Textile Fabric with Embedded Absorbent for Cable Water-Blocking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water-blocking solutions for cables, such as those using powdered superabsorbents and adhesives, face issues with adhesion loss under hydrostatic pressure and limited longitudinal water-blocking effectiveness, leading to potential cable damage and failure.
Innovation Solution
A textile fabric with high air permeability and an open-pore structure is developed, allowing absorbents to swell and anchor firmly within the fabric without additional adhesives, providing enhanced longitudinal water-blocking capabilities and maintaining strength even when wet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If water-blocking tapes are sealed or bound with adhesives to prevent mechanical abrasion loss, then the connection stability is improved, but the swelling action and swelling rate of the water-blocking compounds are inhibited, impairing the water-blocking properties
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the adhesive component from the water-blocking tape system. Instead of using adhesive-bound superabsorbent particles, the patent employs a self-adhesive foam tape where the superabsorbent particles are directly embedded in the foam matrix, allowing them to swell freely without adhesive restriction while maintaining connection stability through the foam structure itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and binding mechanism of the superabsorbent material. By embedding particles directly in the foam matrix rather than binding them with adhesive, the system allows the superabsorbent to maintain its natural swelling parameters and chemical properties, thereby preserving water-blocking reliability while achieving connection stability through the foam structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If water-soluble binders or adhesives are used to bind superabsorbent powder, then the powder connection is achieved, but the binder dissolves when it comes into contact with water and the water-blocking compound begins to swell, causing the water-blocking agent to lose its connection and can be rinsed out
Solution Approach 1:
The invention completely removes water-soluble binders and adhesives from the system. The superabsorbent particles are embedded directly in the water-insoluble foam matrix, which provides mechanical support and connection stability without dissolving in water, thereby preventing the water-blocking agent from being rinsed out while maintaining powder connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a permanent, non-dissolving connection structure by embedding superabsorbent particles in the foam matrix. This structure copies the binding function of adhesives but uses a water-insoluble foam material that does not dissolve, ensuring the water-blocking agent remains firmly connected even when exposed to water.
3Reliability
If SAP fibers are used as water-blocking material, then the water-blocking capability is provided, but they show low gel strength when swollen and are not firmly bound in or around the matrix barrels, causing the gel to move quickly along cavities under hydrostatic pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a foam matrix structure that acts as a flexible but strong containment medium. The foam matrix provides mechanical support and firm binding for the swollen superabsorbent particles, preventing gel movement along cavities while allowing the superabsorbent to maintain its water-blocking capability through swelling.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system where superabsorbent particles are embedded in a foam matrix. This composite structure combines the water-absorbing capability of superabsorbent materials with the mechanical strength and structural integrity of the foam matrix, resulting in both high gel strength and effective water-blocking capability.
4Strength
If additional adhesives and binders are used to secure the absorption material to the textile layer, then the connection strength is improved, but the swelling effect and swelling rate are reduced due to the inhibitory effect of the adhesives
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates additional adhesives and binders from the system. The superabsorbent particles are embedded directly in the foam matrix, which provides mechanical connection strength through the foam structure itself, allowing the particles to swell at their natural rate without adhesive inhibition.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the binding mechanism from adhesive-based to structure-based embedding. The foam matrix provides mechanical support and connection strength through its cellular structure, allowing superabsorbent particles to maintain their natural swelling parameters and achieve rapid swelling without the inhibitory effects of adhesives.
5Reliability
If the textile fabric has high air permeability to allow free swelling, then the swelling effect is maximized, but the firm anchoring of the absorbent in the fabric becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a foam matrix structure that provides both high porosity for free swelling and sufficient mechanical strength for firm anchoring. The foam matrix acts as a flexible but structurally sound medium that allows superabsorbent particles to expand freely while maintaining strong mechanical connection through the foam's cellular structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure where the foam matrix provides both the porous environment for free swelling and the mechanical strength for firm anchoring. The combination of foam structure and embedded superabsorbent particles achieves both high swelling effect and strong anchoring strength simultaneously.
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 textile fabric effectively prevents water penetration and migration along cables, maintaining structural integrity and reducing weight, while allowing for flexible application in various cable designs.
Implementation Method 1
the pores (4) are capable of being closed at least partially under the action of liquid due to swelling of the absorption material (3)
Implementation Method 2
it has an air permeability, measured according to DIN EN ISO 9237 at 100 Pa air pressure, of 500 to 3000 dm3/(m2s)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a textile fabric (1,1') for preventing the penetration and the spreading of water in cables, comprising at least one layer (2), which is at least partially covered by an absorbent material (3) and comprises pores (4), wherein the pores (4) can be at least partially closed under the effect of liquid due to a swelling of the absorbent material (3), and wherein the absorbent material (3) is bonded to the textile layer (2), at least in some areas, has a tensile strength with respect to the machine direction (MD) of greater than 50 N/5cm, measured according to DIN ISO 9073-3, and can be obtained by a method comprising the following method steps: treating a layer (2) containing pores (4) with a mixture containing a polymerizable monomer or oligomer and a cross-linking agent and, as precursor for the absorbent material (3) a wetting agent and an initiator, and polymerization of the monomer or oligomer to the absorbent material (3) under formation of a bonded connection between the absorbent material (3) and the layer. The textile fabric has an air permeability according to DIN EN ISO 9237 in the dry state of greater than 200 dm3/(m2s).