OPL Conductors

Conductors for Overhead Power Lines

Download CFCC_Avatok_catalogue.pdf

CFCC – composite fiber core conductor, it is produced in accordance with registered Technical Conditions ТУ 3511-002-23788864-2016

• Core – composite material of carbon fiber (carbon strings).
• External layer – annealed aluminum. Wires – trapezium-shaped section.
• Capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures.
• Two options can be produced – with admissible continuous temperature of 160 °С, and with admissible temperature of 180 °С.

A composite-core cable has lower linear extension coefficient, therefore it is less prone to heat expansion than a steel-core cable. By substituting a steel-core cable with a composite-core cable, line transmission capacity can be increased. It is possible to double amperage in a line without risk of cable slacking and breaking, and, therefore, to improve line transmission capacity twofold! It is the most efficient solution for a project, which has its purpose in achievement of maximum transmission capacity.

So, the ACCC combine technology of low-heat aluminum application with expanded area of metal cross-section.

Composite core:

• increases cable strength, being lighter and more durable;
• decreases cable slacking;
• increases cable conductivity with the possibility to use 28% more aluminum than AC cables of the same weight.
• Trapezium-shaped wires:
• increases density and effective cross-section of aluminum conductor, which, in its turn increase cable conductivity.

Construction problems solved:

• Lowering cost of OPL reconstruction projects along with weak supports due to lower tension.
• Lowering cost of new line projects by using less supports (with longer spans between supports) or using shorter supports with selected size.
• Saving money on glaze-ice melting stations.
• Opportunity to choose between two options of core operating temperatures, which influences project cost.

Operation problems solved:

• Improved material conductivity allows for reducing the line losses and airborne emissions related to it by 20-30%, which provides a possibility to increase transmission capacity with lower cost of power production and reduced environmental impact.
• In ACCC cables, a composite core is used that provides higher cable strength in comparison with other cables, and smaller amount of deflection, which provides for increased length of line spans.
• Compact structure, smooth cable surface, and core drawability allow for reducing the load on supports due to ice formation and wind loads, if compared to steel-cored aluminum cables.
• Resistance to environmental exposure – no corrosion or electrolysis occurs between aluminum wires and core.
• In OPL reconstruction, this solution allows replacement of standard construction cables without significant project adjustments.
• Cost advantage of OPL transmission capacity increase by virtue of additional electric power transmission in comparison to standard solutions.
• Decrease of electricity and heat losses.
• Due to minimum deflection amount, cession of land is minimized, and it becomes possible to avoid deforestation while installing the OPL in resort or wildlife sanctuary areas.
• Improved OPL reliability and, as a result, cost-efficiency of line maintenance along with its lifespan extension.
• Improved power system stability due to operation in a high-heat mode in case of parallel OPL failure.

A3F-Z – a overhead conductor completely made of aluminum alloy

• Core – none;
• External layer – aluminum-magnesium alloy;
• Operating temperature – within 90 °С;
• A3F/S1A-Z – aluminum alloy conductor with steel core;
• Core – steel alloy;
• External layer – aluminum-magnesium alloy;
• Operating temperature – up to 90 °С.

Z-shaped wires allows making the external layer almost absolutely smooth. Tight packaging (filling up to 98.5%) provides for significant decrease of drag coefficient, therefore Z-type cables sustain lower stress, which decreases risks of OPL failure under increased load, such as squall wind and glaze-ice and rime depositions. Moreover, this construction allows increase of cable effective cross-section, and therefore transmission capacity of the OPL. Operating temperature of Z-type cables does not exceed 90 °С, so increase of the OPL transmission capacity can be achieved without increase of heat losses.

Z-type conductors exhibit increased mechanical strength, which lowers the possibility of cable breaking while being damaged due to external action (including being stroke by lightning), as well as capability to maintain integrity of external layer, and opportunity to resume operation even when several juxtaposed wires are damaged. Herewith, there is no damaged wire unwinding with short circuit hazard, as there is in the cables with round wires. These cables are protected from breaking under icing and snow build-up due to their increased torsional stiffness and smaller diameter.

Designing problems solved:

• No additional costs during installation, fixtures at hand can be used;
• Possibility of designing using the existing Russian software packages.
• The steel core cable has high ultimate strength, which allows using it in crossing water obstacles.

Operation problems solved:

• Less snow and ice build-up due to improved stress-strain behavior of the cable.
• Improvement of mechanical stress applied to the OPL supports from line-wire dancing.
• Significant decrease of drag coefficient.
• Decreased level of metal fatigue inside the cable, and, therefore, increase of its service life due to self-damping.
• Improvement of existing lines’ transmission capacity, resolution to the overloading issue.
• Decrease of heat losses during electric power transfer.
• Increased corrosion resistance of wires and cables.
• Lower risk of cable breaking in case of several external wires being partially damaged due to external action, including after lightning strike.