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referencetotheUKstandards
CharacteristicsofXLPEinsulatedcableswithreferencetotheUKstandards(onphoto:10kVAluminiumConductorXLPE
InsulatedAerialCable)
Crosslinkingeffect
XLPEistherecognizedabbreviationforcrosslinkedpolyethylene.Thisandothercrosslinked
syntheticmaterials,ofwhichEPR(ethylenepropylenerubber)isanotableexample,arebeing
increasinglyusedascableinsulantsforawiderangeofvoltages.
Polyethylenehasgoodelectricalpropertiesandinparticularalowdielectriclossfactor,whichgives
itpotentialforuseatmuchhighervoltagesthanPVC.Polyethylenehasbeenandstillisusedasa
cableinsulant,but,asathermoplasticmaterial,itsapplicationsarelimitedbythermal
constraints.
Crosslinkingistheeffectproducedinthevulcanizationofrubberandformaterialslike
XLPEthecrosslinkingprocessisoftendescribedasvulcanizationorcuring.Small
amountsofchemicaladditivestothepolymerenablethemolecularchainstobecross
linkedintoalatticeformationbyappropriatetreatmentafterextrusion.
Theeffectofthecrosslinkingistoinhibitthemovementofmoleculeswithrespecttoeachother
underthestimulationofheatandthisgivestheimprovedstabilityatelevatedtemperatures
comparedwiththethermoplasticmaterials.Thispermitshigheroperatingtemperatures,bothfor
normalloadingandundershortcircuitconditions,sothatanXLPEcablehasahighercurrentrating
thanitsequivalentPVCcounterpart.
Theeffectsofageing,acceleratedbyincreasedtemperature,alsohavetobe
takenintoaccount,butinthisrespectalsoXLPEhasfavourable
characteristics.
BS5467specifiesconstructionandrequirementsforXLPEandEPRinsulatedwirearmoured
cablesforvoltagesupto3.3kV.TheconstructionisbasicallysimilartothatofPVCcablestoBS
6346,exceptforthedifferenceininsulant.BecauseoftheincreasedtoughnessofXLPEthe
thicknessesofinsulationareslightlyreducedcomparedwithPVC.
33kVXLPEcable(photocredit:openelectrical.org)
ThestandardalsocoverscableswithHEPR(hardethylenepropylenerubber)insulation,but
XLPEisthematerialmostcommonlyused.From3.8kVupto33kV,XLPEandEPRinsulated
cablesarecoveredbyBS6622whichspecifiesconstruction,dimensionsandrequirements.
Thepolymericformsofcableinsulationaremoresusceptibletoelectricaldischarge
thanimpregnatedpaperandatthehighervoltages,wheretheelectricalstressesare
highenoughtopromotedischarge,itisimportanttominimizegaseousspaceswithinthe
insulationoratitsinnerandoutersurfaces.
TothisendXLPEcablesfor6.6kVandabovehavesemiconductingscreensovertheconductor
andovereachinsulatedcore.Theconductorscreenisathinlayerextrudedinthesameoperation
astheinsulationandcrosslinkedwithitsothatthetwocomponentsarecloselybonded.The
screenoverthecoremaybeasimilarextrudedlayeroralayerofsemiconductingpaintwitha
semiconductingtapeappliedoverit.
Singlecoreandthreecoredesignsareemployed,andthereisscopefor
constructionalvariationdependingontheconditionsofuse,subjecttothecores
beingsurroundedindividuallyorasathreecoreassemblybyametalliclayer,
whichmaybeanarmour,sheathorcopperwiresortapes.
Atypicalarmouredconstructionwhichhasbeensuppliedinsubstantialquantitiesisshown
inFigure1below.
Figure1XLPEcableconstruction
Where:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Circularstrandedconductor
SemiconductorXLPEscreen
XLPEinsulation
Semiconductingtapescreen
Coppertapescreen
PVCfiller
Binder
ExtrudedPVCsheath
Galvanizedsteelwirearmour10.ExtrudedPVCoversheath
IntheUKthistypeofcable,mainlyinsinglecoreform,isfavouredforpowerstationcabling,
wherelightnessandconvenienceofterminatingaremajorconsiderations.Threecoredesignsare
alsousedforsitesupplies.
Undergrounddirectburiedpowercables
Forundergrounddistributionat11kV,theXLPEcabledoesnotcompeteeconomicallywiththe
paperinsulatedaluminiumsheathedcable,butworkisinprogressonstandardizingandassessing
XLPEcabledesign,includingtrialinstallations,inpreparationforanychangeinthesituation.
Overseas,wherecircumstancesaredifferent,XLPEcableisthetypeinmajordemand.
Withmanufacturingfacilitiesincreasinglyorientatedtothismarket,XLPEinsulatedcables
constitutealargeproportionofUKproduction.
ColdShrinkCableJointXLPESingleCoreHighVoltageCable
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Reference:NewnesElectricalPocketBookE.A.ReevesDFH(Hons),CEng,MIEEMartinJ.
HeathcoteBEng,CEng,FIEE