Fire-rated cable sealing for solar substations

The project:

• Fire-rated cable sealing for solar substations

The client:

• Regulated public utility

The products:

• FILOseal+ HD FIRE

The background:

As part of a large-scale solar energy development, an approved FILOform installer was tasked with sealing multiple cable ducts entering the site’s electrical substations.

Unsealed cable entries can create significant long-term risks for substation infrastructure. Moisture ingress, humidity, dust, airborne contamination, gas migration and rodent ingress can all compromise the performance and reliability of critical electrical assets.

Where power cables pass through fire-rated walls, poorly protected penetrations can also allow the spread of fire and smoke between compartments.

In solar substations, these risks are increased by daily thermal cycling. As power cables heat and cool during generation cycles, they expand and contract, placing stress on cable sealing systems over time.

So, the client therefore a durable, fire-rated cable sealing solution capable of protecting multiple cable penetrations throughout the operational life of the substation.

The solution:

Working with its approved installation partner, FILOform specified FILOseal+ HD FIRE to seal multiple cable ducts across the solar substation.

Designed for demanding utility and energy infrastructure applications, FILOseal+ HD FIRE provides a durable, fire-rated and re-enterable seal around cable penetrations. The system helps protect critical substation assets from environmental contamination while maintaining the integrity of fire compartmentation.

Importantly, FILOseal+ HD FIRE can accommodate the natural movement of power cables caused by thermal expansion and contraction. This helps maintain an effective seal over the long term, even in applications subject to repeated temperature changes and cable movement.

With up to four hours of fire resistance and a re-enterable design, the solution also supports future cable additions and maintenance without requiring the entire seal to be replaced.

The result:

Multiple cable entries across the solar substation were successfully sealed, helping protect some of the site’s most critical electrical infrastructure.

The completed installation helps to:

• Reduce the risk of moisture-related partial discharge and insulation degradation
• Protect switchgear, cable terminations and other electrical assets from contamination
• Maintain fire compartmentation around cable penetrations
• Accommodate cable movement caused by thermal cycling
• Prevent the ingress of water, gases, dust and vermin
• Improve long-term substation reliability
• Reduce the likelihood of unplanned maintenance, equipment failure and costly downtime

By protecting the integrity of the cable entry system, FILOseal+ HD FIRE helps safeguard the reliable operation of the electrical infrastructure that enables renewable energy to be generated and distributed to the grid.