- Levapren EVM Elastomer helps to reduce the damage caused by fire
- Range of properties ideal for wind turbine applications
- Stand number at K 2016 - 6C78
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At K 2016 in Dusseldorf, ARLANXEO is focusing on the benefits of Levapren EVM Elastomers for processors and end users. Visitors to the ARLANXEO stand – number 6C78 – will be able to learn how the halogen-free ethylene-vinyl acetate synthetic rubber (EVM) helps to significantly reduce the spread of fire and the subsequent damage due to hydrochloric acid corrosion in or near generators, thus protecting large installations and considerable investments in the event of fire.

Specially formulated Levapren 500 and Levapren 700 compounds are ideally suited for use in nacelles of wind turbines, specifically in the cable sheathing, because they contain no halogens, so they do not emit the highly corrosive hydrochloric acid gas normally released by halogen-based materials in a fire. In addition to being halogen-free, these Levapren EVM grades have a comparatively high vinyl acetate (VA) content which makes them compatible with polar fillers thanks to their high polarity. They can contain large quantities of inorganic, halogen-free flame retardants, such as aluminium or magnesium hydroxide – and the polar rubber raw material does not swell in the presence of lubricating greases. Levapren 500 and Levapren 700 do not absorb oil or grease from the surrounding machinery, so in the event of a fire, absorbed burning hydrocarbons will not destroy the flame suppressing properties of the cable jacket.

The molecular weight of Levapren is particularly widely distributed and well controlled. In addition, it is a gel-free product, which has a positive effect on the processability of the material and the quality of the end product.

Talking about Levapren in high voltage energy cable applications, Jörg Stumbaum, Manager Technical Marketing CR/EVM at ARLANXEO, said: “Wind power is considered to be one of the most environmentally friendly sources of energy.

However, strong electrical currents flow through large wind turbines at voltages of over 500 volts. Although the risk of fire is not greater in wind turbines than in any other well-maintained technical installations, if fire should break out – for instance because of an electrical short or lightning strike – it is much more difficult to extinguish, since the components that house the generators are very high up in the air. And if a fire does occur, the consequences (e.g. corrosion by halogenic gases) must be minimized as much as possible. So it makes sense for operators to focus on prevention by choosing Levapren EVM elastomer.”

Levapren is a product of the business line CR/EVM which is part of the business unit High Performance Elastomers.

High Performance Elastomers

High Performance Elastomers (HPE) , a business unit of the ARLANXEO group, offers its customers a broad portfolio of technical rubbers. As one of the leading suppliers of synthetic rubbers to the rubber-processing industry, HPE markets materials which have a wide range of industrial applications. For example, they are used as modifiers for plastic and adhesive raw materials, in gas and oil exploration and production, and in functional components for the automotive and cable industries.

About ARLANXEO

ARLANXEO is a world-leading synthetic rubber company with sales of around EUR 2.8 billion in 2015, about 3,800 employees and a presence at 20 production sites in nine countries. The company’s core business is the development, manufacturing and marketing of high-performance rubber for use in, for example, the automotive and tire industries, the construction industry, and the oil and gas industries. ARLANXEO was established in April 2016 as a joint venture of LANXESS and Saudi Aramco.