Cable substitute for mineral-insulated cables in nuclear facilities
An electrical cable for use as a substitute for mineral-insulated cables in nuclear facilities is described herein. The cable may include at least one conductor, insulation, a jacket, and an armor shell. In some embodiments, the conductor may comprise a stranded conductor of one of various grades. The insulation may comprise phlogopite or muscovite mica tape that may be helically or longitudinally applied in overlapping concentric layers around at least one conductor. The jacket may comprise a woven glass braid applied over insulation surrounding one or multiple conductors. The armor may comprise hermitically sealed metallic armor applied around the other components of the cable, thereby forming an exterior of the cable. The inorganic materials utilized may be configured to limit the creation of adverse and/or undesirable elements instigated by transmutation from neutron irradiation exposure.
1 . An electrical cable for use in nuclear facilities and resistant to irradiation in excess of 200 Megarads, the electrical cable comprising:
at least one conductor;
insulation wrapped around the at least one conductor, the insulation comprising mica tape applied in overlapping layers around the at least one conductor, wherein the mica tape includes an elastomeric layer that bonds the overlapping layers and converts to an inorganic material after undergoing an oxidative pyrolysis process yielding a completely inorganic insulation;
a jacket applied over an exterior of the insulation; and
an armor shell applied around the at least one conductor, the insulation, and the jacket, the armor shell comprising a hermetically sealed metallic armor that forms an exterior of the cable.
2 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductor comprises at least one of copper, copper coated with nickel, and nickel.
3 . The cable of claim 2 , wherein the at least one conductor comprises 27% nickel coated copper.
4 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductor comprises a stranded conductor.
5 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the mica tape comprises phlogopite or muscovite mica tape.
6 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the insulation is helically applied in overlapping layers around the at least one conductor.
7 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the insulation is longitudinally applied in overlapping layers around the at least one conductor.
8 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the jacket comprises a woven glass braid.
9 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the armor shell comprises a sheath that runs a length of the cable.
10 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the armor shell comprises corrugated copper.
11 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the armor shell comprises a smooth copper tube.
12 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the cable comprises a set of conductors including the at least one conductor, wherein each conductor of the set of conductors comprises a stranded conductor, wherein each conductor is (i) wrapped with a respective insulation of a set of insulations, including the insulation wrapped around the at least one conductor, and (ii) wrapped with a respective jacket of a set of jackets, including the jacket applied over the exterior of the insulation, wherein one jacket of the set of jackets is applied over an exterior of each of the set of insulations,
wherein the cable further comprises a binder surrounding the set of conductors, the set of insulations, and the set of jackets,
and wherein the armor shell is applied over an exterior of the binder.
13 . The cable of claim 12 , wherein each conductor of the set of conductors comprises ten 18 AWG stranded conductors, and wherein the armor shell comprises corrugated copper.
14 . The cable of claim 12 , wherein each conductor of the set of conductors comprises three 12 AWG stranded conductors, and wherein the armor shell comprises corrugated copper.
15 . The cable of claim 12 , wherein each conductor of the set of conductors comprises two 22 AWG stranded conductors, and wherein the armor shell comprises a smooth copper tube.
16 . The cable of claim 12 , wherein each conductor of the set of conductors comprises ten 12 AWG stranded conductors, and wherein the armor shell comprises corrugated copper.
17 . The cable of claim 1 , wherein the cable is resistant to total integrated dosage in excess of 1,000 Megarads.
18 . An electrical cable for use in nuclear facilities and resistant to irradiation in excess of 200 Megarads, the electrical cable comprising:
at least one conductor;
insulation wrapped around the at least one conductor, the insulation comprising mica tape applied in overlapping layers around the at least one conductor, wherein the mica tape includes an elastomeric layer that bonds the overlapping layers and converts to an inorganic material after undergoing an oxidative pyrolysis process yielding a completely inorganic insulation;
a jacket comprising a woven glass braid, wherein the jacket is applied over an exterior of the insulation; and
an armor shell applied around the at least one conductor, the insulation, and the jacket, wherein the armor shell forms an exterior of the cable.
19 . An electrical cable suitable to limit transmutation from neutron irradiation exposure, the electrical cable comprising:
at least one conductor;
insulation wrapped around the at least one conductor, the insulation comprising mica tape applied in overlapping layers around the at least one conductor, wherein the mica tape includes an elastomeric layer that bonds the overlapping layers and converts to an inorganic material after undergoing an oxidative pyrolysis process yielding a completely inorganic insulation;
a jacket applied over an exterior of the insulation; and
an armor shell applied around the at least one conductor, the insulation, and the jacket, wherein the armor shell forms an exterior of the cable.
20 . The cable of claim 19 , wherein the inorganic insulation comprises a diameter between 0.08 and 0.16 inches.