An electrical cable used to transport electricity is called a power cable. Power cable types consist of an insulation layer and a conductor, which is commonly constructed of copper or aluminium. In order to supply energy, the electrical power cable is typically put in buildings and other structures.
Aerial bundled cables (ABC) for overhead power lines and other portable device connections are two more uses for nonelectric power cable types. Depending on their intended use, conductor material, insulation type, and cross-sectional area, many types of power cables exist. You will learn about the common power cable types in this article, along with where to find the best one for your needs.
What are Electrical Cables?
Electrical power cable is a type of cable that is used for electrical energy transmission and distribution. Two or more electrical conductors are joined by an over-sheath to form a power cable. It is used to transmit extremely high voltages in locations where overhead lines are impractical to utilize, like the sea, above an airport, etc. However, one of the main disadvantages of electrical power cable is that underground cable is more expensive than aerial cable for the same voltage.
Construction or Electrical Cable
The conductor, dielectric, and sheath are the three primary parts of the power cable. The cable's conductor acts as the current's conducting path. The dielectric or insulation protects the conductor from extraneous things and can bear the service voltage. The sheath shields the cables from any outside impacts, including fire, chemical or electrochemical attack, and moisture intrusion. The primary parts of electrical power cables are described in detail below.
Types of Metal Cable Protectors
The cables' shields may occasionally be made of metal.
Screens are electrical metal safeguards used to shield the signals travelling through the cable's interior from any potential outside interference.
Armours are mechanical barriers that shield the wire from potential external aggression such as strikes and animal attacks.
Types of Electrical Cables
LV Cable (Low Voltage Cable)
These can be used with electrical systems that operate at 0.6 to 1KV. The most often used form of low-voltage wiring is PVC-insulated cable. The conductor is made of either copper or aluminium. In both homes and businesses, low voltage cables are frequently used to power appliances, outlets, and lighting.
Low-voltage wires are typically composed of copper or aluminium. The more expensive, more durable, and better electrically conductive alternative is the first. Aluminum, on the other hand, is less expensive but less robust and has worse electrical conductivity.
HV Cable (High Voltage Cable)
HV Cable System voltages of 69,000 volts or higher require the use of high-voltage cables. The EPR (Ethylene Propylene Rubber) cable type is the most often used high-voltage cable type. In high-voltage applications, such as tying power plants and substations together, high-voltage cables are employed. Industries use these power wires extensively.
High-voltage cables are typically used in industrial power applications. The fundamental explanation for this is that, for a given quantity of equipment, a higher voltage results in a reduction in electrical current requirements. As a result, less heat is produced, which makes it simpler to monitor and control. High-voltage cables are used in industrial applications because they are less prone to power outages, which is another justification.
Flexible Power Cable
Applications where the cable needs to be bent or twisted can employ Flexible Power Cable types. PVC, often known as Polyvinyl Chloride, is the most widely used kind of flexible cable. Electronic devices like computers and smartphones frequently employ flexible cords.
When deciding on the sort of metal to employ, flexibility must be taken into account. A metal having a lower modulus of elasticity, like copper, is usually employed when the application calls for a lot of flexibility. A metal having a larger modulus of elasticity, such as steel, can be chosen if the application doesn't need as much flexibility.
TEC Cables or Tubing Encapsulated Cable
In conventional wires or cables, a jacket or insulating layer is wrapped around a copper conductor of some kind. The difference is apparent when an armoured metal component is used in place of the product's customary wire or tubing layer.
Tunnel Drilling Cable
The mining, drilling, and tunnelling cables from Znergy Cables are made to withstand some of the most extreme environmental conditions, such as ultraviolet (UV) light, saltwater immersion, oil and grease, tensile tension, and mechanical strains. Their durable design ensures the dependability of the equipment they provide, lowering the possibility of failure and the ensuing disruption, which is frequently expensive and can even jeopardize operational safety. A fibre glass braid is particularly effective in preventing rat and termite assault on cables when used as an additional construction layer.
Armoured Cables
Power cables that are covered in a metal sheath are known as Armoured Cable. The cable is shielded by the metal wrapping from both physical harm and electrical interference. Typically, armoured cables are utilized in industrial settings to connect various buildings or power massive motors.
Direct burial armoured cable is the most popular kind of armoured cable used for subterranean power lines. It is made to be buried without any further protection, only directly in the earth. Insulation guards against electrical shorts, while the armoured layer shields against physical harm.
Triplex Cable (Triple Wires)
Triplex Wires, which consists of three separate wires wound around one another, is frequently used for overhead, single-phase service. The "hot" legs of the service are the two insulated conductors, while the "neutral" wire is the bare, uninsulated wire. This triplexed cable can be used as a drop cable from a pole-mounted transformer to a building's service entry or as secondary distribution between poles, as was already indicated.
Underground Power Cable
Direct burial applications are the intended uses for underground power wires. Underground Residential Distribution, or URD, is the type of underground electricity cable that is most frequently used. Homes and businesses are connected to the electrical grid through URD wires.
Underground power cable types are made up of a conductor, insulation, and a sheath for protection. The insulator is normally made of polyethylene or cross-linked polyethylene, and the conductor is typically constructed of copper or aluminium. The protective jacket guards against mechanical harm, chemical corrosion, and electrical interference for the cable. These produce an underground power cable that is dependable and long-lasting.
Fire-Rated Flexible Cable
In order to ensure the supply of emergency equipment like signalling, smoke extractors, acoustic sirens, water pumps, etc., these cables are specifically made to convey electrical energy in the harsh conditions that arise during a protracted fire. In areas where public opinion is favourable, their use is advised in emergency circuits.
Solar Cable
Photovoltaic panels and the connections that link them to a DC-to-AC inverter can both be connected using these wires. They may be erected outdoors with complete assurance because of the design of their materials and their cover, which is particularly resistant to solar radiation and harsh temperatures.
33KV Underground Cable (33 KV Cable)
A typical type of MV cable is 33KV Cable. It makes reference to three centres of 33kv subterranean cable with a steel wire reinforcement (SWA) layer and one centre of 33kv KV XLPE cable with an aluminium wire shield (AWA). When formed, the layers provide excellent mechanical security. The 33 KV cable is suitable for direct encapsulation and intended for power dispersion arrangements. The 33 kV underground cable is ideal for large projects. As an illustration, consider a building, an underground mine, a capacity substation, a railroad, etc., and a subterranean cable with three cores, 33 kV (LSZH).
241.1 Trailing Cable
Although powerfully adaptable, reeling and trailing cables made to AS/NZS 2802 are primarily intended for applications outside of deep coal mines. These involve two link classifications: Class 1 and Class 2, which have the same size and voltage but more thin protection and sheaths (to improve general dealing with qualities).
The reeling and 241.1 Trailing Cable for the two Australian measurements (1802 and 2802) are comparable to and frequently outperform the most exacting models that are currently available.
How to Understand an Electrical Cable by its colour
The International Electrical Commission Standard IEC 60446 governs the colour of electrical cables. The following colours are acceptable for conductor identification: black, brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, grey, white, pink, and turquoise.
Blue is a neutral conductor. In order to prevent confusion, it is advised against using more blue conductors.
Conductor for the phase: black, grey, or brown
Two - Colour Protective or earthing conductor: yellow and green. Yellow or green single-colored wires are only allowed in locations where there is no chance that they could be mistaken for the earthing system for safety concerns.
How to Choose the Right Electrical Cable
Voltage Rating
This is the system's rated voltage for the cable to be placed and used in. It's also crucial to understand how to build a system. The cable's rated voltage is typically indicated as a dual rating, such as 6.6kV (UE) or 11kV (E).
The designation "UE" denotes the cable's suitability for usage at the given voltage in an uncovered or ineffectively earthed system. The letter "E" indicates that the cable can be used in a fully earthed system for the given voltage. Therefore, a cable with a rated voltage of 6.6 kV (UE) or 11 kV (E) can be utilized in systems that are 6.6 kV unearthed, 6.6 kV non-effectively earthed, or 11 kV solidly earthed.
Type of Conductor
Copper or aluminium are the two conductor types that are most frequently used in cables. As is well known, the continuous current rating, the short time current rating, and the cost per unit length of a copper cable are significantly higher than those of an aluminium cable for the same voltage rating, type, insulation, cross sectional area, and method of installation.
Type of Insulation
Most of today’s cables are insulated either with PVC or with XLPE. Obviously, for the same conductor material, voltage rating, type, insulation, cross-sectional area, and method of installation, the continuous current rating, the short-time current rating, and the per-unit length cost of an XLPE-insulated cable are considerably higher than those of a PVC-insulated cable.
Type of Cable
Armoured or non-armored cables Armoured cables must be utilised for any subterranean cable installation; unarmoured cables are used for indoor installations and above ground installations such as cable trays, pre-built concrete cable trenches, etc.
The armour may be a wire or a strip made of aluminium or galvanised iron. Frequently, this armour is only connected to the plant's earthing system at one end, usually the sending end.
Continuous Current Rating
Different cable manufacturer catalogues list the continuous current ratings of cables with copper and aluminium conductors. However, it should be remembered that these catalogues only provide continuous current ratings under specific, predetermined laying conditions. In reality, obtaining or upholding these normative criteria is impossible. To determine the practical continuous current rating, a few rating parameters are thus utilized.
Voltage Drop
Reactance and resistance make up cables, and hence a voltage drop will result from the current passing through such an impedance. The loads linked by the cable shouldn't be affected by this dip.
The catalogues of the cable manufacturers list the actual voltage dips in cables for various types of cables in V/km/A. It is included in Indian Standard IS 1255 as well (Code of practise for installation and maintenance of power cables up to and including 33 kV rating).
Calculating the acceleration state voltage drop during the startup of heavy loads is just as important as calculating the steady-state voltage drop.
Additionally, it must be assured that both the acceleration state voltage drop and the steady state voltage drop at the load terminals are less than 10%.
Outside Temperature
Our tables are based on the normal ambient temperature of 30 °C in free air or 15 °C at a depth of 0.5 m. It is vital to remember that the installation conditions must be taken into account over the whole length of the cable installed because cable routing and ventilation will directly affect the ambient temperature. You would need to apply a correction factor to the current load that your cable is intended to carry if the temperature were to deviate from the norm. The size of your cable may need to be increased to carry the necessary weight if your ambient temperature deviates more from the norm.
AS/NZS1429.1 Electrical Cable Company - Znergy Cables
Znergy Cable is a leading maker of electrical cables, solar, and renewable energy components. It proudly has the Aryam Australia Group's seal of approval.
We produce Low Voltage to High Voltage and any speciality cables in mining, fire, LSZH, Shipping, Instrumentation, Oil & Petro-chemical, Gas, Solar, Undersea submersible, and industrial cables thanks to our investment in cutting-edge technology.
Znergy Cable produces cables for nuclear power plants and space agency programmes, and it boasts high-voltage capabilities of up to 512KV. Under an OEM arrangement, the factories produce cables for numerous American, European, and Australian cable manufacturers.
Bottom line
It's time to start looking for the best power cable type for your project now that you've recognized the foundations of the different varieties. There are many different diameters, voltage ratings, and insulation types of power cables. Make sure the power cable you purchase is rated for the voltage and amperage you require. Always seek professional assistance if you are unsure of something. Znergy Cable is Electrical Cable Company and always available to assist you with your cable needs and has a wealth of knowledge in the cable sector. Visit our website right now to learn more about our offerings.