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GRP Cable Trays
The Need
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Electrical cable trays need to
meet strict requirements regarding structural and fire behaviour. Cable trays made with a
Glass-fibre Reinforced Plastic material provide these benefits. |
GRP Cable Trays used in the Channel Tunnel |
The Technology
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The Glass-fibre Reinforced
Plastic is a material consisting of: fibreglass fabric and/or glass or aramid fibre (a
synthetic fibre with high mechanical resistance) bound together by a thermohardening resin
which has been suitably polymerized (polyester, epoxy, acrylic or phenolic). With this
technology known as "Pultrusion", it is possible to combine the mentioned range
of fibres with the resin in such a way as to obtain the required mechanical
characteristics, which may vary in different parts of the same profile or be uniform
throughout. |
Different Cable Tray profiles |
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The Pultrusion technology can be used to
create profiles of different dimmensions and requirements. In particular, it is possible
to select the proper matrix system in order to:
- Increase the corrosion resistance.
- Increase the flame retardarnt performances.
- Reduce the smokes emission and the toxicity of the gas
produced by the material in case of fire.
- Increase the electrical insulation.
- Reduce the moisture absorption.
- Increase the adhesion to the reinforcements.
In the same way, it is possible to use a variety of
reinforcements types in order to:
- Increase the strength and the stiffness of the profile in
the longitudinal direction.
- Increase the strength of the profile in transversal
direction.
- Increase the bearing strength of the holes in the
connections.
- Increase or reduce the weight of the profile.
For the cable trays of the Channel Tunnel the main profiles
produced were: 2-ways cable trays, 600 x 200 mm, for high power cables, located in main
tunnels; 5-ways, 450 x 100 mm, and other cable trays, for telephone, sound, radio and
fiber optics cables, located in the service tunnel. |
The Benefits
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- Lightweight, easy installation, and low transportation
costs.
- Have extensive mechanical properties. High strength.
- Maintain stable dimensions.
- Have extensive dielectric properties. Non-conductive
thermically and electrically.
- withstand chemical and atmospheric agents.
- Fire resistant.
- Do not require maintenance.
- Have a low linear thermal expansion coefficient.
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Status
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Top Glass GRP Cable trays are being used along
the main European tunnels. It was used for the Channel Tunnel with a production that
covered 400 km of cable trays, corresponding to a quantity of more than 2000 tons of
pultruded profiles. |
Barriers
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Non US manufacturer is known. |
Points of Contact
Top Glass S.P.A. Via Bergamo 15 - 20096 Pioltello (MI)
Italy. Phone: (39-2) 9291861, Fax: (39-2) 929118620. E-mail: info@topglass.it
Other companies that produces similar products:
Ebo Systems. Mr. Pascal Muller. Boulevard d'Europe. B.P.
10. Obernai Cedex F-67211, France. Phone: (33-0) 3-88-495051, Fax: (33-0) 3-88-495014. Ebo Systems Web site.
ERCON COMPOSITES
F-123, PHASE-II, MIA, BASNI, JODHPUR-342005, RAJASTHAN INDIA
FAX : 0091-291-2741263
PH : 0091-291-2744064
WEBSITE : www.ercon-india.com
email : ercon@satyam.net.in
and ercon@ercon-india.com
References
- Top Glass: A Story of Pultrusion. Company catalog.
- Top Glass Web site.
Disclaimer Statement
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Neither the Construction
Industry Institute nor Purdue University in any way endorses this
technology or represents
that the information presented can be relied upon without further investigation. |
LHM09
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