NON-MAGNETIC STAINLESS STEEL WIRE AS AN ARMOURING WIRE FOR POWER CABLES

• US 20150017473A1
• Filed: 12/12/2012
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NV Bekaert SA
• Original Assignee: NV Bekaert SA
• Inventors: Verhoeven, Flip, Hejcman, David, Lagae, Geert, Gogola, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,997,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/659
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 2/02 Pretreatment of the material to be coated, e.g. for coating on selected surface areas C23C2/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 2/0222 in a reactive atmosphere, e.g. oxidising or reducing atmosphere C23C2/024 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 2/024 by cleaning or etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 2/36 Elongated material
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 2/38 Wires; Tubes
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/023 only coatings of metal elements only
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/227 Pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/14 Submarine cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/22 Metal wires or tapes, e.g. made of steel
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/225 forming part of an outer sheath
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12792 Zn-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12799 Next to Fe-base component [e.g., galvanized]

Abstract

A non-magnetic stainless steel wire with an adherent corrosion resistant coating is disclosed. The surface of the non-magnetic stainless steel is pre-treated so as to be sufficiently free from oxides and form a good adhesion with the above corrosion resistant coating. The non-magnetic stainless steel wire is used as a armouring wire for a power cable for transmitting electrical power.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A non-magnetic stainless steel wire, comprising a corrosion resistant coating on the surface of the non-magnetic stainless steel, wherein said surface is pre-treated so as to be sufficiently free from oxides and form a good adhesion with the above corrosion resistant coating.

17. A non-magnetic stainless steel wire as in claim 16, wherein said corrosion resistant coating is a hot dipped zinc and/or zinc alloy coating.

18. A non-magnetic stainless steel wire as in claim 16, wherein an intermediate layer of electroplated nickel is present between the steel wire and said corrosion resistant coating.

19. A non-magnetic stainless steel wire as in claim 16, wherein said surface of the non-magnetic stainless steel wire is obtainable by a pre-treatment of electroplating with zinc and/or zinc alloy.

20. A non-magnetic stainless steel wire as in claim 16, wherein said surface of the non-magnetic stainless steel is obtainable by a pre-treatment of being held in inert and/or reduction atmosphere before the corrosion resistant coating is formed thereon.

21. A non-magnetic stainless steel wire as in claim 16, wherein said non-magnetic stainless steel wire has a round diameter ranging between 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm.

26. Use of a non-magnetic stainless steel wire in claim 16 as an armouring wire for a power cable for transmitting electrical power.

27. Use of a non-magnetic stainless steel wire as in claim 26, wherein the power cable is a tri-phase submarine power cable.

28. Use of a non-magnetic stainless steel wire as in claim 26, wherein said power cable is a high voltage cable of more than 110 kV.

29. Use of a non-magnetic stainless steel wire as in claim 26, wherein said wire is wound around at least part of said power cable.

30. Use of a non-magnetic stainless steel wire as in claim 26, wherein said power cable has at least an annular armouring layer made of said non-magnetic stainless steel wires.

22. A process for a hot dip galvanization of a stainless steel wire, comprising the steps:

(a) degreasing the wire in a degreasing bath;

(b) rinsing the wire;

(c) activating the wire surface;

(d) transferring the wire to a hot dip zinc bath and/or zinc alloy bath under the protection of inert and/or reduction atmosphere;

(e) dipping the wire in the zinc bath and/or zinc alloy bath to form a zinc and/or zinc alloy coating thereon; and

(f) cooling the wire.

23. A process for a hot dip galvanization of a stainless steel wire according to claim 22, wherein step (c) includes any one or more of pickling, atmospheric reduction, and plasma cleaning.

24. A process for a hot dip galvanization of a stainless steel wire according to claim 23, wherein in step (c) when the wire surface is activated by pickling, it further comprises a step of fluxing after pickling.

25. A process for a hot dip galvanization of a stainless steel wire according to claim 23, wherein in step (c) when the wire surface is activated by atmospheric reduction, the wire is heated to a temperature ranging between 400°

C. to 900°

C.