicone with a processing temperature above the working temperature of the conductor 23 can also be used.

[0065] Similarly, a retaining tooth 14 can also be provided on the side of the cable connector 10 connecting the inner tube 21 facing the accommodating space 25. Its specific structure and effect can be referred to the setting of the outer tube 22 in the above embodiment.

[0066] Please refer to the above as well. Figure 6 As shown, in conjunction with the third aspect, according to an embodiment of this application, the tubular cable 20 power transmission system further includes: an envelope 27, which is sleeved outside the tubular cable 20 and the tubular cable connector, and a second heat conduction channel 29 is formed between the outer tube 22 and the envelope 27; and a shunt pipe 28, which passes through the accommodating space 25 and connects the first heat conduction channel 24 and the second heat conduction channel 29, with multiple shunt pipes 28 spaced apart in the extension direction of the tubular cable 20.

[0067] In this embodiment, a first heat-conducting channel 24 is formed on the inner side of the inner tube 21, and a second heat-conducting channel 29 is formed on the outer side of the outer tube 22. The first heat-conducting channel 24 and the second heat-conducting channel 29 together cool the wire 23. On the one hand, the additional heat dissipation path improves the heat dissipation efficiency and further reduces the working temperature of the wire 23. On the other hand, the inner tube 21 is cooled by the first heat-conducting channel 24, and the outer tube 22 is cooled by the second heat-conducting channel 29. The temperatures of both are lower than the temperature of the wire 23, which reduces the expansion of the inner tube 21 and the outer tube 22 in the working state and further enhances the compression of the seal 13.

[0068] Taking the existing high-temperature tubular cable 20 as an example, under forced air cooling and sufficient flow, the temperature of the conductor 23 is about 100℃~155℃, the input temperature of the cooling airflow is 15℃~30℃, the working temperature rise of the cooling airflow is 5℃~20℃, and the temperature rise of liquid cooling is even smaller. Therefore, with the first heat conduction channel 24 and the second heat conduction channel 29 set, there is a large temperature difference between the inner tube 21 and the outer tube 22 and the conductor 23.

[0069] Preferably, multiple sets of wires 23 are arranged around the inner tube 21, and the area between two adjacent sets of wires 23 on the outer tube 22 is recessed toward the inner tube 21.

[0070] On the one hand, the inwardly recessed outer tube 22 limits the wire 23, which is beneficial to structural stability. The grouped wires 23 also form relatively independent hot zones, which is conducive to setting heat-conducting elements 26 between the two groups of wires 23 or introducing a cooling field through the inner tube 21 and outer tube 22 recessed towards the accommodating space 25. On the other hand, the outer tube 22 is recessed towards the inner tube 21, naturally forming a petal-like structure on the outer wall of the outer tube 22. Its top can abut against the envelope tube 27, and a gap is formed between the recessed area and the envelope tube 27, thereby forming a second heat-conducting channel 29.

[0071] Please refer to Figures 7 to 9As shown, Figures 7 to 9 The cross-sectional structure shown is a schematic diagram of the change in the tubular cable 20 power transmission system from upstream to downstream. In conjunction with a third aspect, according to one embodiment of this application, the tubular cable 20 power transmission system further includes: a fluid pump connected to an inner tube 21 corresponding to the tubular cable 20 located at one end of the tubular cable 20 power transmission system, for introducing cooling fluid into the first heat-conducting channel 24; in the flow direction of the cooling fluid, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat-conducting channel 24 gradually decreases, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat-conducting channel 29 gradually increases.

[0072] In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat-conducting channel 24 gradually decreases and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat-conducting channel 29 gradually increases in the flow direction of the cooling fluid. The diversion pipe 28 connects the first heat-conducting channel 24 and the second heat-conducting channel 29, meaning that as the cooling fluid flows, it gradually diverts to the second heat-conducting channel 29. When the cooling fluid flows stably in the first heat-conducting channel 24, the portion of its surface that is in contact with the inner tube 21 will rapidly undergo heat exchange under a temperature difference of tens of degrees Celsius, while the temperature rise of the inner layer of cooling fluid is usually not significant. During the flow of the cooling fluid, the heated portion of the surface of the cooling fluid in the first heat-conducting channel 24 is gradually diverted to the second heat-conducting channel 29 via the diversion pipe 28, thereby releasing the internal low-temperature cooling fluid, increasing the temperature difference between the inside and outside of the inner tube 21, and further optimizing the heat dissipation effect.

[0073] Compared to setting a stirring device in the first heat conduction channel 24, for example, setting protrusions at intervals on the inner wall of the inner tube 21, or setting free blades at intervals in the first channel, the technical solution of this embodiment does not affect the inner wall of the inner tube 21. Except for the part that is diverted to the second heat conduction channel 29, the mainstream of the cooling fluid is almost unaffected and the flow state does not change. Thus, this embodiment can maintain high-speed delivery of the cooling fluid while exposing the inner low-temperature fluid.

[0074] Please refer to the above as well. Figure 10 As shown, by way of example, the female head 12 includes a female tube 121 and a first female flange 1221 and a second female flange 1222 connected to the inner side of the female tube 121. The female head 11 includes a female tube 111 and a female flange 112 wrapped around the outer side of the female tube 111. A sealing element 13 is clamped between one side surface of the female flange 112 and the first female flange 1221, and another sealing element 13 is clamped between the other side surface of the female flange 112 and the second female flange 1222. The female tube 121 is a tube body with the same size as the inner tube 21 (or outer tube 22) to which it is connected, and the female tube 111 is a tube body with the same size as the inner tube 21 (or outer tube 22) to which it is connected.

[0075] The technical advantage of this embodiment is that there is no abrupt change in size at the connection between the inner tube 21 (or the outer tube 22) and the mother tube 121 and the daughter tube 111, as well as along the path of the extension of the mother tube 121 and the daughter tube 111, resulting in greater structural strength. The size change of the first heat conduction channel 24 and the second heat conduction channel 29 is achieved by inserting the daughter head 11 part into the mother head 12.

[0076] In conjunction with the third aspect, according to an embodiment of this application, the cross-sectional areas of the first heat-conducting channel 24 and the second heat-conducting channel 29 change only at the branch pipe 28, and any branch pipe 28 satisfies: S1>s1, S2<s2, S1+S2=s1+s2, S3≥S1-s1; where S1 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat-conducting channel 24 upstream of the branch pipe 28, s1 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat-conducting channel 24 downstream of the branch pipe 28, S2 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat-conducting channel 29 upstream of the branch pipe 28, s2 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat-conducting channel 29 downstream of the branch pipe 28, and S3 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the branch pipe 28.

[0077] In this embodiment, the cross-sectional areas of the first heat-conducting channel 24 and the second heat-conducting channel 29 change only at the branch pipe 28. This ensures that, structurally, the diameters of the inner pipe 21, outer pipe 22, and envelope pipe 27 remain relatively stable in the region between two adjacent branch pipes 28. Furthermore, in terms of flow pattern, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow channel remains constant while the flow rate of the cooling fluid remains constant. This prevents vibration of the pipe body due to liquid disturbance during the cooling flow process, thus avoiding impact on operational stability.

[0078] S1 + S2 = s1 + s2, meaning the cross-sectional size of the cooling fluid is the same throughout the entire flow path. This means that when the flow rate is stable, its velocity is stable at all points along the flow path. It should be understood that "stable" here refers to the velocity at each point not changing significantly during operation. In practical applications, considering the friction between the cooling fluid and the inner and outer pipes 21 and volume compression, the velocity of the cooling fluid downstream will be relatively smaller than upstream. S3 ≥ S1 - s1 ensures that the distributor 28 has sufficient diversion capacity, allowing the cooling fluid to smoothly flow from the first heat conduction channel 24 to the second heat conduction channel 29 via the distributor 28.

[0079] Of course, those skilled in the art can also make adjustments according to the actual situation. For example, considering that the downstream cooling fluid temperature is higher and the heat exchange efficiency is relatively lower, S1+S2<s1+s2 can be adjusted to reduce the flow rate of the cooling fluid downstream and achieve more thorough heat exchange.

[0080] It should be noted that the order of description of the embodiments in this application is not intended to limit the priority of the embodiments. The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and do not limit the patent scope of this application. Based on the implementation methods provided in the above aspects, this application can be further combined to provide more implementation methods. All directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement between components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly. When an element is referred to as "fixed" or "set" on another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element at the same time. When an element is referred to as "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element through an intervening element.

[0081] It should also be noted that the accompanying drawings in this application are only structural illustrations, in which dimensional relationships have been exaggerated, and some structural elements have been omitted for clarity, such as... Figure 2 The presence of wires is not shown. This should not be used to limit the structure of this application.

[0082] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in this application and in its specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application.

[0083] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of protection of the claims. All equivalent transformations made under the inventive concept of this application using the content of this application's specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A cable connector (10), characterized in that, The cable connector (10) includes: The sub-head (11) is connected to a section of the cable described above; The female connector (12) is connected to another section of the cable, and the female connector (11) is at least partially embedded in the female connector (12); A sealing element (13) is sandwiched between the female head (11) and the female head (12), wherein the female head (11) and the female head (12) respectively abut against the sealing element (13) in the extension direction of their respective cables.

2. The cable connector (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sub-head (11) includes a sub-tube (111) and a sub-flange (112). The first end of the sub-tube (111) is connected to its corresponding cable, and the sub-flange (112) is wrapped around the outside of the second end of the sub-tube (111). The female connector (12) includes a female tube (121) and a female flange (122). The first end of the female tube (121) is connected to its corresponding cable, and the female flange (122) is embedded inside the second end of the female tube (121). The sealing element (13) is wrapped around the sub-tube (111), and the sealing element (13) is sandwiched between the sub-tube (111) and the mother tube (121), and the sealing element (13) is sandwiched between the sub-flanged flange (112) and the mother flange (122).

3. The cable connector (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coefficient of thermal expansion of the seal (13) is K≥300×10. -6 / K.

4. A tubular cable connector, the tubular cable (20) comprising a nested inner tube (21) and an outer tube (22), and a conductor (23) sandwiched between the inner tube (21) and the outer tube (22), characterized in that, The tubular cable connector includes two sets of cable connectors (10) as described in any one of claims 1-3, the two sets of cable connectors (10) being used for connecting the inner tube (21) and the outer tube (22), respectively.

5. The tubular cable connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The tubular cable connector also includes a reinforcing clamp (30), which is fitted over the cable connector (10) corresponding to the outer tube (22), and the orthographic projections of the two sets of cable connectors (10) on the axis of the tubular cable (20) at least partially overlap.

6. A tubular cable (20) power transmission system, characterized in that, include: A multi-segment tubular cable (20) and a tubular cable connector according to any one of claims 4-5, wherein two adjacent segments of the tubular cable (20) are connected by the tubular cable connector; The tubular cable (20) includes an inner tube (21), an outer tube (22), and a conductor (23). A first heat-conducting channel (24) is formed inside the inner tube (21) for introducing cooling fluid. The inner tube (21) passes through the outer tube (22), and an accommodating space (25) is formed between the inner tube (21) and the outer tube (22) for the conductor (23) to pass through.

7. The tubular cable (20) power transmission system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The tubular cable (20) power transmission system also includes a heat-conducting element (26) which is filled within the accommodating space (25).

8. The tubular cable (20) power transmission system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The cable connector (10) connected to the outer tube (22) is provided with a locking tooth (14) on the side facing the accommodating space (25). The locking tooth (14) is respectively provided on the surface of the female connector (11) and the female connector (12), and is at least partially embedded in the heat-conducting component (26). The coefficient of thermal expansion of the heat-conducting component (26) is greater than that of the outer tube (22).

9. The tubular cable (20) power transmission system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The tubular cable (20) power transmission system also includes: Envelope (27), which is sleeved outside the tubular cable (20) and the tubular cable connector, and a second heat conduction channel (29) is formed between the outer tube (22) and the envelope (27). Diverter pipe (28) passes through the accommodating space (25) and connects the first heat conduction channel (24) and the second heat conduction channel (29). A plurality of diverter pipes (28) are spaced apart in the extension direction of the tubular cable (20).

10. The tubular cable (20) power transmission system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The tubular cable (20) power transmission system also includes: A fluid pump, connected to the inner tube (21) of the tubular cable (20) at one end of the power transmission system, is used to introduce the cooling fluid into the first heat conduction channel (24); In the flow direction of the cooling fluid, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat-conducting channel (24) gradually decreases, while the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat-conducting channel (29) gradually increases.

11. The tubular cable (20) power transmission system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The cross-sectional areas of the first heat-conducting channel (24) and the second heat-conducting channel (29) change only at the branch pipe (28), and any one of the branch pipes (28) satisfies: S1>s1, S2<s2, S1+S2=s1+s2, S3≥S1-s1; Wherein, S1 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat conduction channel (24) upstream of the branch pipe (28), s1 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the first heat conduction channel (24) downstream of the branch pipe (28), S2 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat conduction channel (29) upstream of the branch pipe (28), s2 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the second heat conduction channel (29) downstream of the branch pipe (28), and S3 is the cross-sectional area of ​​the branch pipe (28).

12. The tubular cable (20) power transmission system according to claim 9, characterized in that, Multiple sets of the wires (23) are arranged around the outer tube (21), and the outer tube (22) is recessed towards the inner tube (21) in the area between two adjacent sets of the wires (23).

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