Aerial composite optical cable (Optical Fiber Composite Overhead Ground Wire), is also called OPGW. It is a ground line integrating optical communication cables, overhead power lines and grounding lines.
Development of OPGW cables
With the continuous progress of society, demand for electricity continues to increase, while communications are gradually becoming a limiting factor for the development of the electrical industry. Traditional communication lines cannot meet the development requirements of the new era. In order to meet the development needs of electricity in terms of integrated communication, broadband, scanning, multimedia, computerization, etc., OPGW cables have been developed. OPGW cables not only improve the use efficiency of electricity pylons, but also fully exploit the dual functions of optical communication cables and ground lines. They thus promote the development of the electrical communication network and bring significant economic benefits to society.. Since their introduction, OPGW cables have attracted wide attention and been widely praised, thus becoming flagship products in the optical cable industry.
Structure of OPGW cables
Fiber optic units are placed in the overhead line, and with the deployment of it, an optical communication network is gradually formed along power lines. By organically combining optical cables with the ground line, while guaranteeing the original electrical and mechanical performance of the overhead line, it is also possible to transmit information such as audio, video and data. This structure OPGW cables offers dual functionality, combining both ground line and communication function. It meets the technical requirements of optical fiber communication, whilst also satisfying the required characteristics as a ground line, such as mechanical strength and electrical performance.
The structure of OPGW cables is generally composed of optical fiber units, of metallic conductors, insulating layers and protective sheath.
1) Optical fiber units : Usually composed of one or more optical fibers, they are used to transmit light signals. The optical fibers of the cables are made from high purity silica glass, providing high transmission speed and bandwidth to meet the communication needs of power systems. What's more, optical fibers have high mechanical strength and good corrosion resistance, allowing them to operate stably under harsh environmental conditions.
2) Metallic conductors : Typically used for the transmission of electricity and protection against electric shock. They are usually made of aluminum alloy or aluminum-clad steel conductors, offering high strength and good electrical conductivity, as well as good corrosion resistance, which allows them to operate stably under harsh environmental conditions.
3) Insulating layers : Used to protect optical fibers and metal cores from external influences, they are generally made of insulating materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene. These materials offer good insulation and good resistance to electrical breakdown, ensuring the safe operation of optical fibers under high voltage.
4)Protective sheath : Used to protect the entire cable against external physical damage.
Principle of operation
OPGW fiber optic cable is a kind of electrically charged body, its principle of operation in the electrical system is similar to that of an ordinary earth wire. In the electricity network, the metallic conductor of the fiber optic cable OPGW plays the role of grounding and lightning protection. Parallel, optical fiber also has the function of transmitting communication signals in 0PGW optical cable.
In the power system, after grounding the metal conductor of the optical cable, a loop forms, in which the power signal is transmitted by the metallic conductor, while the communication signal is transmitted by optical fiber. Optical fiber having high transmission rate and bandwidth, OPGW optical cable can ensure fast and efficient communication transmission.
Main advantages
Safety and reliability : OPGW cables provide excellent insulation and interference resistance capability. They can withstand significant stress and effectively resist bad weather such as strong wind gusts and icy conditions.. Protected by an external metallic layer, They effectively avoid communication line failures caused by lightning or short circuits in traditional electrical communication systems. Therefore, they can withstand extreme weather conditions and external environments, thereby ensuring safe and stable operation of electrical and communication transmission systems.
Functional versatility : OPGW cables combine electrical and communication functions, thus allowing the simultaneous transmission of electricity and light signals on electrical transmission lines, thus providing a dual function of earthing protection and communication transmission for electrical systems.
Energy saving and respect for the environment : OPGW cables use optical transmission, thereby reducing the use of copper conductors in electrical systems, which reduces energy consumption and environmental pollution.
Ease of maintenance : OPGW cables are commonly used as overhead ground lines at the top of high voltage pylons. Compared to cables buried underground, installation costs OPGW cables are lower and they are less prone to cuts due to road construction work. What's more, maintenance and management of OPGW cables is relatively simple, thereby significantly reducing maintenance costs and workload.
Great communication skills : OPGW cables enable fast, high-capacity communication transmission, suitable for various applications in electrical systems.
Long life : Generally greater than 25 has 30 ans.
Furthermore, Key features of OPGW cables include their ability to accommodate a large number of optical fibers, their high resistance, their high tensile strength, their good resistance to corrosion, their low transmission loss and their resistance to electromagnetic interference. Because of these advantages, OPGW optical fiber communication is widely used as an ideal means of communication in power systems.
Application of OPGW fiber optic cable
OPGW fiber optic cable is a type of fiber optic cable that combines power and communication functions. It is widely used in the grounding line of power transmission lines. It can be installed on power lines of different voltage levels and is easy to build and install. It is mainly used on 500KV lines, 220KV et 110KV. Affected by line outages, safety and other factors, it is used more on new lines. It is commonly used in high voltage towers as the upper part of the overhead earth. Its special structure and features provide grounding protection and reliable transmission of communications for the electrical system.
Features of OPGW cable products manufactured by ZMS
- Small diameter, lightweight, does not add additional load to the pylons.
- High breaking strength, able to withstand harsh environments.
- Can accommodate 2 has 72 single-mode/multi-mode optical fibers or a combination of single-mode and multi-mode fibers.
- Can use G.652 fibers, G.655 fibers or a combination of both.
- Reasonable structural design ensuring no stress on optical fibers under normal operating conditions.
If you need fiber optic cables, you can contact us. ZMS is committed to providing high quality fiber optic cables.