Qualification of cables to IEEE standards 323-1974 and 383-1974

Wire and Cable manufacturers generally qualify products for class IE application by envelope type testing to user specifications and environmental conditions recommended by IEEE Standards 323-1974 and 383-1974. The General Electric Wire and Cable Business Department recently completed two such qualification programs. Cable constructions tested were 600V control cables and 600 V, 2KV, and 15KV power cables insulated with flame resistant mineral filled crosslinked polyethylene. The 15KV samples included taped field splices. In the second test program, the steam pressure-temperature profile included a simulated main steam line break. Test specimens were wrapped on grounded mandrels and were electrically loaded throughout the simulated LOCA tests. After completion of environmental testing, samples were subjected to the IEEE 383 simulated post-LOCA test. 6 refs