Difference Between AAAC and ACSR Conductors

A conductor is a physical substance that allows electrical energy to be transferred from one location to another. It's a crucial part of electrical transmission and distribution systems, both above and below ground. The cost and efficiency of the conductor are factors to consider. The characteristics of a perfect conductor are as follows:

●      It boasts the highest electrical conductivity of any material.

●      It has great tensile strength, making it resistant to mechanical stress.

●      It has the lowest specific gravity, which is defined as weight per unit volume.

●      It is the cheapest option without losing other aspects.

 

Copper conductors in stranded hard-drawn form were utilized to transport energy in the early days to boost tensile strength. However, aluminium has now supplanted it for the following reasons:

●      It is less expensive than copper.

●      It has a bigger diameter for the same amount of current, lowering the corona.

Corona is the electrification of air caused by a greater voltage (typically over critical voltage), resulting in violet light and hissing sound surrounding the conductor. It also produces ozone gas, making it an unfavorable situation.

 

There are many types of Aluminium Conductors available such as AAC (All Aluminium Conductors), ACAR (Aluminium Conductor, Aluminium Reinforced), AAAC (All Aluminium Alloy Conductor), ACSR (Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced), and IACS (International Annealed Copper Stand).

In this article we’re going to discuss the difference between AAAC conductors and ACSR conductors:

 

1. Popularity: Aluminium Alloy Conductors are considered a revolutionary breakthrough in conductor technology and users all over the world are switching to AAAC conductors due to their technical superiority. Whereas, Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced is outdated technology and is no longer used in developed countries because of its technical and economical shortcomings.

 

2. Bimetallic and Environmental Corrosion: The heat-treated alloy of Aluminium-Magnesium-Silicon makes AAAC conductors free from bimetallic corrosion and exceptionally resistant to environmental corrosion. Whereas, because of the steel in ACSR conductors, corrosion sets in within 2 years, lowering their efficiency.

 

3. Service Life: Service life of AAAC is around 60 years, whereas that of ACSR is 15-30 years.

 

4. Cut: AAAC is hard to cut and almost impossible to recycle. This reduces thefts and eliminates unwanted power cuts. On the other hand, ACSR is easy to cut and is easily recycled into utensils.

 

5. Strength to weight ratio: On an identical diameter basis, AAAC has a higher strength to weight ratio of 10.6:11.6. This offers savings due to a reduction in the number of towers, foundations, and accessories. On the other hand, ACSR has a lower strength to weight ratio ranging between 88.4:9.4 and requires lesser spans than AAAC. Due to the increased cost of towers, the reduced cost of ACSR is offset.

 

6. Temperature: AAAC does not suffer from a reduction in strength on temperature rise to 90 degrees celsius since it is heat-treated at 160 degrees celsius and can be loaded to a higher level of capacity. But the strength of ACSR reduces with the rise in temperature above 65 degrees celsius and is not suitable for overloading.

 

7. Steel core: Since there is no steel core in AAAC conductors, there are no magnetic losses. As a result, there will be no additional line losses owing to the electromagnetic impact. On the other hand, the presence of a steel core in ACSR induces eddy current and hysteresis losses.

 

8. Replacement: Repairing and replacing AAAC is easier because it is monometallic. This means that ordinary fittings and accessories without steel inserts can be used easily. This is also helpful and economical in the long run. Whereas, repairing and replacing ACSR is time-consuming and very frequent because it requires special procedures. The maintenance cost and inherent defects make them costlier in the long run.

 

This was the basic difference between AAAC conductors and ACSR conductors. If you’re looking to purchase aluminium conductors, you should check out Cabcon India. Cabcon is one of India's leading cable makers. Visit their official website at www.cabconindia.com to learn more about their products and services!