An Electrical Condition Monitoring Approach for Wire and Cable

Abstract

An electrical cable condition monitoring (CCM) method utilizing conductive polymer age sensors provides a distributed, in-situ approach that reduces access considerations and eliminates destructive testing, increasing safety by monitoring areas otherwise impractical or impossible. It reduces the cost of Generation IV cable condition monitoring by eliminating sample-retrieval and significantly reducing testing costs associated with conventional mechanical and chemical condition monitoring. Future applications include simple, lowcost condition monitoring of virtually any polymer used in industry, transportation, construction and recreation. The proposed CCM method utilizes inert conductive particles compounded with candidate insulation materials to provide an age “sensor” distributed in the wire or cable insulation or jacket. A simple electrical measurement, the resistivity of the sensor, correlates age-related degradation of mechanical properties such as elongation at break (EAB) and provides a means to determine remaining life of the insulation material. This paper summarizes the results of research being conducted under a DOE Small Business Innovative Research grant in concert with the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech and Rockbestos-Surprenant Cable Corp.