Electrical transmission cables with composite cores

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9443635-B2
Application number	US-201514661780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2015
Priority date	Apr 12, 2011
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

The present invention discloses electrical cables containing a cable core and a plurality of conductive elements surrounding the cable core. The cable core contains at least one composite core, and each composite core contains a rod which contains a plurality of unidirectionally aligned fiber rovings embedded within a thermoplastic polymer matrix, and surrounded by a capping layer.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electrical cable comprising:
(a) a cable core comprising at least one composite core, the composite core comprising:
(i) at least one rod comprising a plurality of consolidated thermoplastic impregnated rovings, the rovings comprising continuous carbon fibers oriented in the longitudinal direction and a thermoplastic matrix that embeds the carbon fibers, the carbon fibers having a ratio of ultimate tensile strength to mass per unit length of greater than about 1,000 MPa/g/m, wherein the thermoplastic matrix comprises a polyarylene sulfide, and wherein the rod comprises from about 30 wt. % to about 75 wt. % carbon fibers and from about 25 wt. % to about 70 wt. % thermoplastic matrix; and
(ii) a capping layer surrounding the at least one rod, wherein the capping layer comprises a polyether ether ketone and contains less than 1 wt. % of continuous carbon fibers;

wherein the composite core has a flexural modulus of from about 15 to about 200 GPa; and
(b) a plurality of conductive elements surrounding the cable core, wherein the conductive elements comprise aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

2. The cable of claim 1 , wherein the composite core has an ultimate tensile strength of from about 500 MPa to about 3,500 MPa.

3. The cable of claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic matrix comprises a polyphenylene sulfide.

4. The cable of claim 3 , wherein the composite core has:
an elastic modulus in a range from about 70 GPa to about 300 GPa; and
a linear thermal expansion coefficient in the longitudinal direction in a range from about −0.4 to about 5 ppm per ° C.

5. The cable of claim 4 , wherein:
the cable core is a stranded core comprising from 2 to 37 composite cores; and
the cable comprises up to 50 conductive elements arranged in 2, 3, or 4 layers around the cable core.

6. The cable of claim 5 , further comprising a partial or complete layer of a tape or a coating between the cable core and the plurality of conductive elements.

7. The cable of claim 1 , wherein the cable has:
a 10-year creep value at 15% RBS (rated breaking stress) of less than about 0.2%; and
a 10-year creep value at 30% RBS (rated breaking stress) of less than about 0.25%.

8. The cable of claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic matrix comprises a polyphenylene sulfide.

9. The cable of claim 8 , wherein the composite core has:
an ultimate tensile strength of from about 500 MPa to about 3,500 MPa;
an elastic modulus in a range from about 70 GPa to about 300 GPa; and
a linear thermal expansion coefficient in the longitudinal direction in a range from about −0.4 to about 5 ppm per ° C.

10. The cable of claim 8 , wherein the composite core has a bending radius in a range from about 1 cm to about 50 cm.

11. An electrical cable comprising:
(a) a cable core comprising at least one composite core, the composite core comprising:
(i) at least one rod comprising a plurality of consolidated thermoplastic impregnated rovings, the rovings comprising continuous carbon fibers oriented in the longitudinal direction and a thermoplastic matrix that embeds the carbon fibers, the carbon fibers having a ratio of ultimate tensile strength to mass per unit length of greater than about 1,000 MPa/g/m, wherein the thermoplastic matrix comprises a polyphenylene sulfide, and wherein the rod comprises from about 30 wt. % to about 75 wt. % carbon fibers and from about 25 wt. % to about 70 wt. % thermoplastic matrix; and
(ii) a capping layer surrounding the at least one rod, wherein the capping layer is free of continuous carbon fibers and comprises a polyether ether ketone and at least one additive comprising a mineral reinforcing agent, a lubricant, flame retardant, a blowing agent, a foaming agent, an ultraviolet light resistant agent, a thermal stabilizer, a pigment, or a combination thereof; and

(b) a plurality of conductive elements surrounding the cable core.

12. The cable of claim 11 , wherein:
the cable core is a stranded core comprising from 2 to 37 composite cores;
the conductive elements comprise copper, a copper alloy, aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or any combination thereof;
the conductive elements are arranged in 2, 3, or 4 layers around the cable core; and
the conductive elements have a substantially circular cross-sectional shape or a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.

13. The cable of claim 12 , wherein the at least one additive comprises a mineral reinforcing agent, a pigment, an ultraviolet resistant agent, or a combination thereof.

14. The cable of claim 12 , wherein the composite core has:
a flexural modulus of from about 15 to about 200 GPa;
an ultimate tensile strength of from about 500 MPa to about 3,500 MPa; and
an elastic modulus in a range from about 70 GPa to about 300 GPa.

15. The cable of claim 14 , wherein the conductive elements comprise aluminum or an aluminum alloy having an IACS electrical conductivity in a range from about 59% to about 65%.

16. The cable of claim 15 , wherein the conductive elements have a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape.

17. The cable of claim 15 , wherein the capping layer contains 0 wt. % of continuous fibers.

18. The cable of claim 17 , wherein the at least one additive comprises a mineral reinforcing agent, a pigment, an ultraviolet resistant agent, or a combination thereof.

19. The cable of claim 18 , wherein:
the cable has a 10-year creep value at 15% RBS (rated breaking stress) of less than about 0.2%, and a 10-year creep value at 30% RBS of less than about 0.25%; and
the composite core has a linear thermal expansion coefficient in the longitudinal direction in a range from about −0.4 to about 5 ppm per ° C., and a bending radius in a range from about 1 cm to about 50 cm.

20. The cable of claim 18 , further comprising a partial or complete layer of a tape or a coating between the cable core and the plurality of conductive elements.

Assignees

• Southwire Co Llc

Inventors

• Daniel Allan
• Springer Paul
• Hawig Yuhsin
• Lancaster Mark
• Eastep David W
• Nelson Sherri M
• Tibor Tim
• Regan Tim
• Wesley Michael L

Classifications

• H01R43/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors (of trolley lines B60M1/28) · CPC title

• H01B1/023 Primary

  Alloys based on aluminium · CPC title

• H01B1/026

  Alloys based on copper · CPC title

• B29C70/523

  and impregnating the reinforcement in the die · CPC title

• H01B1/04 Primary

  mainly consisting of carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon · CPC title