Pfisterer has expanded its line of gas-free joints with the dry, pluggable CONNEX size 6 cast resin joint.
The new cable connection for voltages of up to 170 kV is particularly well suited to offshore assembly operations on ocean platforms, the company said.
Pfisterer’s new cast resin joints are currently being used in offshore projects in the North Sea and for newly developed emergency mobile transformers in the USA.
The cable joint can even be temporarily installed in test centers or used as an interim solution during line construction, Pfisterer said. For permanent installations, the joint is preferably fitted where cables not only can be connected quickly and safely, but also in a space-saving manner. This is the case with converter stations for wind farms in the North Sea as well as with mobile power transformers.
Space is tighter in converter stations out in the open water than in corresponding substations on land. This is why the compact construction of cast resin joints is a very significant factor when it comes to offshore platform installations.
The solid insulated, touch-proof CONNEX joints allow cable systems to be implemented in much tighter areas than with SF6 joints, Pfisterer said. CONNEX joints are also resistant to salt water and UV radiation, are submersible, require zero maintenance and are certified for offshore applications by the DNV GL classification body. An installed longitudinal water barrier prevents any water ingress that could be caused by a cable fault.
The size 6 CONNEX cast resin joint can connect cables of different diameters in a single joint. Various conductor materials such as aluminum and copper as well as rigid and flexible cables can also be connected. The connection joints likewise comply with international standard norm IEC 60840 for high-current cables. A voltage tap has been integrated as an additional component. Together with permanently installed voltage testers, this tap makes it possible to check voltage levels at a safe distance as well as facilitates additional testing opportunities.
With the new size 6, Pfisterer offers gas-free, dry and pluggable cast resin joints for voltage ranges from 36 to 170 kV. Tap-off joints (T-joints) are planned for the next development step so that multiple cables can be simultaneously connected.