AHXAMK-W Cable

What is AHXAMK-W Cable?

The AHXAMK-W Cable is a triplex-laid, medium-voltage aluminium power distribution cable manufactured in compliance with HD 620 Part 10 Section F, SFS 5636, and EN/IEC 60228 standards. Designed for primary utility power distribution at voltage classes of 12/20 (24)kV and 19/33 (36)kV, it provides a heavy-duty wiring solution for outdoor distribution grids, regional substations, and renewable generation collector systems requiring robust protection against physical stress and persistent water penetration.

Engineered for Nordic and harsh temperate climate operations, the Nordic designation defines its specific layout: A specifies stranded aluminium conductors; HX denotes cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation with semi-conducting screening layers; AMK represents an aluminium/plastic laminate radial water barrier tightly bonded beneath a tough polyethylene (PE) outer jacket; and -W confirms comprehensive dual-barrier longitudinal and radial watertightness. Featuring three sheathed phase conductors helically assembled around an integrated central bare aluminium earth conductor, the cable is structurally optimized for direct trench burial and direct ploughing into rocky, wet, or permanently flooded terrains.

AHXAMK-W Cable Construction

• Conductor: Class 2 watertight circular stranded aluminium conductors conforming to EN/IEC 60228.
• Conductor Screen: Extruded semi-conducting Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) compound ensuring uniform electric field stress over conductor strand profiles.
• Insulation: High-grade Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) compound providing dielectric strength and continuous thermal endurance up to +90°C.
• Insulation Screen: Extruded semi-conducting Cross-Linked Polyethylene (XLPE) bonded directly to the primary dielectric layer.
• Metallic Screen & Radial Water Barrier: Co-polymer coated aluminium/plastic laminate foil acting as an electrical shield and a hermetic radial moisture seal.
• Outer Sheath: Heavy-duty Polyethylene (PE) jacket formulated for abrasion, gouge, and tear resistance during direct ploughing.
• Cable Lay Up: Three individually sheathed phase cores helically laid up around a central bare stranded aluminium earth conductor (available in 25mm², 35mm², 50mm², or 70mm² depending on configuration).
• Sheath Colour: UV-resistant Black.

Applications

AHXAMK-W medium-voltage cables are engineered for outdoor subsurface electrical grids subject to continuous environmental moisture:

• Direct Burial & Ploughing Installation: Subsurface utility distribution installed via standard open-trench backfilling or continuous mechanized cable ploughing directly into unprepared soil.
• Permanently Wet Soils & Freshwater Environments: Medium-voltage trunk lines laid across marshlands, high-water-table plains, riverbanks, and terrains where fresh water or standing groundwater permanently occurs.
• Renewable Energy Collector Grids: Inter-array and trunk collector feeders routing power from wind turbine bases and utility-scale solar PV fields to substation switchgear.
• Public & Regional Utility Networks: Primary 20kV and 33kV distribution circuits linking regional transformer substations, ring main units (RMUs), and municipal supply rings.
• Cold-Climate Distribution Infrastructure: Sub-zero outdoor power networks operating in ambient temperatures down to -50°C.

Specifications & Dimensions

Huadong Cable Group manufactures AHXAMK-W cables across voltage classes of 12/20 (24)kV and 19/33 (36)kV. In the 12/20kV class, phase conductor sizes range from 3 × 50mm² up to 3 × 300mm² with earth conductor cross-sections of 25mm², 35mm², 50mm², or 70mm², featuring a 5.5mm nominal XLPE insulation thickness, overall outer diameters spanning 59mm to 86mm, and unit weights between 2,243 kg/km and 5,893 kg/km. In the 19/33kV class, phase sizes range from 3 × 95mm² up to 3 × 300mm² with earth conductors of 35mm² or 70mm², incorporating an 8.0mm nominal XLPE insulation wall, overall outer diameters from 76mm to 96mm, and unit weights from 3,634 kg/km to 6,758 kg/km. Operating within a thermal envelope of -50°C to +90°C (conductor short-circuit withstand up to +250°C for 5 seconds), the cables allow pulling forces up to 20.0 kN by pulling-eye and 8.5 kN by pulling-stocking. Maximum conductor DC resistance values at 20°C strictly conform to EN/IEC 60228 (from 0.641 Ω/km for 50mm² down to 0.100 Ω/km for 300mm²), delivering continuous current ratings in air up to 650A and in ground up to 580A at 90°C conductor temperature, while maintaining installation bending radii strictly complying with HD 620 10-F and SFS 5636 specifications.

Standards

Design & Material Standards: HD 620 10-F, SFS 5636, EN/IEC 60228 Class 2
Watertight Performance: Longitudinally and radially watertight (Aluminium/plastic laminate barrier and swellable watertight conductor technology)
Electrical & Voltage Ratings: Voltage Rating Uo/U (Um): 12/20 (24)kV and 19/33 (36)kV; Conductor Max Operating Temp: +90°C; Short Circuit Limit (5s): +250°C
Thermal Installation Spectrum: Operating Range: -50°C to +90°C; Minimum Handling Temp: -20°C; Minimum Transport Temp: -40°C
Mechanical Installation: Pulling tension up to 20.0 kN (pulling-eye); suitable for direct burial and mechanized ploughing
Regulatory Compliance: RoHS Directive 2015/65/EU, REACH Regulation EC 1907/2006, CE Marked

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What makes AHXAMK-W suitable for direct ploughing without protective conduits?
A: The combination of a high-density, tough polyethylene (PE) outer jacket, bonded aluminium/plastic laminate radial water barrier, and high mechanical pulling strength (up to 20 kN) enables the cable to withstand shear pressures, sharp rock abrasions, and high tensile loads imposed during mechanized plough installation.

Q: How does the dual radial and longitudinal waterblocking system operate?
A: Longitudinal watertightness is maintained within the stranded Class 2 conductor to prevent water migration along the copper/aluminium strands, while the bonded aluminium/plastic laminate foil acts as an impermeable radial moisture barrier that blocks water vapor diffusion into the XLPE dielectric over decades of service in saturated soil.

Q: Why is an integrated bare earth conductor included in the center of the lay-up?
A: The central bare aluminium earth conductor provides a low-impedance path for system earth fault currents and lightning discharges, eliminating the need to install a separate grounding wire along the trench and maintaining balanced cable geometry during ploughing.

Q: What commercial payment terms does Huadong Cable accept for international orders?
A: We accept standard international commercial payment terms, primarily Telegraphic Transfer (T/T, with 30% advance deposit and 70% against shipping documents) and 100% Irrevocable Letter of Credit (L/C) at sight.

AHXAMK-W Cable – Why Choose Huadong Cable?

Huadong Cable Group manufactures AHXAMK-W medium-voltage power cables in strict adherence to HD 620 10-F, SFS 5636, and EN/IEC 60228 standards. Using electrical-grade aluminium rod, our high-speed rigid stranding machinery produces Class 2 circular stranded conductors incorporating waterblocking compounds that prevent water travel along the conductor core. On our catenary continuous vulcanization (CCV) lines, the semi-conducting conductor screen, high-purity XLPE insulation, and semi-conducting insulation screen are co-extruded simultaneously under pressurized dry nitrogen curing, ensuring void-free interfaces and negligible partial discharge levels. Continuous tandem jacketing lines apply the aluminium/plastic laminate foil and tough polyethylene (PE) outer sheath with uniform bonding, providing mechanical toughness and water tightness.

Backed by more than 20 years of precision cable engineering expertise, Huadong Cable Group operates testing facilities accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 and certified to ISO 9001 and CE quality frameworks. Direct factory supply eliminates intermediary commercial markups, allowing us to provide competitive factory pricing, 100% routine testing (including high-voltage AC withstand, dielectric loss, and partial discharge verification) documented via Mill Test Certificates (MTC), continuous drum cuts packaged on heavy-duty ISPM 15 heat-treated export wooden reels, and dependable logistics for international electric utilities and renewable energy EPC contractors worldwide.