Generating an assessment of the suitability of cables, ducts, tubes, pipes and/or other hollow-type of conduits to extraction of cores, conductors, insulation, etc. included therein while still buried in the ground or otherwise positioned out-of-sight so as to be unavailable for visual and/or physical inspection is contemplated. The assessment may be used to indicate a suitability of a cable buried in the ground of a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) cable plant to extraction of the type whereby a core of the cable may be extracted using hydraulics while still buried.

Described is a cable rejuvenation apparatus for a cable used in a subsea environment. The apparatus applies a bias signal to a conducting element of the cable, the bias signal being selected to improve the insulation properties of the cable. The bias signal is generated by a bias signal generator. The bias signal can be a voltage which promotes an electrochemical reaction between the conducting element and the salt containing liquid of the subsea environment resulting in the formation of a barrier material at the fault location restricting further leakage current flow and enhancing the insulation resistance of the cable. The bias signal is selected such that the electrochemical reaction promoted by the bias signal maintains the presence of the barrier material at the fault location.

Described is a cable rejuvenation apparatus for a cable used in a subsea environment. The apparatus applies a bias signal to a conducting element of the cable, the bias signal being selected to improve the insulation properties of the cable. The bias signal is generated by a bias signal generator. The bias signal can be a voltage which promotes an electrochemical reaction between the conducting element and the salt containing liquid of the subsea environment resulting in the formation of a barrier material at the fault location restricting further leakage current flow and enhancing the insulation resistance of the cable. The bias signal is selected such that the electrochemical reaction promoted by the bias signal maintains the presence of the barrier material at the fault location.

A power cable including: a conductor, an insulation system having an inner semiconducting layer arranged around the conductor, an insulation layer arranged around the inner semiconducting layer, and an outer semiconducting layer arranged around the insulation layer, a metallic water blocking layer arranged around the insulation system, including a first axial section, a second axial section, and an intermediate axial section made of a lead-free metal material which is different from a first metal material of at least one of the first axial section and the second axial section, the intermediate axial section being arranged between the first axial section and the second axial section, wherein the intermediate axial section is joined thermally along its entire inner or outer perimeter with each of the first axial section and the second axial section to obtain a watertight connection between the intermediate axial section and each of the first axial section and the second axial section, wherein the lead-free metal material has a lower yield strength than the first metal material.

A tank including a fluid reservoir, a communication module, a controller, and at least one sensor. The fluid reservoir is configured to be in fluid communication with a cable segment. The communication module is configured to communicate with an external device. The sensor is configured to detect an injection parameter value, encode the injection parameter value in a sensor signal, and send the sensor signal to the controller. The controller is configured to automatically instruct the communication module to transmit information to the external device based on the injection parameter value.

A tank including a fluid reservoir, a communication module, a controller, and at least one sensor. The fluid reservoir is configured to be in fluid communication with a cable segment. The communication module is configured to communicate with an external device. The sensor is configured to detect an injection parameter value, encode the injection parameter value in a sensor signal, and send the sensor signal to the controller. The controller is configured to automatically instruct the communication module to transmit information to the external device based on the injection parameter value.

A method for rejuvenating a strand-blocked cable having a conductor comprised of a plurality of conductor strands with interstitial volume therebetween blocked by a PIB based mastic, the conductor being surrounded by a polymeric cable insulation. The method comprising installing injection adapters that seal the cable ends of the cable and are usable to inject fluid into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; elastically expanding the polymeric cable insulation through the application of pressure to the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable; and injecting at least one injection fluid in which the PIB based mastic is at least partially soluble into the interstitial volume between the conductor strands of the cable. To facilitate elastic deformation of the polymeric cable insulation, the cable may be heated to and maintained at a temperature of T1 above ambient during the injection.

A hand-held apparatus for repairing a defect in an outer jacket of an elongated wire or cable includes a portable die and a source of a settable material. The die has a first portion connected by a hinge to a second portion. They cooperatively define a channel in a closed configuration. The source is connected to the channel through an opening between the inlet and outlet. A heating element is adapted to heat the settable material into a flowable condition and a control circuit is adapted to vary the supply of heat. The die is juxtaposed around the jacket near the defect. As the settable material is introduced into the channel, the wire or cable is moved along the channel relative to the die in the closed configuration such that a coating is formed over the defect. When the die is removed, the settable material sets into a solid condition.

A hand-held apparatus for repairing a defect in an outer jacket of an elongated wire or cable includes a portable die and a source of a settable material. The die has a first portion connected by a hinge to a second portion. They cooperatively define a channel in a closed configuration. The source is connected to the channel through an opening between the inlet and outlet. A heating element is adapted to heat the settable material into a flowable condition and a control circuit is adapted to vary the supply of heat. The die is juxtaposed around the jacket near the defect. As the settable material is introduced into the channel, the wire or cable is moved along the channel relative to the die in the closed configuration such that a coating is formed over the defect. When the die is removed, the settable material sets into a solid condition.

An insert for constructing a cable accessory used to inject a fluid into a cable. The cable accessory has an outer body defining an interior configured to house a conductor of the cable. The outer body includes an injection port with an internal channel configured to receive the fluid. The insert has first and second portions. The first portion is configured to line a portion of the interior of the cable accessory. The first portion has a first through-channel configured to allow the conductor of the cable to pass at least partway therethrough. The second portion is configured to line the internal channel of the injection port. The second portion has a second through-channel in fluid communication with the first through-channel. The insert is less permeable to the fluid than the outer body of the cable accessory. The insert may be molded into the outer body.