What is Cold Shrink Technology and What is it Used for?
Cold shrink has emerged as a convenient technique for making connections between a cable and another cable, the terminal of an equipment or the terminal of an electrical junction. Electrical installers often utilize this technology to provide a tightly fitted, protective seal around stranded and solid wire conductors as it is safe and easy to use.
Traditionally, cable jointing was done with heat shrink technology which involved applying heat to artificially expanded plastic tubes. Upon the application of heat, these plastic tubes shrunk to provide electrical insulation or jointing cables. However, heat shrink technology could not be utilized safely in all kinds of environments. For example, it was quite risky to use heat-producing tools in areas with flammable gasses, such as gas pipeline projects. Cold shrinking was developing as a safer alternative for terminating & jointing in areas with such issues.
In cold shrink technology, accessories such as joint body, terminal body and tubes are made with materials such as rubbers and silicones that offer a high level of elasticity at ambient temperatures and are excellent at connecting and sealing power cables. The cold shrink tubes have a removable inner support system, which, when pulled out, causes the tube to shrink to its pre-stretched size. The tube wraps the cable perfectly and constantly exerts radial pressure for the lifetime of the joint or termination.
For correct utilization of cold shrink tubes, technician must only remove the inner core during the installation stage and not before. The cold shrink tubes must remain in their expanded state before they are actually being used for installation.
Cold shrink technology is optimized for field use and can withstand environmental conditions such as UV, pollution and chemicals, and salt fog. It can be utilized easily in onshore, offshore, indoor and outdoor environments. Furthermore, it is more suitable than heat shrink technology in places with space constraints where electrical tools and equipment cannot be used easily. Owing to these excellent practical features, cold shrink technology is experiencing widespread adoption in the electrical industry.
Compaq International is among the leading manufacturers of cold shrink products in not just India, but globally. Its product offerings include Cold Shrink Cable Joints, Cable Terminations, Flexible Bushing Boots, Trifurcation Kit for 3 Core MV Cables, Silicone Rubber Cold Shrink Tubing, EPDM Cold Shrink Tubing, Breakout Boots and End Caps. All of Compaq International’s products are made with only top quality raw materials and tested thoroughly for quality at each step of manufacturing.
To inquire about our cable accessories, call us on +918683961010 or write to us at [email protected].