UNDERGROUND CABLES
Electric power can be transmitted or distributed either by overhead transmission systems or
by underground cables.
Cables are mainly designed as per requirement. Power cables are mainly used for power
transmission and distribution purposes. It is an assembly of one or more individually
insulated electrical conductors, usually held together with an overall sheath. The assembly is
used for transmission and distribution of electrical power. Electrical power cables may be
installed as permanent wiring within buildings, buried in the ground and run overhead or
exposed. Flexible power cables are used for portable devices, mobile tools, and machinery.
These are designed and manufactured as per voltage, current to be carried, operating
maximum temperature and purpose of applications desired by the customer.
For mining, we give extra mechanical strength to cable with double armoring. For wind
power plant customers generally, require flexible and UV protected cable with the
mechanical tough sheath so we design as per their requirement. The underground cables have
several advantages such as less liable to damage through storms, lightning, low maintenance
cost, a lower chance of faults, a smaller voltage drop, and a better general appearance.
Rating of Power Cable
Short Circuit Rating
It happens frequently that the conductor size necessary for an installation is dictated by its
ability to carry short-circuit current rather than sustained current. During a short-circuit, there
is a sudden inrush of current for a few cycles followed by a steadier flow of current for a
short period until the protection switchgear operators, normally between 0.1 – 0.3 seconds.
Conductor Size and Insulation Operating Maximum Short Circuit
Material Material Temperature Rating
120 sq-mm Copper
PVC Insulation 70oC 13.80 KA/SEC
conductor
120 sq-mm
PVC Insulation 70oC 9.12 KA/SEC
Aluminium conductor
120 sq-mm Copper
PVC Insulation 85oC 12.48 KA/SEC
conductor
120 sq-mm
PVC Insulation 85oC 8.28 KA/SEC
Aluminium conductor
Current Carrying Capacity
The current carrying capacity is an important aspect is the selection of the optimum size of
conductor. Voltage drop and short rating is also a very important aspect to select the
economical and optimum size of conductor. The safe current carrying capacity of an
underground cable is determined by the maximum permissible temperature rise. The cause of
temperature rise is the losses that occur in a cable which appear as heat.
Continuous Current Rating of (Cables laid 2 Core × 16 2 Core × 25
singly) mm2 mm2
(i) In Ground (Ground Temp 30oC) 103 A 131 A
(ii) In Duct (Ground Temp 30oC) 86 A 111 A
(iii) In Air (Ambient AirTemp 40oC) 94 A 125 A
Voltage Drop
The allowable maximum voltage drops from source to load is another aspect of power cable
conductor design.
As per Ohm’s law, V = IR. The first is the choice of material used for the wire. Copper is a
better conductor than The first is the choice of material used for the wire. Copper is a better
conductor than and will have less voltage drop than aluminum for a given length and wire
size. Wire size is another important factor in determining voltage drop. Larger wire sizes
(those with a greater diameter) will have less voltage drop than smaller wire sizes of the same
length. In American wire gauge, every 6 gauge decrease gives a doubling of the wire
diameter, and every 3 gauge decrease doubles the wire cross-sectional area. In the Metric
Gauge scale, the gauge is 10 times the diameter in millimeters, so a 50 gauge metric wire
would be 5 mm in diameter.
Construction of Power Cable
There are various parts of a cable to be taken care of during construction. The power cable
mainly consists of
a) Conductor
b) Insulation
c) LAY for Multicore cables only
d) Bedding
e) Beading/Armouring (if required)
f) Outer Sheath
Conductor
Conductors are the only power carrying path in a power cable. Conductors are of different
materials. Mainly in the cable industry, we use copper (ATC, ABC) and aluminum
conductors for power cables. There are different types of a conductor as Class 1: solid, Class
2 stranded, Class 5 flexible, Class 6 Extra flexible (Mostly used for cords and welding), etc.
Conductor sizes are identified with conductor resistance.
Insulation
The insulation provided on each conductor of a cable by mainly PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride),
XLPE (Crosslinked Polyethylene), RUBBER (Various Types of Rubber). The insulating
material is based on operating temperature.
Maximum Operating
Insulation Material
Temperature
PVC TYPE A 75oC
PVC TYPE B 85oC
PVC TYPE C 85oC
XLPE 90oC
RUBBER – EPR IE-1 90oC
RUBBER – EPR IE-2, EPR IE-3, EPR IE-4,
150oC
SILICON IE-5
Cores are identified by color-coding by using different colors on insulation or by number
printing on cores
Beading (Inner Sheath)
This portion of the cable is also known as the inner sheath. Mostly it is used in Multi core
cables. It works as binder for insulated conductors together in multi-core power cables and
provides bedding to armour/braid. This portion of the cable is mainly made of PVC( PVC
ST-1, PVC ST-2 ), RUBBER (CSP SE-3, CSP SE-4 and PCP SE-3, PCP SE-4, HOFR SE-3
HOFR SE-4, HD HOFR SE-3 ETC).
Armoring
There are mainly G.I. WIRE ARMOURING, G.I. STEEL STRIP armouring. It is done by
placing G.I. WIREs, GI or STEEL STRIPs one by one on inner sheath. Armouring is a
process which is done mainly for providing earthing shield to the current carrying conductors
as well as it is also used for earthing purpose of the cable for safety. When there is any
insulation failure in the conductor, the fault current gets enough paths to flow through the
armour if it is properly earthed. Providing extra mechanical protection and strength to cable is
an important added advantage of armouring. In MINING CABLES it is done for
conductance.
Beading
ANNEALED TINNED COPPER WIRE, NYLON BRAID, COTTON BRAID are mainly
used for this purpose. Braiding is the process which gives high mechanical protection to cable
and also used for earthing purpose. Significance of braiding is it is more flexible in
comparison to armouring.
Outer Sheath
This is outermost cover of the cable normally made of PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride), RUBBER
(Various Types of Rubber) and often the same material as the bedding. It is provided over the
armour for overall mechanical, weather, chemical and electrical protection. Outer sheath is
protection offered to cable not much electrically but more mechanically.
Max Operating
Material Advantages Disadvantages
Temperature
70oC for general-
Highest dielectric losses,
Cheap, Durable, purpose 85oC for
PVC Melts at high temperatures,
Widely available heat-resisting
Contains halogens
purpose
Lowest dielectric Highly sensitive to water
PE losses, High initial treeing, Material breaks
dielectric strength down at high temperatures
Does not melt but thermal
Low dielectric losses, expansion occurs, Medium
Improved material sensitivity to water treeing
XLPE 90oC
properties at high (although some XLPE
temperatures polymers are water-tree
resistant)
Increased flexibility,
Reduced thermal
Medium-High dielectric
expansion (relative to
EPR losses, Requires inorganic 90oC
XLPE), Low
filler / additive
sensitivity to water
treeing
Low-Medium High weight, High cost,
dielectric losses, Not Requires hydraulic pressure /
Paper /
harmed by DC testing, pumps for insulating fluid, 70oC
Oil
Known history of Difficult to repair, Degrades
reliability with moisture
Mainly above 6 square mm cables are called power cables but it depends upon the use of a
cable. Power cables are defined by voltage grade and nominal cross-sectional area.
