Improved Jacketing Materials Introduced for MV and HV Cables

Power

Specifically developed for the European market, Dow Wire & Cable introduces a new black high-density jacketing material for power and telecommunication cables which prevents mechanical damage and limits moisture ingress into the cable. DGDR-6800 BK is designed to deliver excellent processability due to its broad molecular weight distribution and meets IEC 60502-1, IEC 60840, VDE 0276-620 and CENELEC HD 620 S1 specifications.

The tailored co-monomer distribution also ensures excellent environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR) performance and this material is able to meet the most stringent requirements, regardless of the actual ESCR protocol used.

Property Test Method Value
Melt index (I2 190°C) ISO 1133 0.55
Density ISO 1183 0.957
CB conc. (%) IEC 60811-4-1 2.5
Shore D (3 sec.) ISO 868 63
Tensile strength (MPa) IEC 60811-1-1 32
Elongation at break (%) IEC 60811-1-1 890
Flexural modulus (MPa) ISO 178 925
Vicat ISO 306 122
ESCR (10% lgepal, 50°C, F0 (hr) IEC 6081-4-1 > 3,000
Low temp. brittleness ASTM D746 < -70°C

Excellent mechanical and physical properties are offered by DGDR-6800 BK from Dow Wire & Cable.


Semiconductive Jacket Offers Enhanced Performance

For cable systems requiring improved grounding, a semiconductive black jacket compound, DHDA-7708 BK, is available from Dow Wire & Cable. This compound permits easy diagnostic testing of the cable on the reel or after installation, to ensure jacket conformity. This test, commonly used for HV cables (where DHDA-7708 BK is used as a thin layer extruded on top of the jacket, instead of a graphite coating), is also gaining importance for MV cables and is used when the cable is buried via plowing techniques, allowing confirmation of fault-free cable before and after installation.

DHDA-7708 BK has an outstanding property balance of high surface hardness for cable protection, excellent mechanical performance in terms of low temperature flexibility, high tear resistance and toughness, and offers low-moisture vapor transmission rates. With its semiconductive properties, it also provides important added protection against lightening strikes and therefore requires fewer grounding rods, which are required according the National Electrical Safety Code in North America.