De Angeli Prodotti has patented a conductor with a core that is 50% lighter and 20% stronger than that of an ACSR conductor.
“Engineered for high performance”
Introduction
Bare overhead electrical lines are currently made of conductor with aluminium wires, thanks to their good conductibility, low price and lightness, if compared to other conductors for electrical applications, such as copper, gold and silver. However, due to the modest mechanical properties of the aluminium, the conductors are generally internally reinforced with steel wires which make possible the installation. The recent demands have led to a continuing search for increased power along the existing lines, this can be achieved for example increasing the aluminium cross section. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the core weight while maintaining adequate mechanical properties.
De Angeli Prodotti, constantly involved in the development and design of innovative conductors for the substitution of conventional conductors made of aluminium and steel, has found a solution with materials coming from the aerospace industry.
Engineering
The solution developed by De Angeli Prodotti uses a core of stranded trapezoidal carbon fiber wires placed inside an extruded aluminium tube; the conductive layers are of thermal resistant aluminium wires.
This configuration gives a core 50% lighter and 20% more resistant than the steel core of a common ACSR conductor(1).
Using hard aluminium alloy resistant up to 150°C, and compacting the conductive layers with trapezoidal wires, the Aluminum Conductor with Carbon Fiber Core will reduce the line losses up to 10% and increases the ampacity of more than 60%(1).
The Figure 1. shows the comparison of the ampacity-temperature curve between the ACSR conductor and a conductor with carbon fiber core.
Conclusions
De Angeli Prodotti is ready to offer a conductor with unmatchable features in terms of lightness, strength and line loss reduction. The R&D department can design tailor made conductor with carbon fiber core, suitable for the various needs of the customers.
