Cable neutral corrosion selection and evaluation of semiconducting thermoplastic jacket compounds for concentric neutral URD primary cables. Phase I: final report, August 1977

Technical Report · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5320783· OSTI ID:5320783

Bahder, G.; Eager, G. S.; Lukac, R. G.; Schmidt, G. A.; Silver, D. A.

Results of a project pertaining to the selection and evaluation of semiconducting thermoplastic compounds for use as a corrosion protective overall jacket on concentric neutral underground residential distribution (URD) primary cables are presented. The project consisted of compound screening and a six-month accelerated aging test program of full size 15kV cables. Eleven semiconducting thermoplastic compounds received from six compound manufacturers were subjected to the screening test program. Six compounds were accepted for further testing. Accelerated aging of full size 15kV cables, jacketed with each of the six approved compounds took place with exposure in 100/sup 0/C air oven, exposure in 75/sup 0/C tap water, or burial in three soils with and without ac test voltage applied between the copper concentric neutral conductor and ground. Measurements of physical properties and radial resistance and capacitance of the semiconducting jacket compounds were performed initially and at regular intervals during the course of the test program. Tests performed indicate that that the ac current flowing radially through the semiconducting jacket in contact with the concentric tinned copper conductor has a small dc component. The main conclusions drawn from the project are: semiconducting thermoplastic compounds are commercially available that exhibit stable or declining radial resistance characteristics under conditions likely to be experienced in service; semiconducting thermoplastic compounds do, however, cause rectification of ac current, but the effect of rectification on corrosion of the concentric copper wires was negligible; and further investigation of the rectification phenomenon appears justified.

• Research Organization: General Cable Corp., Union, NJ (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5320783
• Report Number(s): EPRI-EL-619(Vol.1)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

200301* -- Power Transmission & Distribution-- AC Systems
EHV & UHV-- (-1989)
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
AC SYSTEMS
CABLES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONDUCTOR DEVICES
COPPER
CORROSION
CORROSION PROTECTION
ELECTRIC CABLES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLYMERS
POWER DISTRIBUTION
POWER SYSTEMS
POWER TRANSMISSION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
TESTING
THERMOPLASTICS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
UNDERGROUND POWER TRANSMISSION