PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING A SUBMARINE POWER CABLE AND POWER CABLE SO MANUFACTURED

• Main Authors: FRIGERIO, Silvio, LIBOI, Paolo, CRISTOFANI, Fabrizio, POZZATI, Giovanni
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 14.06.2023
• Subjects: AUXILIARY OPERATIONS USED IN CONNECTION WITH METAL-WORKINGWITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CABLES; CONDUCTORS; ELECTRICITY; INSULATORS; MANUFACTURE OF METAL SHEETS, WIRE, RODS, TUBES OR PROFILES,OTHERWISE THAN BY ROLLING; MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVINGMATERIAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PUNCHING METAL; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING ORDIELECTRIC PROPERTIES; TRANSPORTING

Process for manufacturing a power cable (100) comprising: providing a power cable core (110) comprising an electric conductor (115) and having an outer diameter; providing a copper foil (300) having a width such that, after folding of the copper foil (300) to provide a copper sheath (120) around each power cable core (110), the copper sheath (120) has an inner diameter from 5 to 15 mm greater than the power cable core outer diameter; providing a protective strip (130) over the power cable core (110) in a position substantially matching a welding die (550a), the protective strip (130) having a radially inner and outer surface and being made of copper with a coating, at least on the radially outer surface, made of a metal or a metal alloy having a melting temperature comprised between 90 °C and 250°C; folding the copper foil (300) around the power cable core (110) so as to bring two longitudinal copper foil rims (310) to contact one to the other; welding the two contacted longitudinal copper foil rims (310) with a welding die (550a) thus obtaining a copper sheath (120) in form of a tube with a welding seam (125) and having a diameter; reducing the diameter of the copper sheath (120) to put it into direct contact with the power cable core (110) and the protective strip (130); heating the protective strip (130) and the copper sheath (120) at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the coating of the strip (130) so that the coating fuses in the welding seam (125); extruding a polymeric sheath (140) around the copper sheath (120).