CONDUCTOR SIZE

CONDUCTOR TYPES
 CONDUCTOR
• A conductor is one of the most important
components of overhead lines. Selecting a
proper type of conductor for overhead lines is
as important as selecting economic conductor
size and economic transmission voltage
 CONDUCTOR
• A good conductor should have the following
properties:
– high electrical conductivity
– high tensile strength in order to withstand mechanical
stresses
– relatively lower cost without compromising much of
other properties
– lower weight per unit volume
 TYPES OF CONDUCTOR
• MAJOR TYPES OF OVERHEAD CONDUCTORS
– AAC - All Aluminum Conductor
– AAAC - All Aluminum Alloy Conductor
– ACSR - Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced
 TYPES OF CONDUCTOR
• AAC - All Aluminum Conductor
– sometimes referred to as ASC (Aluminum Stranded
Conductor)
– has a minimum conductivity of 61.2% IACS
(International Annealed Copper Standard)
– use in urban areas where spans are usually short but
high conductivity is required.
– excellent corrosion resistance of aluminum has made
AAC a conductor of choice in coastal areas.
AAC - All Aluminum Conductor
lowest cost-low mechanical strength
Used for small span
 TYPES OF CONDUCTOR
• AAAC - All Aluminum Alloy Conductor
— made from aluminium alloy 6201 which is a high
strength Aluminium-Magnesium-Silicon alloy This
alloy conductor offers good electrical conductivity
(about 52.5% IACS) with better mechanical strength
— excellent corrosion resistance of aluminum has
made AAC a conductor of choice in coastal areas.
AAAC - All Aluminum Alloy Conductor
 TYPES OF CONDUCTOR
• ACSR - Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced
— ACSR consists of a solid or stranded steel core with
one or more layers of high purity aluminum wires
wrapped in spiral. The core wires may be zinc
coated (galvanized) steel or aluminum coated
(aluminized) steel.
— ASCR conductors are very widely used for all
transmission
 ACSR - Aluminum Conductor Steel
Reinforced

1- Steel strands
2- Aluminum strands
ACSR (26/7)
ACSR has been widely used because of its
mechanical strength, the widespread
manufacturing capacity and cost effectiveness
 Advantages of ACSR
• High mechanical strength can be utilized by
using spans of larger lengths.
• A reduction in the number of supports also
include reduction in insulators and the risk of
lines outage due to flash over or faults is
reduced.
• losses are reduced due to larger diameter of
conductor.
• High current carrying capacity.
 DESIGN OF CONDUCTORS
• SMOOTH BODY CONDUCTOR
– TRAPEZOIDAL SHAPE WIRE CONDUCTORS

• lower wind and ice loads while maintaining the same

ampacity.
With each change, there is a compromise.
With each compromise, there is a new design
 DESIGN OF CONDUCTORS
• EXPANDED ACSR
• A plastic or fibrous material is introduced between the
steel core and aluminum strands to make diameter
large to reduce corona loss and radio interference

With each change, there is a compromise.

With each compromise, there is a new design
ACSR
STANDARD SIZES OF CONDUCTOR FOR
LINES OF VARIOUS VOLTAGES
• The following sizes have been standardized by
CEA(Central Electricity Authority) for transmission
lines of different voltages
VOLTAGE SIZE AND TYPE OF WIRE

“PANTHER” ACSR having 7-strands of steel of dia. 3.00 mm

132 KV
and 30-strands of aluminum of dia. 3.00 mm

“ZEBRA” ACSR having 7-strands of steel of dia. 3.18 mm

220 KV
and 54-strands of aluminum of dia. 3.18 mm.

“TWIN MOOSE” ACSR having 7-strands of steel of dia. 3.53

400 KV
mm and 54-strands of aluminum of dia. 3.53 mm.