Discussion Group C37 on Submarine Cables would like to announce the following presentations at their upcoming meeting during the Fall 2024 ICC Meeting.

Title: “Thermal aspects of submarine cable bend stiffener”.
Author: George Anders, Consultant.

Recent years have seen a significant increase in new offshore installations requiring large numbers of submarine power cables. The most recent trend is construction of floating wind farms, which also require new cable construction and installation conditions. These, so-called, dynamic cables, have not only construction different from the traditional subsea cables but also involve several innovative installation features. Some of the most challenging from the thermal analysis point of view are installations involving bend stiffeners. 

The component is cone-shaped and may reach a length of several meters (see Fig. 1). From a mechanical point of view, the stiffness of the dynamic cable installation is increased. This prevents overbending of the cable due to water current-induced motions.  Bend stiffener is, however, considered a thermal bottleneck as it hinders heat dissipation from the cable to the surroundings and, therefore, requires detailed analysis. 

In this presentation, the thermal conditions of the 3-core dynamic submarine cable installed in a bend stiffener in water are investigated with the finite element (FEM) analysis. The purpose of this work is to define the accurate boundary conditions for the FEM model with the aim of developing in the future a theoretical model for calculations of the current rating for similar arrangements.

Title “ATC Straits of Mackinac Submarine Cable Replacement”Authors: Adam Brecklin, Principal Engineer, ATC
Justin Bardwell, Underground Transmission Manager, Black & Veatch

This presentation is a summary of the replacement of six existing 138kV SCFF (self-contained fluid filled) single phase cables with two 138kV XLPE three phase cables on an accelerated timeline.  This presentation will address the planning and execution of the replacement with a focus on the risks and challenges identified and the solutions developed.  The Straits of Mackinac connect Lake Michigan to Lake Huron and present a particular set of challenges for cable installation and operation with significant weather and access limitations.