Blog

Thorne & Derrick & 3M Decarbonising Industry in the NEPIC Cluster

8.10.2024
By Chris Dodds | Sales & Marketing Manager at Thorne & Derrick International

“Bringing People Together”

A brilliant bullet from Paul Frankland’s (Operations Director at NEPIC) super slide-deck presented to us this morning at the Wilton Centre, the premier science park in the North East of England adjacent to Wilton International and sitting in the heart of the North East of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC).

The NEPIC Cluster is the largest industrial concentration of chemical, pharmaceutical and process companies in the UK, and the second largest in Europe.

Paul and Joanne Fryett (CEO at NEPIC) hosted Thorne & Derrick and an international delegation from 3M Electrical to discuss Energy Transition developments and opportunities within the Cluster involving Net Zero. NEPIC have now extended further support for Thorne & Derrick’s business growth strategy in the clean energy, low carbon and hydrogen sectors.

The NEPIC Presentation informed us all about the energy project pipeline on Teesside with major companies including BP, Equinor, Huntsman Corporation, SABIC, PD Ports, MGT Teesside and px Group.

Michael Kendall (Business Solutions Manager – Tees Valley Combined Authority) then underlined the central role of Teesside in UK plc’s economic growth drive which is strategically aligned with the UK’s Net Zero Strategy. The TVCA secures investment and creates jobs; it is home to ReNew ELP, Alpek, Conoco Phillips, EDF Energy, Mitsubishi Chemical and global renewables giant JDR Cable Systems.

We then all benefitted from excellent electrical power and utility insights provided by Gillian Baker (Head of Commercial New Business – Sembcorp).

Sembcorp supply the high voltage power (66kV/11kV) to Wilton International clients via their owned and operated on-site power station, substations and private wire electricity grid.

Our visit concluded with a Guided Tour of Wilton by Paul Frankland that emphasised the sheer scale of business opportunity, national leadership and centre of excellence our region provides for the the future of decarbonised power.

Hazardous Area Zones & High Voltage Systems

Thorne & Derrick International, based in the North East of England, are leading UK Specialist Distributors of products to guarantee personal safety, site efficiency and plant reliability in Harsh, High Voltage & Hazardous Areas.

Our diversity is our strength, from providing legacy asset management solutions for aging electrical infrastructure to the delivery of high voltage cable connection products to repair or energise networks from 600V to 66kV.

We can competently specify and competitively supply an extensive range of Hazardous Area Equipment (ATEX & IECEx) to provide Power, Heating & Lighting to the Explosive Atmospheres industries – this includes LV HV Cables, Accessories, Jointing, Substation & Electrical Eqpt. 

We are 3M Electrical Distributor for the UK and can be trusted to specify and supply from the largest stocks in the UK and EU products utilising Scotchcast Resin and Cold Shrink Technologies for the installation, jointing and termination of cables from Low to High Voltage.

We are a firmly established vendor and high-value added member of the Cluster supply-chain – we provide world-class customer support including Design Services for Trace Heating & Lighting Systems for Zone 1/2 (21/22) hazardous area applications from our partners Eltherm and Raytec.

Sealing Cables & Protecting Assets | The CSD Sealing System range of DSEAR compliant NOFIRNO products are extensively specified for the prevention of water ingress, gas migration and fire spread in industrial and potentially explosive atmospheres including hazardous area Zones with ATEX designation including Zone 1 & 2 Flammable Gas.

Decarbonising the Teesside Cluster

Last weeks government green-lighting of the Net Zero Teesside project, a £4billion investment which will establish the world’s first industrial-scale Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) facility at Teesworks was accompanied by confirmation from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero of £21.7 billion of funding to establish the UK as an early leader in 2 growing global sectors, CCUS and Hydrogen. This reignition of the UK industrial heartlands to be delivered by investment in projects and the energy-tech of the future further enhances Teesside’s position at the centre of the Decarbonisation universe.

Teesworks | The UK’s largest Freeport Tax Zone, most connected industrial zone and home to diverse, sustainable and low-carbon activity. In 2023, SeAH Wind announced a £650m investment in a monopile manufacturing facility at South Bank Teesworks to support a contract with Vattenfall to supply all the wind turbine monopiles for its Norfolk Vanguard Project. This commitment to Teesside positions SeAH Wind as the UK’s leading Foundation Manufacturer and ensures the UK is at the forefront of developing offshore wind globally.

Net Zero Teesside

NZT is a collection of industrial, power and hydrogen businesses which aim to decarbonize their operations through the deployment of CCUS.

NZT Power is a first-of-a-kind fully integrated gas-fired power and carbon capture project and a key driving force behind plans to make Teesside the UK’s first decarbonized industrial cluster.

NZT Power’s proposed combined cycle gas turbine electricity generating station will have an electrical output of up to 860 megawatts (MW) of low carbon electricity, enough to power up to 1.3m homes per year.

NZT | The UK’s First Decarbonised Industrial Cluster

A Sustainable Future for our Energy & for our Business

Our NEPIC Membership has positioned Thorne & Derrick alongside a cluster of businesses dedicated to the decarbonisation of industrial operations through the deployment of CCUS – we are working closely with EPC’s and contractors to specify and supply compliant critical equipment to build and operate the infrastructure required to transport CO2 from emitters in the Teesside and Humber regions to a secure offshore carbon store beneath the North Sea via the East Coast Cluster and the Northern Endurance Partnership.

The East Coast Cluster Decarbonising Industry 

Northern Endurance Partnership | NEP is a CO_2. transportation and storage company which will deliver the onshore and offshore infrastructure needed to capture carbon from emitters across Teesside and the Humber and transport to offshore storage in the Endurance store in the southern North Sea. In October 2021, The NEP’s East Coast Cluster, which includes Net Zero Teesside, was selected as a priority cluster in phase-1 of the UK Government’s CCUS cluster sequencing process. Endurance, a saline aquifer, has the capacity to store 450m tonnes of CO_2. Other potential stores nearby take potential storage capacity to around 1 billion tonnes.

Pictured | Charlotte Fletcher (Project Manager Pharma-Sector NEPIC) Tanja Schroeder (Area Director EMEA 3M Electrical), Andy Townsend (Specification Manager C&I 3M Electrical UK), Paul Frankland (Operations Director NEPIC), Jenny Swindells (Regional Division Leader 3M Electrical Northern Europe), Chris Dodds (Sales Marketing Manager T&D), Monica Barros (General Business Director 3M Electrical ), Carl Cox (Sales Engineer T&D) and Richard Derrick (Managing Director T&D).

T&D are Specialist Distributors to the Process Industries – this includes the fine and speciality chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and polymers manufacturing sectors.

We supply and support businesses working on the design, construction and maintenance of UK, European and international projects.

Based in the UK, we are highly customer responsive and absolutely committed to providing a world-class service.

Since 1985, we have provided expert technical support and express delivery from extensive UK stocks to world-wide destinations.

3M Cold Shrink | This advanced Cold Shrink material technology has been developed into a comprehensive range of Cable Accessories to seal, joint, abandon, insulate and terminate cables from 600V to 66kV. Superior reliability, easy to install, and safe for use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres.

Award Winning Arc Flash Clothing from ProGARM

Arc 4 Rated Switch Suit

Wins Prestigious Industry Award

Thorne & Derrick is proud to announce that the Arc 4 Rated Switch Suit, developed by ProGARM a leading manufacturer of arc flash clothing, using the cutting-edge PYRAD® Technology by GORE-TEX LABS, has recently won the prestigious Fibre, Fabric & Materials Award at the Professional Clothing Industry Association Worldwide Ltd Awards 2024 (PCIAW®). This recognition highlights innovations that push the boundaries of performance, protection, functionality, and comfort in professional clothing.

The Arc 4 Switch Suit sets a new standard for safety and comfort in Arc Protection.

Thanks to PYRAD® Technology by GORE-TEX LABS, the switching suit delivers Class 2 Arc Flash Protection in a single-ply textile, offering superior safety without sacrificing freedom of movement. Unlike traditional multi-layer, bulky fabrics that can be heavy and restrictive, this thin, lightweight design ensures maximum protection against arc flash incidents without compromising on comfort.

This ground-breaking product is a testament to the power of collaboration, combining ProGARM’s expert craftsmanship with the innovative GORE-TEX LABS technology to deliver a truly exceptional product to market.

The Arc 4 Switch Suit is now setting a new benchmark in the world of professional arc flash protective clothing. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation in this field.

Further Reading

• Shaping the Future of Arc Flash Safety: ProGARM x GORE-TEX Brand Partnership
• New Levels of Waterproof Arc Flash Protection I ProGARM & GORE-TEX PYRAD
• Protecting Jointers & SAP’s Against Arc Flash Risks | ProGARM 6444 Coveralls
• ProGARM 4690 Coveralls | Arc Flash Protection for Rail Trackside & Substation
• The First Sustainable Arc Flash Range Of PPE From ProGARM

Arc 4 Rated GORE-TEX PYRAD | Hood | Jacket | Dungarees | Gloves

NEW | High Current, High Voltage Power Connectors from Marechal

P66 cONNECTOR

660 Amps | 1100V 

MARECHAL P66 Connector is the highest performance plug and socket-outlet which has now secured extensive specifications for power distribution applications across industry with a market-leading current rating up to 660A and voltage capacity of 1,100V.

Thorne & Derrick, the UK Stockist & Channel Partner for Marechal Electric, recently welcomed Ross Allan (Area Sales Manager) for a Training Session with our Technical Sales Engineers to support the industry with innovative industrial power connection solutions.

Click ‘GET A QUOTE‘ to enquire for the P66 Connector and ‘Electrify Your Industry’:

P66

HV Connector | Rated For 660A High Current & 1100V High Voltage Distribution 

The high voltage plugs and socket-connectors withstand harsh conditions and integrate into industrial high power systems requiring maximum reliability and performance.

• High current – 660A
• High voltage – 1100V (1.1kV)
• 8 Auxiliary contact + 2 pilots
• Metal casing IK10
• T °C : -40 °C / +80 °C
• Safe pre-wired – Reed sensor switch
• Robust – IP66/IP67 & IK10
• User friendly connectors – drawing mechanism
• Compact plug and socket – designed to fit in minimal confined space
• Ease of installation – multiple mounting and wiring configurations
• LOTO compliant
• Downloads | Brochure | Specification | Instruction

The P66 Connector is modelled to be all-purpose, whether it’s straight or angled, handles can be offered with a threaded plate to suit different cable diameters, allowing configuration variations – the high voltage power connector is lightweight, high-technology and easy to wire providing optimum versatility to international electrical safety standards.

MARECHAL | Plug, Sockets & Connectors

Established over 70 years ago, MARECHAL Electric are currently one of the worlds largest manufacturers of industrial electrical Plugs, Sockets & Connectors for commercial, industrial, hazardous area and high voltage applications.  With over 500+ employees worldwide and a consolidated turnover of nearly €100 million, MARECHAL are established market-leaders in the manufacture of LV Power & Electrical Distribution Connection products.

600V to 66kV | Substation to Socket Connections for LV & HV Electrical Power

Heat shrink, cold shrink, push-on and slip-over cable accessories enable the jointing and connection of 11kV/33kV and 66kV-/132kV cables to oil, air or gas insulated switchgear, transformers, motors and overhead lines distributing electricity at medium/high voltages.

Comparison of Geometric Stress Control vs Dielectric Stress Control in 3M Cold Shrink Terminations

Geometric Stress Control vs Dielectric Stress Control

Here is an in-depth analysis on the comparison of Geometric Stress Control vs Dielectric Stress Control, used in LV MV HV 3M Cold Shrink Cable Terminations. High Dielectric Stress Control (also known as Refractive Stress Control) is used in all 3M Electrical Cold Shrink Cable Terminations, whereas Geometric Stress Control is commonly used due to ease of manufacturing processes, but faces a number of disadvantages.

What is Electrical Stress Control?

Electrical Stress Control is known as a potential voltage difference across a distance, typically being reported as kV/mm (or v/mil). In the scenario of a larger voltage difference of a distance results in a higher electrical stress to be controlled.

The insulation shield on cable terminations provides uniform electrical stress in the cable insulation. In the event of insulation shield removal from the cable termination, the electrical stress will concentrate at the end of the insulation shield (as shown in the image example). The equipotential lines being close together at the end of the insulation shield, results in very high electrical stress.

Cable termination failure will occur with no Electrical Stress Control.

3M Cold Shrink Cable Termination With No Electrical Stress Control

Geometric Stress Control

The process of Geometric Stress Control, is the use of extra insulation to overcome high electrical stress. As seen in the example image, the insulation is gradually increase in a ramp formation, with the insulation shield being extended to the top of the ramp. Similar to cable terminations with no stress control, the equipotential lines are still very close together at the end of the extended insulation.

High electrical stress determines that the cable terminations using this level of Electrical Stress Control will have higher surface stress, which requires a longer termination to meet standards and can also cause more tracking in highly contaminated areas. Longer cable termination lengths lead to geometric cable terminations have a long creepage distance, which may not translate to better performance because of the high surface stress on geometric terminations.

3M Cold Shrink Cable Termination With Geometric Stress Control

Dielectric Stress Control

The other method of Electrical Stress Control is through the use of high Dielectric Stress Control (or Refractive Stress Control), used for 3M Cold Shrink Cable Terminations LV MV HV. The material used offers a high dielectric constant, meaning the material is not an ideal electrical insulator in comparison to materials with lower dielectric constants.

The following table provides further insight on dielectric constants of varied insulating materials, ultimately determining that Electrical Stress Control materials require a significantly higher dielectric constant than the table insulation due to the cause of equipotential lines bending or refracting:

After refracting the equipotential lines, high Dielectric Stress Control spreads out the equipotential lines, resulting in significantly less surface stress than on a Geometric Stress Control 3M Cold Shrink Cable Termination. The image below demonstrates the process of high Dielectric Stress Control spreading out the equipotential stress lines. In this case, the equipotential lines are much further apart at the end of the cable insulation shield for Dielectric Stress Control vs Geometric Stress Control.

3M Cold Shrink Cable Termination With Dielectric Stress Control

Electrical Stress Controls SUMMARY

The following table highlights the advantages/pros for both Geometric Stress Control & Dielectric Stress Control:

The following table highlights the disadvantages/cons for both Geometric Stress Control & Dielectric Stress Control:

Systems up to 69kV, high Dielectric Stress Control cable terminations perform better than Geometric Stress Control terminations. Offering better results due to widespread equipotential lines, ultimately creating a lower surface stress on the Cable Joints & Terminations. The lower surface stress reduces the chances of tracking and allows a shorter termination to perform better than a longer Geometric Stress Control termination. Some of 3M’s Cold Shrink high Dielectric Stress Control terminations have been in service sine 1977, concluding a long and reliable history.

High Voltage Cable Systems & Accessories

Thorne & Derrick distribute the most extensive range of MV HV Medium & High Voltage Cable Joints, Terminations & Connectors from manufacturers including 3M, Prysmian, Nexans Euromold, Elastimold, Pfisterer CONNEX & SEANEX and Shrink Polymer Systems.

Heat shrink, cold shrink, push-on and slip-over cable accessories enable the jointing, terminating and connection of 11kV-33kV and 66kV-132kV cables to oil, air or gas insulated switchgear, transformers, motors and overhead lines distributing electricity at medium/high voltages.

Reflect Aluflex Kit for Safe Portable Earthing & Rail Line Isolations | PENTA

Reflect Aluflex Kit PENTA

The practical and convenient market-leading Reflect Aluflex Kit, manufactured by PENTA, is an ideal solution to night-time working on and around electrical distribution and rail lines. The highly reflective lead kit is a combination of PENTA‘s Special DEP Earth with Reflect Aluflex & S9B Reflect Kit, providing enhanced visibility to allow for safe portable earthing and rail line isolations, making for seamless inspections.

Reflect Aluflex Cable

The PENTA reflect Aluflex cable, included in the Reflect Aluflex Kit is used for connecting between a Line End Clamp and an Earth End Clamp. The reflect Aluflex cable is equipped with orange marking helix for identification with additional reflective silver helical strips to aid identification throughout night-working or when used in tunnels with restricted lighting. The strands of the Aluflex cable remain visible between helical strips to aid inspection. Supplied in any length required, in a range of sizes, including 50sqmm, 70sqmm, 95sqmm, 120sqmm & 150sqmm, according to ENA TS 42-21 specifications.

♦ Energy Networks Association TS 41-21 Compliant

The ENA TS 41-21 standards covers portable earthing equipment for use on MV HV power cable systems above 1kV and up to 400kV, which has a rated value tested in accordance with this ENA TS.

HV Substation Portable Earthing Leads | PENTA

Orange Reflective Aluflex Lead | PENTA

Reflect Aluflex Kit Safe Portable Earthing & Rail Line Isolations

Special DEP Earth with Reflect Aluflex

The PENTA Reflect DEP earth is specially designed for use within the rail industry. Its reflective properties allow operators and authorised personnel to easily locate the position and check the proper fitting of the earth at night, whilst its orange appearance ensures the purpose of the lead is clearly identified.

S9B Reflect Kit

The PENTA Reflect cable is a revolutionary new product which allows for quick identification due to its orange band. The reflective band aids location and checking of earths on site at night. The clear outer sheath allows inspection of the fine aluminium stands unlike traditional orange Aluflex leads.

S9B Reflect Kit | PENTA

PENTA Portable Earthing Equipment

80 Years of Designing & Manufacturing

a Comprehensive Range of Portable Earthing Equipment

As trusted suppliers to the electricity industry for many decades, PENTA‘s wide variety of Portable Earthing Equipment, including the Reflect Aluflex Kit, is used to provide short circuit protection and to control induced voltages and associated currents within substations, on overhead transmission and distribution lines and within the electrified rail network. PENTA also manufacture protection, monitoring and indicating instruments.

Thorne & Derrick distribute the extensive range of trusted PENTA Substation Earthing Equipment & Electrical Safety Equipment to the Power Transmission & Distribution industry in the onshore and offshore wind, solar, rail, oil/gas, data centre, battery storage and utility sectors. We provide exceptional service, fast delivery and the best prices to UK and international clients working on underground cables, overhead lines, substations and electrical construction.