METHOD OF MAKING A CABLE

Abstract: A filling composition for filling the interstices between the strands of a multi-stranded conductor of an electrical cable, comprises a polymeric compound which has a 100 gram needle penetration value at 25°C of from 50 to 100 tenths of a millimetre, and particles of a water-swellable material having a particle size of not more than 200 microns. The components of the composition may be used together, that is in admixture, or separately. In the latter case the interstices are filled with the polymeric component and the surfaces of the latter are dusted or coated with the particulate water-swellable component.

Description: The present invention is concerned with the production of electrical cables, particularly power transmission cables. It is known in the art that cable insulation is deteriorated by the development and propagation of water/chemical trees when moisture is present in regions of the insulation structure of the cable and particularly in regions of localized high electrical stress caused by voids, contaminants and protrusions from the conductor and insulation stress control layers. Water present in the spaces between the strands of a multi-stranded conductor is recognized as significantly accelerating the propagation of water/chemical in the insulation. It is therefore desirable to fill all spaces between such wires with a filling composition so as to minimize or prevent ingress and movement of water in such spaces. See, for example, United States Patents 4,095,039; 4,104,480; 4,145,567 and 3,943,271. As pointed out in U.S. Patent 4,095,039, some of the prior art filling compositions are not satisfactory after aging due to loss of adhesive qualities and hardening and fracturing thereof. The patent discloses the use of low molecular weight polyisobutylene rubber or a low molecular weight copolymer of isobutylene-isoprene rubber with 40-150 parts by weight of electrically conductive carbon black or graphite added thereto as a filling composition, such composition having a putty-like consistency at room temperature and good adhesiveness which is retained during operation of the cable. Another advantage indicated by the use of the filling composition disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,095,039 is that the filling composition can be applied by means of a pump supplying the composition to an applicator where the spaces between the wires are filled and the wires coated. This indicates that the composition is flowable and does not require high pressures for its application. This property eliminates the need for an extrusion head and the expense thereof which is necessary for some filling compositions which can be extruded over the wires. U.S. Patent 4,145,567 discloses a similar filling composition made of ethylene propylene rubber compounded with a substantial amount of carbon black so as to give it a putty-like consistency and a drip-point above 100°C. It has been found that the filling compositions of U.S. Patents 4,095,039 and 4,145,567 are quite effective as filling compositions for stranded conductors of electrical cables, but it has also been found that some problems still exist from the standpoint of preventing ingress and flow of water in the conductor while preventing overfill of the spaces under the outer layer of wires. Thus it has been found that under some conditions, such as cable handling, subsequent manufacturing operations and after accelerated cyclic aging test simulating cyclic loading of the cable in the field, some ingress of water into the conductor and movement over a limited length of the conductor may occur, although a significant improvement has been achieved. Furthermore, in the manufacturing operation of completely filling the spaces between the strands, the volume of filling composition is difficult to control and the extent of the fill can vary along the length of the stranded conductor. In this regard it should be recognized that normally the outer interstices of the stranded conductor are filled by the pressure extrusion of the conductor stress control layer and no supplemental filling of the spaces is required. Where the spaces between the outer layer of wires and the next to outer layer of wires is overfilled with filling composition, the extrusion of the semiconducting stress control layer over the stranded conductor can cause penetration of filling composition into the outer interstices of the conductor resulting in protrusion of the extruded semiconducting stress control layer into the insulation. Since such protrusions result in localized high electrical stresses in the insulation, such effects are highly undesirable. In some cases, it is considered desirable to also fill the outer interstices of the conductor with filling composition in which case a semiconducting rubber filled tape is applied lapped on itself over the completely filled conductor followed by extrusion of the semiconducting stress control layer. In this case, overfilling of the spaces between the outer layer of wires and the next to outer layer of wires is not objectionable and does not represent a problem. The present invention seeks to improve the resistance to ingress and movement of water between and around the wires of an electrical cable conductor by incorporating not only filling composition of the type disclosed in U.S. Patents 4,095,039 and 4,145,567, but also a water-swellable material applied separately. Although the use of water-swellable materials as components of filling compositions for cables has been proposed, for example in GB-A-2113453 and FR-A-2378337, those water-swellable materials have been incorporated into the filling compositions prior to application to the wires of the cable. According to the present invention, there is now provided a method of making an electrical cable having a plurality of layers of conductive wires which comprises bringing together the conductive wires and applying to at least the wires forming the inner layer(s) of the cable a low molecular weight polymeric compound which has a 100 gram needle penetration value at 25°C of from 50 to 100 tenths of a millimetre, applying to the polymeric compound particles of an organic water-swellable material having a particle size of not more than 200 microns, extruding a layer of semi-conductive material around the outer layer of the wires, and extruding a layer of insulation around the layer of semi-conductive material. In accordance with the invention, the polymeric component and the water-swellable component are applied to the multi-stranded conductor separately, the polymeric component being applied first and then being dusted or coated with the particulate water-swellable component. The polymeric component is soft and flowable when applied and can be applied to the conductor without the use of extrusion equipment. It is applied to the conductor wires as they are brought together in concentric layers, except in most cases for the outer layer of wires, and thereafter the inner layers of wires with the polymeric component therearound and therebetween and the outer surface of the conductor are covered by extrusion with a conventional semi-conducting stress control layer. In this case, the pressure extruded semi-conducting conductor stress control layer completely fills the interstices in the outer layer of wires. Where the outer interstices are filled with polymeric component, a suitable semi-conducting rubber filled tape is applied with overlap over the completely filled conductor followed by extrusion of the semi-conducting conductor stress control layer. A layer of extruded insulation is applied over the screening layer, and if desired, further conventional layers, such as another semi-conductive screening layer or a metal shield, may be applied over the layer of insulation. The polymeric component may be applied to the conductor wires in known manner, that is without extruding it thereover, but in a preferred method of the invention, the polymeric component is applied to each layer of wires in a known manner so that the polymeric component fills all spaces between the inner layers of wires and the layer of wires applied thereto. As the polymeric component is applied over a layer of wires, it is exposed to the fine particles of swellable material, such as by passing the filled layer through a trough containing such particles which are pneumatically agitated or blown about, so that such particles adhere to any polymeric component exposed thereto. As the overlying layer of previously uncoated wires is applied, the inner spaces between these wires and the wires coated with the polymeric component and the fine particles of swellable material are filled by transfer from the underlying filled layer of wires. The filled and coated layers of wires, except for the outer interstices and surface of the outermost layer of wires which normally are not filled or coated pass through a final closing die which places all wires and layers in intimate contact with each other. The conventional semi-conducting conductor stress control layer, insulation, etc. are subsequently extruded over the conductor. In this way the semi-conducting conductor stress control layer fills all outer interstices in the outer layer of wires. Of course, any spaces between the inner wires and the outer wires are filled by the polymeric component. For the better understanding of the invention, preferred embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating one method of making cable according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cut-away perspective view of a first embodiment of cable made according to the invention; and Figure 3 is a similar view of a second embodiment of cable made according to the invention. Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the steps of the preferred embodiment of the method of the invention in which the polymeric component and the water-swellable component are applied to only the inner layers of a stranded conductor 7. A plurality of wires 8 carried on a conventional wire cage 3 are pulled and stranded and enter a closing die 2. During the stranding, the polymeric component is applied around the wires at an applicator 1. The particles of the water-swellable material are separately applied to the polymeric component on the wires, such as by passing the coated wires through a suitable conventional powder applicator. The next layer of wires 9 are similarly stranded over the first layer of wires by a wire cage 3a and are similarly coated with the polymeric component and the particles at a closing die 2a and an applicator 1a. The next layer of wires 10 are similarly stranded over the first two layers of wires by a wire cage 3b and pulled through a closing die 2b. However, in this preferred method, the polymeric component is not applied to the wires forming the outer layer. The wire assembly or conductor 7 is pulled by a pull out capstan 5 and the conductor 7 is collected on a take-up reel 6. The conductor 7 is drawn off the reel 6 at a conventional extrusion line where the semiconductive screens and insulation are extruded over the conductor and, if desired, other layers of materials are applied. In the case where the polymeric component and particles are applied to the wires 10, the conductor 7 may have a layer of semi-conductive tape applied thereto prior to the application of the first semi-conductive screen or stress control layer. If desired, the polymeric component and the particles may also be applied to the wires 10 forming the outer layer in the same manner as they are applied to the wires forming the inner layers. In this case, provided that there is proper control of the quantity of polymeric component and particles, the screening layer may be applied directly to the outer surface of the conductor 7, but preferably a layer of semi-conducting tape is applied over the conductor 7 before the screening layer is applied. Although only three layers of wires have been illustrated, it will be apparent that there may be only two layers or more than three layers of wires. Figure 2 illustrates a cable with inner wires, e.g. wires 8, with the polymeric component 20 thereon and filling any interstices therebetween. Particles 20a of the water-swellable material are applied to the surface of the polymeric component 20 applied to the inner wires 8. The polymeric component has not been applied to the outer wires 10, the outer interstices of which are filled with a layer 11 of semi-conductive material. The layer 11 is covered by a layer 12 of insulating material which, in turn, is covered by a layer 13 of semi-conductive material. In this embodiment, as in the other embodiments, other layers of material may surround the layer 13. Figure 3 illustrates a cable similar to the cable shown in Figure 2 except that the outer wires 10 are also covered with, and the interstices therebetween are filled with, the polymeric component 20 with the particles applied to the surface of the polymeric component and except for the addition of a layer of semi-conducting tape 14 between the wires 10 and the semi-conducting screen 11. The polymeric component is a polymer which can be readily pumped at elevated temperatures above 100 o C. Normally, this means that the polymer will be a low molecular weight polymer, such as low molecular weight polyisobutylene rubber, isobutylene-isoprene copolymer rubber, or ethylene-propylene copolymer rubber, or a mixture of two or more thereof. The polymeric component may, for example, be an ethylene-propylene rubber compounded with a substantial amount of carbon black as described in U.S. Patents 4,095,039 and 4,145,567, or other suitable mineral fillers. Other polymers having suitable characteristics will be apparent to those skilled in the art. A polymer which has been found to be particularly suitable is low molecular weight LM polyisobutylene sold by Exxon Chemical Americas, P.O. Box 3272, Houston, Texas under the Trade Mark VISTANEX. The polymeric component should not have any significant Shore A hardness. A test for determining whether or not the base polymer has acceptable properties is the Penetrometer Test incorporated in ASTM D5 Penetration of Bituminous Materials; as previously stated, the 100 grams needle penetration value at 25 o C should be from 50 to 100 tenths of a millimeter. The water-swellable component preferably has the following properties or characteristics: a) the powder should be substantially insoluble in water; b) the pH of an aqueous dispersion of the powder obtainable by dispersing 1 gr. of powder in 200 cm³ of bi-distilled water should be in the range from 6.5 to 7.5; c) the weight loss of the powder after heating at 105 o C should be less than 7%; d) the powder wetting time (corresponding to the time lapse between the moment the powder is put in contact with water and the moment at which the expansion and swelling begins) should be in the range of less than 1 to 10 seconds whether the water is tap water, industrial use water, or sea water; e) the powder water absorbing capability expressed in cm³ of water absorbed by 1 gr of powder should be in the range from 10 to 800 cm³/gr. or greater. In particular, the powder capability in relation to industrial water should be in the range from 200 to 800 cm³/gr or greater, while its capability for the absorption of sea water should be in the range from 10 to 150 cm³/gr or greater; and f) the particle size of the powder should be less than 200 microns and, more preferably, at least 50% of the particles of such powder should have sizes less than 150 microns. Suitable water-swellable particle materials are, for example, polyacrylates and polyacrylamides, by themselves or copolymerized with natural polymers, such as amides, cellulose esters, such as methyl cellulose, and cellulose ethers, such as carboxymethyl cellulose. A material which has been found to be especially suitable is the Type J-550 sodium polyacrylate sold by the Grain Processing Corporation, Muscatine, Iowa. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the polymeric component is a composition comprising low molecular weight polyisobutylene rubber or low molecular weight isobutylene-isoprene copolymer rubber. To either of these isobutylene rubber materials, 15 to 150, more preferably 15 to 50, parts by weight of electrical conductive carbon black or graphite material or non-conductive mineral filler, such as silica, talc, titanium dioxide, clay, is added for each 100 parts of the isobutylene rubber material. The addition of the carbon makes the filler composition semi-conductive. The addition of the carbon or non-conductive mineral fillers serves an important function in that it prevents flow of the isobutylene rubber material at temperatures up to 200 o C. Thus the composition can withstand the temperatures encountered during heavy loads on power transmission lines without softening and having its viscosity become so low that it will flow out of the cable at cable ends or flow lengthwise where the cable is on a substantial slope. Some additional material can be added, if necessary, as a processing aid; for example, a hydrocarbon oil, such as used in rubber compounding, or a chlorinated paraffin or isobutylene liquid plasticizer can be used to bring the isobutylene rubber compound to a pumping consistency without using excessive heat. It is preferable, however, to use as little processing aid as possible or none at all when it is not necessary for obtaining a pumping consistency. The disadvantage of processing aids is that they may migrate into the insulation shield and cause swelling and a consequent reduction in the conductivity of the shield. When particles of the water-swellable component are applied as a thin layer over one, several or all layers of the polymeric component applied over the concentric layers of wires, the thickness of the powder layer should generally be from several tens to several hundreds of microns. The polymeric component is of a putty-like consistency at room temperatures and it has good adhesiveness. One of the outstanding advantages of the polymeric component is its retention of adhesiveness in spite of repeated heating and cooling resulting from load cycling of high voltage power transmission cables. It is essential for a filler composition to retain both its flexibility and its adhesiveness in order to be satisfactory. If the composition becomes brittle, it will separate easily from an adjacent face of the material or fracture as the result of expansion and contraction of the cable. The filler used according to this invention by virtue of the addition of particles of water-swellable component applied as a thin layer over the polymeric component serves as a more effective block against ingress and movement of the water and permits underfilling of the spaces between the outer layer of wires and the next to outer layer of wires thus minimizing the risk of penetration of the filling composition into the outer interstices of the conductor during extrusion of the semi-conducting conductor stress control layer causing objectionable protrusions of this layer into the insulation while still blocking ingress of and movement of water through the conductor. For use between the outer interstices of the stranded conductor and the conductor shield, the polymeric component used according to this invention must be semi-conductive and also retain its resistivity. The volume resistivity of the polymeric component applied, as above described, preferably does not exceed 50,000 ohm-centimeters, a value established by the cable industry for semi-conductive material used in cables. The polymeric component used according to this invention is not intended as a replacement for the conductor shield. Its primary purpose is to provide an adhesive filler that adheres to the conductor and to the inside surface of the conductor shield. If the conductor is stranded, as is usually the case, then the polymeric component eliminates voids in spaces between the strands of the conductor.

Claims: A method of making an electrical cable having a plurality of layers of conductive wires (8,9,10) which comprises bringing together the conductive wires and applying to at least the wires (8,9) forming the inner layer(s) of the cable a low molecular weight polymeric compound (20) which has a 100 gram needle penetration value at 25°C of from 50 to 100 tenths of a millimetre, applying to the polymeric compound particles (20a) of an organic water-swellable material having a particle size of not more than 200 µm, extruding a layer (11) of semi-conductive material around the outer layer of the wires (10), and extruding a layer (12) of insulation around the layer of semi-conductive material. A method according to claim 1, in which the polymeric compound (20) and the water-swellable particles (20a) are applied to all the layers of wires. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the low molecular weight polymeric compound is a low molecular weight polyisobutylene rubber, isobutylene-isoprene copolymer rubber, ethylene-propylene rubber, or a mixture of any two or more thereof. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the water-swellable material is a polyacrylate or polyacrylamide, as such or copolymerised with a natural polymer, or a cellulose ether or cellulose ester. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the water-swellable material is sodium polyacrylate.

Inventors: BARBARO-FORLEO, MARCO, MARCIANO-AGOSTINELLI, FABRIZIO
Applicants: PIRELLI CABLE CORPORATION
Application year: 1987
Main classification: H01B7
IPC codes: H01B13, H01B7, B29C47, H01B9