Since 1937, Mineral Insulated Cable has been in commercial use. The fact that it is still widely used today proves as the evidence that it is still unbeaten by any other cable system, Soft skinned polymeric cables are a compromise for safety, longevity, and fire performance when compared to MI Cables. Any cable system which relies on polymers for conductor insulation will burn and will be very likely to fail in a real-life fire mishap. But these cables do not rely on polymers for insulation.

These cables have a completely silicone-free and inorganic The main construction comprises solid copper conductors, solid copper sheath and highly compressed magnesium oxide (MgO). Melting points of 2800°C and 1083°C are given by this unique construction for the insulation and copper respectively. This fire also offers fire survival while constantly carrying a load safely for 3 hours at 950°C and for short periods of time in temperatures that exceed 1000°C. These cables can also be considered to be non-aging as copper and MgO will not get deteriorated with time in most of the situations. Cables normally require to be replaced as the polymers which are used for insulation breaks down which causes the insulation resistance to fall thus creating an unsafe system. The total life cycle costs of MICC Cables in a building having 40 – 50-year design expectancy would considerably be less than those who use an XLPE steel wire armored LSZH fire resistant cable, thus off-setting any initial capital expenditure. For the major portion of the modern installations, the bare copper sheathed cable will suffice that requires no additional outer covering. The cable is resistant to oil, water, and several other liquids and gases in this state. It can be augmented with an additional LSZH (low smoke zero halogens) outer covering, where the natural corrosion resistance of the copper sheath is not sufficient. For colored circuit identification or visual appearance, this outer covering can also be used.

In MI Cables, the wires or conductors are enclosed by a metal jacket and insulated with hard-packed Magnesium Oxide (MgO). This construction offers exceptional electrical isolation, high-temperature capability, along with physical protection for the conductors mainly when it is subjected to harsh environments. So, what's inside a MICC Cable?

Metal Sheath:

It consists of a number of metals including stainless steel and Inconel. In the most extreme cases, the manufacturing of a customized sheath can be done for withstanding temperatures around 1150°C (2102°F).

Conductor wire:

From a wide variety of materials, conductors can be made, the most common ones include thermocouple copper, alloys, nickel, nickel-plated copper, constantan, and others. From 1 to 6 or more, the number of conductors will vary which depends on the application where it will be used.

Magnesium Oxide (MgO) :

For isolating the conductors from the external sheath from each other, MgO is used. It is a great material for use because of its dielectric constant, high-temperature capability, rounded grain structure, and chemical inertness.

Reasons to use MI Cables Over Open-Wire

  •         It has low flammability
  •         It resists oxidation
  •         It has high insulation resistance
  •         It has exceptional vibration resistance for protecting the mechanical conditions of the internal conductor wires
  •         Can be drawn down to extremely small diameters which provide fast response times when used in temperature sensors
  •         Without causing short circuits between the sheath and the internal wires or between wires, can be bent or formed
  •         Can be easily sealed around when used as a control on extension cables in critical environments

If you are looking for MICC cables in the Middle East for your projects, then you should definitely check out Dutco Tennant LLC. We supply the products of MICC group which are the best in the entire world and offer a huge amount of benefits over others.