A NEW ERA IN CABLE DESIGNS AND MATERIALS TO RESOLVE ENVIRONMENTAL-ISSUES

In recent years, environmental issues have had a profound influence on cable designs and materials used in cable construction. This paper wi ll address the issues concerned with the effects of cable on the envir onment, as well as the effects of environmental conditions on cable pe rformance and reliability, Effects on the environment include release of toxic materials and contamination of ground water. Environmental ef fects on cable are related to the presence of moisture, chemicals, ion s, oils, or solvents. All such issues must be considered in the evolut ion of environmentally safe cables. This also extends to the manufactu ring processes for producing cable insulation, jacketing, and sheathin g materials, as well as the cable manufacturing process itself. New ca ble designs and materials have been developed to mitigate many of the more serious environmental issues now associated with cable applicatio ns. Such designs and associated materials will be reviewed in this pap er. Emphasis will be placed on the safeguards protecting the environme nt and on extending cable life and performance. These safeguards inclu de technological advances in insulation, shielding, jacketing, and she athing materials, as well as new cable designs that cable specifiers s hould take into consideration when properly selecting and applying cab le for petroleum and chemical plant installations, Other user concerns that include cable diameter, short-circuit withstand, mechanical perf ormance, installation, splices, and terminations will be briefly revie wed as they relate to current cable technology.