If you’re an electrical engineer or a procurement manager handling grid infrastructure, you don’t need a lecture on “what is electricity.” You need to know if the cable can handle the load, survive the installation, and last 30 years without failing partial discharge tests.
Let’s cut the fluff. Here is the raw technical data on our XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) Medium Voltage cables, manufactured for 11kV, 20kV, and 33kV applications.
The Core Difference: XLPE vs. PILC vs. PVC
We stopped manufacturing PILC (Paper Insulated Lead Covered) cables ten years ago, and PVC is strictly for low voltage. Why? Physics.
XLPE isn’t just “plastic.” It’s thermoset material created through peroxide or silane cross-linking. This changes the molecular structure from 2D to 3D.
- The Result: It runs at 90°C continuously (105°C emergency), whereas PVC degrades at 70°C.
- The Short Circuit Rating: Our 33kV lines handle up to 250°C on the conductor during a fault without insulation failure.
- Water Treeing: This is the #1 killer of underground cables. XLPE is hydrophobic. If you are doing direct burial in damp soil or subsea projects, XLPE is the only logical choice.
Technical Specs: The “Meat” of the Order
When you send us an inquiry, these are the parameters our lead engineer checks first. We don’t do “generic” cables; we build to your grid spec.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Voltage Grade (Uo/U) | 8.7/15kV (10kV class), 12/20kV, 18/30kV (33kV class), 19/33kV |
| Conductor | Class 2 Stranded Copper (Cu) or Aluminum (Al). Note: We use high-purity ETP copper for <0.0172 Ω·mm²/m resistance. |
| Insulation Thickness | Strictly per IEC 60502-2. E.g., for 11kV, nominal insulation is 3.4mm; for 33kV, it’s 11.5mm (including conductor screen). |
| Screening | Conductor Screen: Extruded semi-conductive + tape. Insulation Screen: Extruded semi-conductive + copper tape/wire. Critical for field termination. |
| Armor | SWA (Steel Wire Armor) for high tension/rocky ground. STA (Steel Tape Armor) for standard underground. AWA available for non-magnetic zones. |
| Sheath | Black PE (UV resistant) or LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) for tunnels/metro stations. |
Real-World Application Scenarios
We don’t just sell cable; we solve installation headaches. Here is where our MV cables actually end up:
1. Urban Ring Main Units (RMU)
- Challenge: Tight bends in cable trenches.
- Solution: We increase the conductor stranding flexibility and use a thinner but high-strength SWA. Minimum bending radius: 12x Cable Diameter.
2. Offshore Wind Farm Collection Lines
- Challenge: Corrosion and movement.
- Solution: HDPE outer sheath with extra-thick insulation to handle the capacitive charging current of long subsea runs. Compliant with IEC 60228 and BS 5467.
3. Heavy Industry (Mines/Cement Plants)
- Challenge: Mechanical abuse and rodents.
- Solution: Heavy-duty STA plus a bituminous bedding layer. We also offer TECK90 style cables for North American industrial sites if UL listing is required.
Quality Control: What Happens in the Factory?
You’ve probably heard vendors say “100% tested.” Here is exactly what that means in our plant:
- X-Ray Alignment: Before insulation, we X-ray the conductor to ensure perfect concentricity. Off-center insulation causes partial discharge (PD) failures in year 3.
- The “Voltage Withstand” Test: We apply 3.5 x Uo AC voltage for 15 minutes. If it flickers, the drum is scrapped. No repairs.
- Partial Discharge (PD) Test: Done at 1.73 x Uo. We aim for <5pC. Most of our batches come in at <2pC. This is the metric that matters for grid operators.
- Physical Tests: Tensile strength and elongation at break (min 200%) on insulation samples.
Customization & Logistics (The “Export” Part)
Shipping MV cable is harder than shipping containers of t-shirts. One kink ruins a 5km run.
- Drum Handling: We use steel-flanged wooden drums (fumigated) for ocean freight. For air freight (rare, but happens for urgent oil rig repairs), we use cable coils with steel frame protection.
- Length Marking: We meter-mark every 10 meters and tag the ends. No “mystery length” surprises on site.
- Terminations: We can pre-install copper lugs or even heat-shrink terminations if your splicing team requests it.
FAQ: Questions Our Engineers Get Asked Daily
Q: Can I mix Aluminum and Copper terminations?
A: Don’t. Use bimetallic lugs. If you connect Al conductor directly to a Cu busbar without a transition joint, galvanic corrosion will eat the connection in 5 years. We can supply these transition joints.
Q: What’s the lead time for 33kV single core?
A: Raw material (XLPE compound) takes 2 weeks to cure properly. Production is 10 days. Testing is 3 days. Realistically, 4-5 weeks for a first order. Repeat orders are faster (3 weeks).
Q: Do you do Type Testing?
A: Yes. We have type test reports (TTR) for IEC 60502-2 on file. If you need a specific short-circuit current calculation (e.g., 20kA for 1s), we can run the thermal simulation.
Technical Specs Sheet Download
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