Water Tree Resistant Electric Cable Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medium and high voltage electric cables face degradation due to 'water tree growth' in humid environments under electric fields, which compromises their insulating properties and reliability, with existing compositions not adequately addressing the issue across both insulating and semi-conducting layers.
Innovation Solution
An electric cable design featuring an insulating layer composed of an olefin polymer and polyalkylene glycol, and a semi-conducting layer made from a non-polar olefin polymer, which enhances resistance to aging and maintains good mechanical properties in humid conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate is used to reduce water trees, then water tree formation is reduced, but thermal stability deteriorates and rapid degradation occurs during crosslinking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by replacing copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate with polyalkylene glycol having specific molecular weight (2000-50000 g/mol) and specific chemical structure, achieving both water tree resistance and thermal stability during crosslinking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining polyalkylene glycol with olefin polymer (such as polyethylene) in specific proportions (0.1-5 wt% polyalkylene glycol), achieving synergistic effects that simultaneously provide water tree resistance and thermal stability during crosslinking processes
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to an electrical cable comprising at least one electrically insulating layer obtained from a first composition comprising at least one olefin polymer and at least one polyalkylene glycol, and at least one semiconducting layer obtained from a second composition comprising at least one non-polar olefin polymer.