Self-locking gapless steel wire armoured submarine power cable

Abstract

The application provides a self-locking gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable, and relates to the technical field of cables, which comprises a cable core, a light unit, a cabling and a protective layer; the cable core comprises a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer, a semi-conductive water-blocking tape, a metal sheath and a semi-conductive polyethylene sheath arranged in sequence from inside to outside; the protective layer comprises an inner lining layer, a self-locking steel wire armored layer and an outer coating layer arranged in sequence from inside to outside; the self-locking steel wire armored layer is wrapped outside the inner lining layer, and the self-locking steel wire armored layer is composed of a plurality of armored steel wires arranged in sequence along the circumferential direction of the cable; the armored steel wire adopts a trapezoidal cross-section structure with a narrow top and a wide bottom, and the two sides of the armored steel wire are respectively provided with a matching embedded protrusion and an embedded slot; each armored steel wire is embedded with the embedded protrusion and the embedded slot, and is continuously embedded and locked at the head and tail along the circumferential direction of the cable to form a closed loop self-locking structure, so that the self-locking steel wire armored layer forms an integral armored layer without longitudinal through gaps.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cable technology, and in particular to a self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of nearshore wind power grid connection, cross-sea power transmission, and deep-sea oil and gas engineering, high-voltage submarine power cables are widely used in nearshore and deep-sea environments. These cables typically use round steel wire stranded armor as a mechanical protection layer to withstand laying tension, external pressure, and mechanical loads such as anchoring and abrasion, ensuring stable cable operation. From the inside out, the cable consists of a conductor, conductor shield, insulation layer, insulation shield, metal sheath, inner sheath, filler cabling, PP rope inner lining, steel wire armor layer, and outer sheath. The structure is simple and highly versatile in production.

[0003] The long-term stable operation of high-voltage submarine cables in complex seabed environments is crucial for energy transmission and power supply safety. The mechanical protective layer of the cable not only withstands external forces but also directly affects the waterproof performance of the inner insulation and metal sheath. Therefore, improving the structural reliability and protective capability of the armor layer is of significant engineering value for extending the life of submarine cables, reducing maintenance costs, and ensuring the safe operation of power systems.

[0004] However, traditional round steel wire armor has longitudinal gaps between multiple steel wires, which can cause water to seep along the armor layers after the outer lining is damaged, leading to water accumulation between layers and corrosion of the metal sheath. The armor is fixed by twisting alone without a locking structure, which can easily lead to loosening and unraveling, reducing its tensile and compressive strength. The hard-edged steel wires on the inside can also wear down the inner lining, causing the armor to directly squeeze the metal sheath. At the same time, the gaps between the round steel wires are easily caught by anchors, fishing nets and reefs, and they are prone to breakage when pulled or cut, increasing the risk of failure. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the technical problems of traditional round steel wire armor, such as longitudinal gaps between multiple steel wires leading to water seepage along the armor layers after damage to the outer sheath, causing interlayer water accumulation and corrosion of the metal sheath; the armor relying solely on twisting for fixation without a locking structure, making it prone to loosening and unraveling, reducing tensile and compressive strength; the hard-edged steel wires on the inner side also abrading the inner lining, causing the armor to directly compress the metal sheath; and the gaps between the round steel wires being easily caught by anchors, fishing nets, and reefs, making them prone to breakage under tension or cutting, increasing the risk of failure, this invention provides a self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable.

[0006] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of the present invention are as follows: This invention provides a self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable, comprising: a cable core, an optical unit, a cable assembly, and a protective layer; The cable core includes, from the inside out, a conductor, a conductor shielding layer, an insulation layer, an insulation shielding layer, a semi-conductive resistive water tape, a metal sheath, and a semi-conductive polyethylene sheath. The protective layer comprises, from the inside out, an inner lining layer, a self-locking steel wire armor layer, and an outer sheath layer; The self-locking steel wire armor layer covers the outside of the inner lining layer, and the self-locking steel wire armor layer is composed of multiple armor steel wires arranged sequentially along the circumference of the cable. The armored steel wire adopts a trapezoidal cross-section structure that is narrower at the top and wider at the bottom. The two sides of the armored steel wire are respectively provided with matching interlocking protrusions and interlocking grooves. Each armored steel wire is interlocked with the interlocking protrusions and interlocking grooves, and continuously interlocked from end to end along the circumference of the cable to form a closed-loop self-locking structure, so that the self-locking steel wire armor layer forms an integral armor layer without longitudinal through gaps.

[0007] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention include at least the following: In this embodiment of the invention, an integral armor layer without longitudinal through gaps is formed by trapezoidal cross-section armored steel wires and a tenon-and-mortise self-locking closed-loop structure. This not only effectively blocks seawater from seeping longitudinally along the armor layer and protects the inner lining and metal sheath, but also prevents the armor from loosening or unraveling through mutual restraint of the steel wires, thereby improving tensile, compressive, and torsional resistance. At the same time, the rounded blunt design on the inner side of the armor reduces wear on the inner lining, ensuring long-term stable operation of the cable in complex environments in the deep sea and nearshore areas, and improving mechanical protection capabilities and service life. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a self-locking armored steel wire provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 3 A three-dimensional diagram of a self-locking armored steel wire provided for an embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible contact portion in a self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable, provided as an embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Reference numerals: 1. Cable core; 2. Optical unit; 3. Cable; 4. Protective layer; 101. Conductor; 102. Conductor shielding layer; 103. Insulation layer; 104. Insulation shielding layer; 105. Semiconductor resistive water tape; 106. Metal sheath; 107. Semiconductor polyethylene sheath; 301. Cable wrapping tape; 302. Filler layer; 401. Inner lining layer; 402. Self-locking steel wire armor layer; 403. Outer sheath layer.

[0014] As shown in the figure, specific structures and devices are marked in the figure to clearly illustrate the structure of the embodiments of the present invention. However, this is only for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the present invention to this specific structure, device and environment. Those skilled in the art can adjust or modify these devices and environments according to specific needs. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The technical solutions of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, to make the embodiments more detailed, the following embodiments are the best and preferred embodiments, and those skilled in the art can use other alternative methods to implement some well-known technologies. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are only for more specific description of the embodiments and are not intended to specifically limit the present invention.

[0016] like Figures 1 to 4 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a self-locking gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable, comprising: cable core 1, optical unit 2, cable assembly 3, and protective layer 4.

[0017] The cable core 1 includes, from the inside out, a conductor 101, a conductor shielding layer 102, an insulation layer 103, an insulation shielding layer 104, a semi-conductive resistive water tape 105, a metal sheath 106, and a semi-conductive polyethylene sheath 107.

[0018] The protective layer 4 includes an inner lining layer 401, a self-locking steel wire armor layer 402, and an outer sheath layer 403 arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside.

[0019] The cable 3 includes a cable wrapping tape 301 and a filling layer 302.

[0020] The self-locking steel wire armor layer 402 covers the outside of the inner lining layer 401. The self-locking steel wire armor layer 402 is composed of multiple armored steel wires arranged sequentially along the circumference of the cable.

[0021] The armored steel wire adopts a trapezoidal cross-section structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The two sides of the armored steel wire are respectively provided with matching interlocking protrusions and interlocking slots. Each armored steel wire is interlocked with the interlocking protrusions and interlocking slots, and continuously interlocked from end to end along the circumference of the cable to form a closed-loop self-locking structure, so that the self-locking steel wire armor layer 402 forms an integral armor layer without longitudinal through gaps.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the armored steel wire has an arc-shaped passivated contact surface on the side near the inner lining layer 401, and the arc-shaped passivated contact surface is in close contact with the inner lining layer 401.

[0023] The rounded, blunted contact surface is used to reduce the shearing and abrasion of the armor wire on the inner lining 401.

[0024] It should be noted that the rounded passivation design ensures that the armor steel wires are in close contact with the inner lining layer, which can effectively reduce the shearing and wear on the inner lining layer during long-term micro-movements, protect the integrity of the inner lining layer, and improve the overall stability of the armor and the service life of the submarine cable.

[0025] In one possible implementation, the conductor 101 is specifically a multi-strand tightly wound copper conductor.

[0026] It should be noted that the multi-strand tightly stranded copper conductor structure can improve conductivity and flexibility, enabling the cable to maintain good conductivity stability under submarine laying and bending conditions, while reducing the risk of local heating and uneven electric field.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the conductor shielding layer 102 covers the outer surface of the conductor 101, the insulating layer 103 covers the outside of the conductor shielding layer 102, and the insulating shielding layer 104 covers the outside of the insulating layer 103.

[0028] The conductor shielding layer 102 is used to uniformly shape the surface electric field of the conductor 101 and eliminate the risk of tip discharge of the conductor 101.

[0029] The insulation layer 103 is made of cross-linked polyethylene insulation material to achieve reliable insulation isolation.

[0030] The insulating shielding layer 104 is used to balance the surface potential of the insulation layer, suppress partial discharge, and improve the operational stability of the insulation.

[0031] It should be noted that the conductor shielding layer uniformly distributes the electric field on the conductor surface, the insulation layer achieves reliable insulation isolation, and the insulation shielding layer suppresses partial discharge phenomena, thereby improving the overall stability and safety of the high-voltage operation of the cable.

[0032] In one possible implementation, a semiconducting resistive water tape 105 is wrapped around the outside of the insulating shielding layer 104, and the semiconducting resistive water tape 105 is used for longitudinal water blocking.

[0033] A metal sheath 106 covers the outside of the semiconducting resistive water strip 105. The metal sheath 106 is used for overall radial water blocking, corrosion prevention, and carrying short-circuit current.

[0034] A semi-conductive polyethylene sheath 107 covers the outside of the metal sheath 106. The semi-conductive polyethylene sheath 107 is used to achieve equipotential interconnection of the metal sheath to suppress induced voltage and circulating current.

[0035] Specifically, the water-blocking strip and the metal sheath form a radial and longitudinal water-blocking system, and the PE sheath achieves equipotential interconnection with the metal sheath, suppressing induced voltage and circulating current, and improving the cable's corrosion resistance and long-term reliability.

[0036] In one possible implementation, the cable 3 is disposed between multiple cable cores 1 with semi-conductive polyethylene sheaths 107 to fill the gaps between the cores and round the cable cores.

[0037] The cable 3 is made of semi-conductive material and is electrically connected to the semi-conductive polyethylene sheath 107.

[0038] In this embodiment of the invention, the cable core, optical unit, and cabling are arranged in a combination to facilitate the determination of the specific implementation details of the number of cable cores and the embedding position of the optical unit. For example, three cable cores are arranged circumferentially at uniform intervals as three-phase conductors (A, B, and C). Fan-shaped filler strips are placed at the gaps between adjacent cores to compensate for and fill the cable core structure, achieving overall cross-sectional roundness. Optical units are embedded in the center of the fan-shaped filler strips or the axial center region, placing them in a relatively neutral stress zone within the cable structure to reduce the effects of bending and compression. Preferably, each optical unit is configured as two independent units symmetrically arranged within the cable structure. Each optical unit contains 24 or 48 single-mode optical fibers for distributed condition monitoring or redundant communication monitoring. The cable is filled with semi-conductive material in the gaps between cores and the fan-shaped filler strip areas, forming an electrical connection with the semi-conductive polyethylene sheath to achieve overall equipotentiality and electric field uniformity, thereby further improving the roundness, mechanical stability, and electrical operational reliability of the cable structure. Cable 3 is made of semi-conductive material and is electrically connected to the semi-conductive polyethylene sheath 107.

[0039] In this embodiment of the invention, the cable is filled with the gaps between the cores and the cores are rounded. The semi-conductive material is electrically connected to the PE sheath, which can disperse stress, prevent internal core displacement, and provide stable mechanical support and insulation protection.

[0040] In one possible implementation, the cabling wrapping tape 301 covers the outside of the filling layer 302. The cabling wrapping tape 301 is used to straighten the cabling structure and uniformly distribute interlayer stress to prevent structural misalignment.

[0041] It should be noted that the cable wrapping tape can regulate the cable core structure, ensure that each core is evenly stressed, avoid core misalignment and stress concentration between layers, and improve the overall mechanical stability of the cable and the accuracy of the armor layer arrangement.

[0042] In one possible implementation, the inner lining layer 401 covers the outside of the cable wrapping tape 301 and is located between the cable wrapping tape 301 and the self-locking steel wire armor layer 402. The inner lining layer 401 is used for isolation and cushioning.

[0043] The outer sheath 403 covers the outside of the self-locking steel wire armor layer 402.

[0044] It should be noted that the inner lining layer is located between the wrapping tape and the self-locking steel wire armor layer, serving as an isolation and buffer. The outer sheath covers the armor layer, providing protection against seawater, abrasion, and corrosion, thus enhancing the overall protection capability of the submarine cable.

[0045] In one possible implementation, the optical unit 2 is embedded in the cable 3, and the optical unit 2 is used to monitor the operating status of the submarine power cable.

[0046] It should be noted that the optical unit can monitor the cable's operating status in real time, including temperature and stress changes, providing data support for submarine cable operation management and fault diagnosis, and improving maintenance efficiency and safety.

[0047] In one possible implementation, the self-locking wire armor layer 402 is specifically a single-layer armor structure.

[0048] The armored steel wires in the self-locking steel wire armor layer 402 mutually limit each other, restricting the radial runout and axial slippage of a single armored steel wire.

[0049] It should be noted that the single-layer armored steel wires mutually limit each other to prevent radial runout and axial slippage, forming a stable closed-loop structure, improving tensile, compressive and torsional strength, and enhancing the overall reliability of the armor layer and the cable core.

[0050] In this embodiment of the invention, the specific principle of the center seat of a self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable is as follows: The core radial waterproofing and water-blocking functions of the submarine cable are entirely provided by the metal sheath and the inner water-blocking structure. Through a trapezoidal steel wire unilateral tenon-and-mortise interlocking structure, a seamless closed-loop arrangement of the steel wires in the same layer is achieved, eliminating the longitudinal seepage channels of traditional round steel wire armor. This prevents longitudinal seawater seepage when the outer sheath is damaged, avoiding water accumulation between layers and corrosion of the metal sheath. A full-circle tenon-and-mortise self-locking structure ensures all steel wires are interlocked and constrained, preventing radial runout and axial slippage of individual wires and solving problems of armor loosening and strand unraveling. The inner arc-shaped blunting structure of the steel wires optimizes the traditional sharp-angle shearing line contact into a rounded surface support contact, eliminating shear wear on the PP rope inner lining and providing long-term protection for the inner structure. The seamless, self-locking, integral armor structure can evenly distribute the concentrated stress generated by deep-sea hydrostatic pressure, anchor impact, and dragging, significantly improving the overall compressive, tensile, and cut resistance of the cable. At the same time, the airtight, gapless armor structure can prevent foreign objects from getting stuck, effectively reducing the risk of outer layer damage caused by anchor impact and fishing net entanglement in nearshore waters, reducing the risk of seawater infiltration from the source, and ensuring the long-term stable operation of the submarine cable.

[0051] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present invention include at least the following: In this embodiment of the invention, an integral armor layer without longitudinal through gaps is formed by trapezoidal cross-section armor steel wires and tenon-and-mortise self-locking closed-loop structure. This not only effectively blocks seawater from seeping longitudinally along the armor layer and protects the inner lining and metal sheath, but also prevents the armor from loosening or unraveling by mutual restraint of the steel wires, thereby improving tensile, compressive and torsional resistance. At the same time, the rounded blunt design on the inner side of the armor reduces wear on the inner lining, thereby improving the mechanical protection capability and service life of the submarine cable.

[0052] This invention encompasses any substitutions, modifications, equivalent methods, and solutions made within the spirit and scope of this invention. To provide the public with a thorough understanding of this invention, specific details are described in detail in the preferred embodiments, while those skilled in the art will fully understand the invention even without these details. Furthermore, to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding of the essence of this invention, well-known methods, processes, procedures, components, and circuits are not described in detail.

[0053] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable, characterized in that, include: Cable core (1), optical unit (2), cabling (3) and protective layer (4); The cable core (1) includes, from the inside out, a conductor (101), a conductor shielding layer (102), an insulation layer (103), an insulation shielding layer (104), a semi-conductive resistive water tape (105), a metal sheath (106), and a semi-conductive polyethylene sheath (107). The protective layer (4) includes an inner lining layer (401), a self-locking steel wire armor layer (402), and an outer sheath layer (403) arranged sequentially from the inside to the outside. The cabling (3) includes a cabling wrapping tape (301) and a filling layer (302). The self-locking steel wire armor layer (402) covers the outside of the inner lining layer (401), and the self-locking steel wire armor layer (402) is composed of multiple armored steel wires arranged sequentially along the circumference of the cable. The armored steel wire adopts a trapezoidal cross-section structure that is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The two sides of the armored steel wire are respectively provided with matching interlocking protrusions and interlocking slots. Each armored steel wire is interlocked with the interlocking protrusions and the interlocking slots, and continuously interlocked from end to end along the circumference of the cable to form a closed-loop self-locking structure, so that the self-locking steel wire armor layer (402) forms an integral armor layer without longitudinal through gaps.

2. The self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The armored steel wire has an arc-shaped passivated contact surface on the side near the inner lining layer (401), and the arc-shaped passivated contact surface is in close contact with the inner lining layer (401). The circular arc-shaped passivated contact surface is used to reduce the shearing and abrasion of the inner lining (401) by the armored steel wire.

3. The self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable according to claim 2, characterized in that, The conductor (101) is specifically a multi-strand tightly twisted copper conductor.

4. The self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable according to claim 3, characterized in that, The conductor shielding layer (102) covers the outer surface of the conductor (101), the insulating layer (103) covers the outside of the conductor shielding layer (102), and the insulating shielding layer (104) covers the outside of the insulating layer (103). The conductor shielding layer (102) is used to uniformly shape the surface electric field of the conductor (101) and eliminate the risk of tip discharge of the conductor (101); The insulation layer (103) is made of cross-linked polyethylene insulation material to achieve reliable insulation isolation; The insulating shielding layer (104) is used to balance the surface potential of the insulating layer, suppress partial discharge, and improve the stability of the insulation operation.

5. The self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable according to claim 4, characterized in that, The semiconducting water-resistant tape (105) is wrapped around the outside of the insulating shielding layer (104), and the semiconducting water-resistant tape (105) is used for longitudinal water blocking; The metal sheath (106) covers the outside of the semiconducting resistive water strip (105), and the metal sheath (106) is used for overall radial water blocking, corrosion prevention and short circuit current carrying. The semi-conductive polyethylene sheath (107) covers the outside of the metal sheath (106). The semi-conductive polyethylene sheath (107) is used to achieve equipotential interconnection of the metal sheath to suppress induced voltage and circulating current.

6. The self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cable (3) is arranged between multiple cable cores (1) with the semi-conductive polyethylene sheath (107) to fill the gaps between the cores and round the cable cores. The cable (3) is made of a semi-conductive material and is electrically connected to the semi-conductive polyethylene sheath (107).

7. The self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cabling wrapping tape (301) covers the outside of the filling layer (302). The cabling wrapping tape (301) is used to straighten the cabling structure and uniformly distribute interlayer stress to prevent structural misalignment.

8. The self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner lining layer (401) covers the outside of the cable wrapping tape (301) and is located between the cable wrapping tape (301) and the self-locking steel wire armor layer (402). The inner lining layer (401) is used for isolation and buffering. The outer sheath (403) covers the outside of the self-locking steel wire armor layer (402).

9. The self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The optical unit (2) is embedded in the cable (3) and is used to monitor the operating status of the submarine power cable.

10. The self-locking, gapless steel wire armored submarine power cable according to claim 1, characterized in that, The self-locking steel wire armor layer (402) is specifically a single-layer armor structure; The armored steel wires in the self-locking steel wire armor layer (402) mutually limit each other, restricting the radial runout and axial slippage of a single armored steel wire.

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