Reinforced Submarine Power Cable

• US 20200135361A1
• Filed: 10/21/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NKT HV Cables AB (NKT A/S)
• Original Assignee: NKT HV Cables AB (NKT A/S)
• Inventors: Tyrberg, Andreas, Nordlund, Krister
• Granted Patent: US 11,232,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/06 Insulating conductors or cables H01B13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/22 Sheathing; Armouring; Screening; Applying other protective layers H01B13/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 13/26 by winding, braiding or longitudinal lapping
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/14 Submarine cables
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/225 forming part of an outer sheath
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/226 Helicoidally wound metal wires or tapes
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 7/282 Preventing penetration of fluid , e.g. water or humidity, into conductor or cable
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/10 in or under water
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/14 for joining or terminating cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/007 Devices for relieving mechanical stress
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 15/14 specially adapted for submarine cables
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 9/02 laid directly in or on the ground, river-bed or sea-bottom; Coverings therefor, e.g. tile

Abstract

A submarine power cable having: a power core including a conductor, wherein the conductor has a conductor joint in a joint region of the power core, a main armor layer including a plurality of main armor wires arranged around the power core and extending in the axial direction of the power core, and a joint reinforcement armor layer including a plurality of joint reinforcement armor wires axially locked relative to the main armor wires, wherein the joint reinforcement armor layer is provided only in the joint region and arranged layered with the main armor layer, the joint reinforcement armor layer and the main armor layer thereby forming a dual-layer armor only in the joint region.

Claims

1. A submarine power cable comprising:

a power core including a conductor,

wherein the conductor has a conductor joint in a joint region of the power core,

a main armor layer including a plurality of main armor wires arranged around the power core and extending in the axial direction of the power core, and

a joint reinforcement armor layer including a plurality of joint reinforcement armor wires axially locked relative to the main armor wires, wherein the joint reinforcement armor layer is provided only in the joint region and arranged layered with the main armor layer, the joint reinforcement armor layer and the main amour layer thereby forming a dual-layer armor only in the joint region,

wherein the dual-layer armor is provided over and extends axially across the conductor joint.

2. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 1, comprising a first metal ring arranged around the power core at an axial distance from the conductor joint in a first axial direction of the conductor, wherein a first axial end portion of each of the plurality of joint reinforcement armor wires, and the main armor wires are connected to the first metal ring.

3. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 2, wherein the joint reinforcement armor wires and the main armor wires are welded to the first metal ring.

4. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 2, comprising a second metal ring arranged around the power core at an axial distance from the conductor joint in a second axial direction of the conductor, the second axial direction being opposite to the first axial direction, wherein a second axial end portion of each of the plurality of joint reinforcement armor wires, and the main armor wires are connected to the second metal ring.

5. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 4, wherein the joint reinforcement armor wires and the main armor wires are welded to the second metal ring.

6. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the joint reinforcement armor wires are arranged radially outside of the main armor layer.

7. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the joint reinforcement armor wires extend at least 2 meters, such as at least 3 meters, at least 4 meters or at least 5 meters, in both axial directions from the conductor joint.

8. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the joint reinforcement armor wires extend at most 1500 meters, such as at most 1000 meters, at most 500 meters, at most 300 meters, at most 200 meters, at most 100 meter, at most 50 meters, at most 40 meters, or at most 30 meters, in both axial directions from the conductor joint.

9. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main armor wires are arranged helically around the power core and have a first lay direction.

10. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 9, wherein the joint reinforcement armor wires, are arranged helically around the power core and have a second lay direction.

11. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second lay direction is opposite to the first lay direction.

12. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of the main armor wires include a metal such as steel, in particular galvanized steel or stainless steel, aluminum or copper.

13. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least some of the joint reinforcement armor wires include a metal of the same material as the main armor wires.

14. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein each main armor wires is made of the same material along its length in the joint region.

15. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power core has a plurality of additional joint regions each having a conductor joint, wherein each additional joint region has a respective additional joint reinforcement armor layers provided only in the corresponding additional joint region, each additional joint reinforcement armor layer having a plurality of joint reinforcement armor wires axially locked relative to the main armor wires, the additional joint reinforcement armor layers and the main armor layer thereby forming a dual-layer armor only in the respective additional joint regions.

16. The submarine power cable as claimed in claim 3, comprising a second metal ring arranged around the power core at an axial distance from the conductor joint in a second axial direction of the conductor, the second axial direction being opposite to the first axial direction, wherein a second axial end portion of each of the plurality of joint reinforcement armor wires, and the main armor wires are connected to the second metal ring.