Practice and Accepted Rules of Shielding Power Cables

The Insulated Power Cable Engineers Association voltage limits differ from those permitted by the 1975 National Electrical Code for nonshielded extruded insulated conductors rated 2001 to 8000 V. These differences have created among cable users a renewed interest in the subject of power cable shielding. A brief history of shields has been employed as an introduction to a review of shielding. Electric field patterns in nonshielded versus shielded cable are described along with reasons for shielding and the several functions performed by shields. It is shown how electric stresses can create tracking or surface discharge in typical nonshielded cable installations Also reviewed are methods of minimizing shield losses in single-conductor shielded cables