ACCC conductor
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ACCC (Aluminum Conductor Composite Core) is a registered trade mark for a type of "high-temperature low-sag" (HTLS) overhead power line conductor.
Description
[edit | edit source]CTC Global developed and commercialized the ACCC Conductor.
Advantages
[edit | edit source]It is able to carry approximately twice as much current as a traditional aluminium-conductor steel-reinforced cable (ACSR) cable of the same size and weight,[1]
Its light weight and softness result in roughly 30% greater conductivity than an equivalent ACSR conductor, allowing 14% more current to be carried at equal temperature. For example, 1.107 in (28.1 mm) diameter ACCC "Drake" conductor at 75 °C has an AC resistance of 106 mΩ/mile,[2] while equivalent ACSR conductor has an AC resistance of 139 mΩ/mile,[3] 31% higher.
Operation at high temperatures implies high line losses, which may be uneconomical, but the ability to carry such current contributes to the redundancy of the electric grid (the high overload capacity can stop a potential cascading failure) and thus can be valuable even when rarely used directly. Even at higher operating temperatures, the ACCC conductor's added aluminum content and lower electrical resistance offers reduced line losses compared to other conductors of the same diameter and weight.
Disadvantages
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- The primary disadvantage is cost; ACCC costs 2.5–3 times as much as ACSR cable.[4]
- Although ACCC has significantly less thermal sag than even other HTLS conductor designs, it has a lower axial stiffness.[5] Therefore, it sags more than other designs under ice load, although an "ultra-low-sag" (higher modulus) version is available at a cost premium.[5] Also, other aluminium alloys with an increased strength at the expense of electrical conductivity can be used to improve ice load sag. Ice load can also lead to the loosening of outer layer strands because of plastic deformation by the attached weight.
- Annealed aluminum is extremely soft and makes the conductor prone to surface damage during installation if mishandled.
- The conductor has a larger minimum bend radius, requiring extra care during installation.
- The conductor requires special fittings and stringing equipment that are more expensive.
References
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