A "New" Crosslinking Process for Extruded Dielectric Cable

Commercial processes used to make extruded crosslinked dielectric cable and factors affecting cable quality are briefly reviewed. In most processes, the cable is heated (cured) and cooled from the outside and productivity is controlled by heat conduction through the dielectric. In laboratory experiments described here, the dielectric is simultaneously cured from the inside by inductively heating the cable conductor and from the outside using steam. This technique, termed INPRO, increases productivity and improves cable quality (residual peroxide, visual halo, microvoids, cure state, and heat distortion resistance). Computer calculations indicate that similar benefits might be obtained commercially.