Water Treeing Behaviour in XLPE Insulation under the Influence of SAP and Development of Evaluation Method

This paper evaluates the potential of Na-based Super Absorbent Polymer(SAP) tape, used for moisture sealing and management in submarine cable structures, to promote water tree formation under long-term operating conditions. To this end, a modified sand paper method based on ASTM D6097 was applied to specimens simulating the insulation of submarine cables, and water treeing behaviour was compared with and without SAP in a Deionized(D.I.) water environment without added salt.