An electrical conductor is any metal that allows electrical current to pass through it. Metals such as copper, aluminum, and their alloys are commonly used as electrical conductors. When a potential difference is introduced across the atoms in an electrical conductor, the electrical charges transfer from one to the other. Electrical conductors are used in the form of wires. Various parameters such as tensile strength, fatigue strength, corona loss, local conditions, and cost can all be considered when choosing a conductor.
The equivalent copper
cross-section area of the conductor and the number of strands with the diameter
of each strand determine the conductor's size. The equivalency of a stranded
conductor is the area of a solid conductor of the same material and length as
the stranded conductor. At the same time, the conductor must have the same
resistance.
Because of its lower
cost, aluminum is frequently used to transmit electricity instead of copper.
Aluminum overhead conductors are made in India following IS 398. When compared
to aluminum, copper is a far better conductor of electricity, yet it is not
economically practical to use copper conductors for long-distance power
transmission. Aluminum is a soft metal with a lightweight. In its purest form,
aluminum isn't very powerful. For conducting electricity, we frequently employ
alloys or reinforced versions to boost its strength.
Copper conductors were
commonly used on transmission lines in the beginning, but Aluminium conductors
have completely replaced Copper due to their lower cost and lighter weight when
compared to a Copper wire of the same resistance. Aluminum conductors have a
greater diameter than Copper conductors of the same resistance, which is an
advantage. For the same voltage, lines of electric flux starting on the
conductor with a bigger diameter will be farther apart at the conductor
surface. This results in a decreased voltage gradient at the conductor's
surface and a reduced tendency to ionize the air surrounding it. Corona is an unfavorable
effect caused by ionization.
The different types of
aluminum conductors are as follows:
1. AAC Conductor: All Aluminium Conductors or AAC are made up of
several layers of aluminum wires stranded concentrically. Low, medium, and
high voltage overhead lines all employ these conductors. AAC is often used in
cities, where spans are typically small yet strong conductivity is necessary.
Aluminum's exceptional corrosion resistance has made AAC a popular conductor
in coastal environments. Because of the lengthy spans used, AAC has limited
usage in transmission lines and rural distribution because of its relatively
weak strength to weight ratio.
2. ACSS Conductor: ACSS stands for Aluminium Conductor Steel
Supported. ACSS is a stranded composite concentric-lay conductor. Steel strands
constitute the conductor's central core, which is surrounded by one or more
layers of aluminum 1350-O wire. For overhead distribution and transmission
wires, ACSS is employed. It is designed to run continuously at temperatures up
to 250°C without losing strength, and it sags less under electrical loads than
a comparable ACSR. ACSS is especially useful in reconductoring applications
requiring increased current with existing tensions and clearances, new line
applications where structures can be economized due to reduced conductor sag.
It can also be utilized on lines that require large emergency loadings or that
experience aeolian vibration.
3. ACCC Conductor: ACCC stands for Aluminium Conductor Composite Core.
A composite carbon and glass fiber core is wrapped in trapezoidal-shaped
aluminum strands to form the ACCC conductor. The fully annealed aluminum
strands carry all of the conductor's electrical current, while the
high-strength structural core handles the majority of the conductor's
mechanical load. The composite score of an ACCC conductor is significantly
lighter and stronger than a standard or high-strength steel core. It can carry
around twice as much current as a typical aluminum-conductor steel-reinforced
cable (ACSR) cable of the same size and weight, making it ideal for upgrading
an existing electric power transmission line without the need to replace towers
or insulators. Aside from the labor and material savings, such an update can
be done as a "maintenance and repair" operation, eliminating the need
for the lengthy regulatory process that comes with new construction.
4. AAAC Conductor: AAAC
stands for All Aluminium Alloy Conductors. It consists of several layers of
aluminum alloys, generally aluminum-magnesium-silicon, stranded in concentric
layers. To obtain a high strength-to-weight ratio, a high-strength aluminum
alloy was used; this allows for superior sag characteristics. In bare overhead
distribution and transmission lines (11 kV to 800 kV lines) and HV substations,
all-aluminum alloy conductors (AAAC) are widely utilized for primary and
secondary transmission. Because of its corrosion resistance, it can also be
used in heavily polluted industrial districts and coastal areas.
These were a few types
of aluminum conductors. Cabcon India is one of the largest cable manufacturers in India. Cabcon
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