Recycled Crosslinked Polymer Powder in Power Cable Water-Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power cables face challenges with water penetration into the conductive core, leading to corrosion and degradation of electrical properties, particularly in underground and submarine environments, due to the high cost and inefficiency of known water-blocking materials, and the difficulty in incorporating non-thermoplastic materials like crosslinked polymers into thermoplastic compositions without creating voids that allow water migration.
Innovation Solution
A water-blocking composition comprising 20-90 wt% thermoplastic polymer and 10-30 wt% crosslinked polymer in powder form with particle diameters less than 900 µm is used to fill the interstices of stranded conductive wires, allowing for effective impregnation and preventing water ingress without altering manufacturing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If crosslinked polymer materials are incorporated into thermoplastic water-blocking compositions, then production costs are reduced through recycling, but interface voids form that allow water migration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of crosslinked polymer from conventional large particles to fine powder form with particle diameter less than 900 μm. This parameter change allows the crosslinked polymer to be fully embedded in the thermoplastic matrix without forming interface voids, resolving the contradiction between water-blocking performance and processing difficulty
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite water-blocking composition by combining thermoplastic polymer with finely powdered crosslinked polymer. This composite structure allows both materials to work together synergistically, where the fine crosslinked particles are uniformly distributed and embedded in the thermoplastic matrix, preventing water migration while maintaining processability
2Reliability
If crosslinked scrap materials are reused in water-blocking compositions, then production costs are reduced, but manufacturing precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of crosslinked polymer to fine powder form with particle diameter less than 900 μm. This parameter change enables complete impregnation of the conductor interstices by the water-blocking composition, ensuring manufacturing precision while allowing reuse of crosslinked scrap materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by ensuring fine crosslinked particles are uniformly distributed throughout the thermoplastic matrix and completely fill the conductor interstices. This local uniformity ensures complete impregnation and prevents water migration, maintaining manufacturing precision
3Reliability
If conventional water-blocking materials are used, then water migration is prevented, but production costs increase due to material price fluctuations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and reuses crosslinked polymer scrap materials that would otherwise be discarded. By processing these scraps into fine powder and incorporating them into thermoplastic water-blocking compositions, the patent reduces material costs and reliance on fluctuating commodity prices while maintaining water-blocking performance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a cost-effective composite by combining inexpensive thermoplastic polymer with recycled crosslinked polymer. This composite structure maintains the water-blocking performance of conventional materials while reducing production costs through the use of recycled content
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
The solution reduces production costs by reusing crosslinked scrap materials and maintains industrially acceptable manufacturing speeds, effectively preventing water migration and corrosion in power cables, as demonstrated by passing hot and cold bend water penetration tests.
Implementation Method 1
from 10 wt% to 30 wt%, of a crosslinked polymer, in the form of a powder having a particle diameter less than 900 μm, dispersed in the thermoplastic polymer
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
A power cable and a process of manufacturing a power cable, where the power cable includes a core containing stranded electrically conductive wires that are impregnated with a water-blocking composition, wherein the water-blocking composition contains, based on a total weight of the water-blocking composition: (i) a thermoplastic polymer; and (ii) a positive amount of up to 30 wt% of a crosslinked polymer, where the crosslinked polymer is in the form of a powder having a particle diameter less than 900 μm and the crosslinked polymer is dispersed in the thermoplastic polymer.