Insulated, high voltage power cable for use with low power signal conductors in conduit

• US 20060021787A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ulectra Corp.
• Original Assignee: Ulectra Corp.
• Inventors: Heuer, Arthur H., Donmoyer, William L., Planas, Alberto E. Jr., Planas, Alberto E. Sr., Fetterolf, James R. Sr., Blichasz, Charles S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,208,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/113.R
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/225 forming part of an outer sheath
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/003 including electrical control or communication wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 9/02 with screens or conductive layers, e.g. for avoiding large potential gradients

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a high voltage, insulated electrical power cable suitable for use adjacent to one or more low power signal communications conductors in metal or plastic conduit or raceway. In one preferred embodiment, the power cable includes a first group of one or more conductors for supplying power and a power conductor insulation jacket enclosing the first group of one or more conductors. The power conductor insulation jacket includes a soft magnetic material that that functions as an electromagnetic field shield in the radio frequency range of approximately 1 megahertz to 400 megahertz thereby protecting the integrity of signals transmitted on the adjacent signal communications conductors.

Claims

2. The high voltage power cable of claim 1 wherein the soft magnetic material of the power cable insulation jacket comprises a soft ferrite magnetic material.

10. The high voltage power cable of claim 2 wherein the soft ferrite magnetic material of the power cable insulation jacket includes manganese zinc ferrite

13. A high voltage, electrical power cable for transmitting high voltage power in proximity to one or more groups of low power signal conductors, the power cable comprising:

a) a group of one or more high voltage power conductors; and

b) for each power conductor of the group of one or more high voltage power conductors, a power conductor insulation jacket overlying the power conductor, the power conductor insulation jacket including a soft magnetic material having a coercivity of 1 oersted or less.

14. The high voltage power cable of claim 13 wherein for each power conductor insulation jacket, the soft magnetic material of the power conductor insulation jacket comprises a soft ferrite magnetic material.

15. The high voltage power cable of claim 14 wherein the soft ferrite magnetic material is embedded in an extrusible binder material and each power conductor insulation jacket is extruded over a respective power conductor of the group of one or more power conductors to form a first layer.

16. The high voltage power cable of claim 15 wherein the extrusible binder material is selected from a polymer material and an elastomer material.

17. The high voltage power cable of claim 15 wherein each power conductor insulation jacket further includes a second organic material insulation layer overlying the first layer.

18. The high voltage power cable of claim 15 further including a grounded metallic layer overlying the group of the one or more power conductors and the respective power conductor insulation jackets.

19. The high voltage power cable of claim 18 wherein the metallic layer comprises steel.

20. The high voltage power cable of claim 18 wherein the metallic layer comprises aluminum.

21. The high voltage power cable of claim 14 wherein the soft ferrite magnetic material of each power conductor insulation jacket includes manganese zinc ferrite

22. The high voltage power cable of claim 18 further including a second layer overlying the metallic layer, the second layer comprising a soft magnetic material having a coercivity of 1 oersted or less.

23. The high voltage power cable of claim 22 further including a third layer overlying the second layer, the third layer comprising an organic insulation material.

24. A combination of a high voltage, electrical power cable, a group of one or more low power signal conductors and a section of conduit defining a longitudinal interior region, the power cable and the group of one or more signal conductors installed within the section of conduit and extending together along at least a portion of the longitudinal interior region of the section of conduit, the combination comprising:

a) the section of conduit;

b) the group of one or more low power signal conductors; and

c) the power cable suitable for transmitting high voltage power and including a group of one or more power conductors and a power cable insulation jacket overlying the group of one or more power conductors, the power cable insulation jacket comprising a soft magnetic material and a binder material, the soft magnetic material having a coercivity of 1 oersted or less.

25. The combination of claim 24 wherein the soft magnetic material of the power cable insulation jacket comprises a soft ferrite magnetic material.

26. The combination of claim 25 wherein the soft ferrite magnetic material is embedded in an extrusible binder material and the power cable insulation jacket is extruded over the group of one or more power conductors to form a first layer.

27. The combination of claim 26 wherein the extrusible binder material is selected from a polymer material and an elastomer material.

28. The combination of claim 26 wherein the power cable insulation jacket further includes a second organic material insulation layer overlying the first layer.

29. The combination of claim 26 wherein the power cable insulation jacket further includes a grounded metallic layer overlying the first layer.

30. The combination of claim 29 wherein the metallic layer comprises steel.

31. The combination of claim 29 wherein the metallic layer comprises aluminum.

32. The combination of claim 28 wherein the power cable insulation jacket further includes a grounded metallic layer overlying the second layer.

33. The combination of claim 25 wherein the soft ferrite magnetic material of the power cable insulation jacket includes manganese zinc ferrite

34. The combination of claim 29 wherein the power cable insulation jacket includes a third layer overlying the metallic layer, the third layer comprising a soft magnetic material having a coercivity of 1 oersted or less.

37. The combination of claim 24 wherein the conduit is comprised of metal.

38. The combination of claim 24 wherein the conduit is comprised of plastic.

35-1. The combination of claim 35 wherein the fourth layer comprises PVC.

36. The combination of claim 36 wherein the fourth layer comprise PTFE

39. A combination of a high voltage, electrical power cable, a group of one or more low power signal conductors, separate from the power cable, and a section of conduit defining a longitudinal interior region, the power conductor electrical cable and the group of one or more low power signal conductors installed within the section of conduit and extending together along at least a portion of the longitudinal interior region of the section of conduit, the combination comprising:

a) the section of conduit;

b) the group of one or more low power signal conductors; and

c) the power cable suitable for transmitting high voltage power and including a group of one or more power conductors, for each power conductor of the group of one or more power conductors, a power conductor insulation jacket overlying the power conductor, the power conductor insulation jacket including a soft magnetic material having a coercivity of 1 oersted or less.

40. The combination of claim 39 wherein for each power conductor insulation jacket, the soft magnetic material of the power conductor insulation jacket comprises a soft ferrite magnetic material.

41. The combination of claim 40 wherein the soft ferrite magnetic material is embedded in an extrusible binder material and each power conductor insulation jacket is extruded over a respective power conductor of the group of one or more power conductors to form a first layer.

42. The combination of claim 41 wherein the extrusible binder material is selected from a polymer material and an elastomer material.

43. The combination of claim 41 wherein each power conductor insulation jacket further includes a second organic material insulation layer overlying the first layer.

44. The combination of claim 39 further including a grounded metallic layer overlying the group of the one or more power conductors and the respective power conductor insulation jackets.

45. The combination of claim 44 wherein the metallic layer comprises steel.

46. The combination of claim 44 wherein the metallic layer comprises aluminum.

47. The combination of claim 40 wherein the soft ferrite magnetic material of each power conductor insulation jacket includes manganese zinc ferrite

53. The combination of claim 39 wherein the conduit is comprised of plastic.

49. The combination of claim 44 further including a second layer overlying the metallic layer, the second layer comprising a soft magnetic material having a coercivity of 1 oersted or less.

50. The combination of claim 49 wherein the third layer comprises PVC.

51. The combination of claim 49 where the third layer comprises PTFE.

49-2. The combination of claim 48 further including a third layer overlying the second layer, the third layer comprising an organic insulation material.

52. The combination of claim 394 wherein the conduit is comprised of metal.

54. A combination of a high voltage, electrical power cable, a group of one or more low power signal conductors and a section of raceway defining a longitudinal passageway, the power cable and the group of one or more signal conductors installed within the section of raceway and extending together along at least a portion of the longitudinal passageway of the section of raceway, the combination comprising:

a) the section of raceway;

b) the group of one or more low power signal conductors; and

c) the power cable suitable for transmitting high voltage power and including a group of one or more power conductors and a power cable insulation jacket overlying the group of one or more power conductors, the power cable insulation jacket comprising a soft magnetic material and a binder material, the soft magnetic material having a coercivity of 1 oersted or less.

55. The combination of claim 54 wherein the raceway is comprised of metal.

56. The combination of claim 54 wherein the raceway is comprised of plastic.

57. The combination of claim 54 wherein the power cable insulation jacket further includes a grounded metallic layer overlying the soft magnetic material and the binder material.

58-3. The combination of claim 58 wherein the raceway is comprised of metal.