Electric Cable Thermal Testing with Reusable Temperature Curves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for testing the thermal performance of objects, such as electric cables for the oil and gas industry, are expensive and require repeated high-temperature tests, leading to high project-specific costs, and there is a need for a more efficient and cost-effective method to test the thermal performance of multiple objects simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A two-step method involving the creation of initial temperature curves using a first furnace with thermally insulated enclosures and sensors, followed by testing the objects in a second furnace at lower temperatures using these curves, allowing for simultaneous testing of multiple objects and reducing the need for repeated high-temperature tests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high-temperature fire testing is performed on each cable for every project, then the thermal performance validation is ensured, but the testing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-measuring temperature curves in an insulated enclosure before actual fire testing. These pre-measured curves are stored and reused during subsequent fire tests, eliminating the need to repeatedly perform expensive high-temperature tests while ensuring thermal performance validation through the stored reference data
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a thermal model through pre-measurement of temperature curves in an insulated enclosure. This thermal model (stored temperature data) is then copied and applied during actual fire testing to validate cable performance, replacing the need for repeated physical high-temperature experiments
2Reliability
If repeated high-temperature tests are conducted for different cable sets, then the thermal performance of each cable set is verified, but the time consumption and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurement of temperature curves in an insulated enclosure before actual fire testing. These pre-measured curves are stored and reused during subsequent fire tests for different cable sets, eliminating repeated high-temperature testing while maintaining verification reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal thermal model through pre-measurement that can be applied to verify multiple different cable sets. The stored temperature curves serve as a universal reference that validates thermal performance across various cable configurations without requiring separate high-temperature tests for each
3Reliability
If high-temperature fire testing is performed for each project specification, then the cable compliance is confirmed, but the project-specific costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary measurement of temperature curves in an insulated enclosure before actual fire testing. These pre-measured curves are stored and reused during subsequent fire tests, eliminating the need to repeatedly perform expensive high-temperature tests while ensuring cable compliance confirmation through the stored reference data
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a thermal model through pre-measurement of temperature curves in an insulated enclosure. This thermal model (stored temperature data) is then copied and applied during actual fire testing to confirm cable compliance, replacing the need for repeated physical high-temperature experiments
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method provides a cost-effective and efficient way to test the thermal performance of objects by using pre-recorded initial temperature curves, ensuring a built-in safety margin and reducing the need for expensive high-temperature tests, while allowing for simultaneous testing of multiple objects.
Implementation Method 1
providing at least one first enclosure having side walls lined with thermally insulating material
Implementation Method 2
arranging a temperature sensor configured to monitor the temperature inside each of the at least one first enclosure
Implementation Method 3
increasing the temperature of the first furnace in accordance with a predetermined test curve while monitoring the temperature inside the at least one first enclosure
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the testing of the thermal performance of at least one object (6), such as an electric cable. First, at least one initial temperature curve is obtained by subjecting at least one first enclosure (1) having side walls lined with thermally insulating material to a predetermined test curve inside a first furnace (3) while monitoring the temperature inside each of the at least one first enclosure. The at least one initial temperature curve is stored in a database (5). Then, the at least one object is placed inside a second furnace (7) which is heated in accordance with one of the at least one initial temperature curve while determining a resulting test parameter for each of the at least one object, the test parameter being an indicator of the thermal performance. The method can e.g. be used in a process of selecting the necessary amount and type of thermally insulating material for a given application of the object.