Industry-Leading Reliability and Performance EmPowr Link CL UL Type MV-105*— Your Best Choice ® TM Utilities have historically used Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) thermoplastic jackets for the beneficial balance of cost and physical protection they provide. The future of utility power cable jacketing is thermoset XLPE jackets that provide a lower-total-cost solution. Advantages of this new generation of cable construction include: Approximately 25% reduction in copper in the concentric neutrals: Using the ICEA P-45-482-2007 calculations to determine the shield cross-sectional area required for a given fault current, LLDPE jackets are limited to a maximum transient temperature of 200°C; XLPE jackets allow 350°C. The higher temperature allowance provides a greater amount of fault current capability for a given cross-sectional area, reducing the required copper in the neutrals. A smaller circulating current provides a reduced operating temperature, resulting in higher cable ampacities. Further savings can be realized through the EPRI Short2 Program. General Cable’s engineering team will gladly assist you in optimizing your cable design. Reduced shield losses equate to lower line loss: With reduced copper concentric neutrals, the shield resistance will increase, with lower losses due to circulating currents. This effect is most easily seen in the larger kcmil sizes but is applicable to all conductor sizes. Equivalent physical properties to existing LLDPE jacketed construction: Test data has shown that EmPowr® Link CLTM maintains the physical properties, jacket stripping, coefficient of friction and installation characteristics of traditional EmPowr Link LLDPE jacket constructions. Enhanced thermomechanical performance provides excellent resistance to deformation: To simulate three-conductor installed performance, General Cable conducted AEIC/ICEA thermomechanical testing on traditional EmPowr Link LLDPE jacketed cables and EmPowr Link CL XLPE jacketed cables. Comparative Study: EmPowr Link Versus EmPowr Link CL DESCRIPTION - 1000 kcmil Aluminum, TRXLPE, 1/3 CN, 35 kV PRODUCT DESIGN Concentric Neutrals Concentric Neutrals - CU WT. Shield Fault Capacity – Currents @ 6 Cycles (AMPS) Ampacity(1) Direct Buried @ 90°C – Flat Cost of Shield Losses(2) Calculated Savings(3) No. of Wires: 20 EMPOWR LINK LLDPE JACKET 10 AWG 673 lbs/kft (1002 kg/km) 42645 A 645 A $82,700 (1) Based on cables with 90°C normal operation. (2) Based on 3 conductor, flat, 7.5" spacing, 36" burial depth, 20°C ambient, 75% load factor, soil Rho 0.9°C-m/W. (3) Based on 3 conductor, flat, 7.5" spacing, 645 A, avg. energy cost $0.06/kWh, 1 circuit mile, 1-year time frame. (4) Based on 3 conductor, flat, 7.5" spacing, 645 A, avg. energy cost $0.06/kWh, 20 circuit miles, 20-year life of a wind farm, 1/3 production time. * UL Type MV-105 EmPowr Link CL is rated MV-105 in accordance with the UL 1072 standard. It should be noted that utilizing a 105°C normal operating conductor temperature will increase cable ampacity rating but will reduce the shield fault capability slightly. If the user plans on operating these cables at 105°C conductor temperature for normal operation and 140°C for emergency overload, please contact General Cable for the applicable cable ampacity and shield fault capability ratings. Another important consideration is that the migration of soil moisture away from the cable is more likely at the higher operating conductor temperature and can result in an increase in soil thermal resistivity, resulting in an increase in conductor and soil temperature. 62 EMPOWR LINK CL XLPE JACKET No. of Wires: 23 12 AWG 487 lbs/kft (725 kg/km) 42695 A 660 A $75,300 $976,800 EmPowr Link CL XLPE jacketed cables: These cables passed 3 x 1/C Cable/Conduit 140°C testing with no problem areas. Photos and results of the testing are shown below: EmPowr® Link LLDPE jacketed cables: The results of the testing showed that the LLDPE failed 3 x 1/C Cable/Conduit 140°C testing. It clearly melted and fused together, causing exposed concentric neutrals at some locations.
