Submarine Power Cable Laminate Barrier for Lead-Free Water Blocking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Submarine power cables face challenges with water ingress, damage from external marine objects, and fatigue due to wave motion, and traditional lead-based water-blocking layers pose environmental contamination risks.
Innovation Solution
A submarine power cable design featuring a laminate water barrier structure composed of a metallic foil and an adhesive polymer layer, where the adhesive polymer layer comprises a base polymer with at least 50 wt% and graphene or graphite additives in specific weight percentages, providing low water permeability and electrical conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a lead-based water-blocking layer is used, then water ingress protection is improved, but environmental contamination and health risks worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material composition parameters by using aluminum foil combined with adhesive polymer layers containing carbon black or graphite as a replacement for lead-based water-blocking layers, maintaining water ingress protection while eliminating environmental contamination
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite structure consisting of aluminum foil in combination with adhesive polymer layers containing conductive additives (carbon black or graphite), creating a composite material that provides both water barrier properties and electrical conductivity without using lead
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a non-metallic water barrier structure is used, then environmental safety is improved, but water permeability may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a composite water barrier structure combining aluminum foil with adhesive polymer layers, where the aluminum foil provides the primary water barrier function while the polymer layers provide sealing and adhesion, achieving both environmental safety and low water permeability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs thin film structures including aluminum foil and polymer adhesive layers that provide effective water barrier protection while maintaining flexibility for cable application
3Reliability
If the adhesive polymer layer contains high additive content, then electrical conductivity is improved, but material cost and processing difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the concentration parameter of conductive additives (carbon black or graphite) in the adhesive polymer layer to achieve sufficient electrical conductivity while maintaining ease of manufacturing and processing
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 laminate water barrier structure effectively prevents water ingress while meeting electrical, mechanical, and chemical requirements, offering a lead-free, cost-effective solution that adapts electrical properties through the composition of the adhesive polymer layer.
Implementation Method 1
an additive being graphene, graphene or graphite nanoplatelets, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide and/or graphite
Implementation Method 2
a laminate water barrier structure having a low water permeability
Data Source
AI summary
A submarine power cable having: a conductor; an insulation system including at least a first semiconducting layer provided around the conductor, and an insulation layer provided around the first semiconducting layer; and a laminate water barrier structure provided around the insulation system, the laminate water barrier structure including a metallic foil and an adhesive polymer layer arranged in direct contact with the metallic foil. The adhesive polymer layer is obtained from a composition including a base polymer in an amount of at least 50 wt % and an additive being graphene, graphene or graphite nanoplatelets, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide and/or graphite in an amount of between 0.05 wt % and 10 wt %, preferably between 0.25 wt % and 5 wt %, more preferably between 0.5 wt % and 2 wt %, based on the weight of the composition.