In a network of electrical system, majority of the losses occurs in the lines particularly in the electrical conductors. Losses also varies in the kind of materials used to serve as a conductor whether it could be an aluminum, copper, gold, silver and so on. In the past, electric power were transmitted through the use mostly of copper conductors. Copper is rank among the most ideal metals for transmitting electricity due to its low resistivity also, of which it is second to silver. However, in the modern days, aluminum replaced copper as a main material for transmitting electricity simply because of the much lower cost and lighter weight of an aluminum conductor in contrast to a copper conductor with the same resistance. Another advantage of an aluminum is when compared to a copper with the same resistance, aluminum tends to have a larger diameter. It is an advantage because with a conductor with a relatively larger diameter the lines of electric flux originating on the conductor will be farther apart at the conductor surface for the same voltage. With this in mind, corona effect, which is the product of the ionization of air around the conductor can be prevented.
Listed below are some of the known types of aluminum conductors that are used by many transmission and distribution utility worldwide;
- AAC All-Aluminum Conductors
- AAAC All-Aluminum-Alloy Conductors
- ACSR Aluminum Conductor,Steel Reinforced
- ACAR Aluminum Conductor, Alloy Reinforced
Due to the low tensile strength of an aluminum, experts created a way to fill this void. They were able to create a higher tensile strength conductor by incorporating an aluminum with other types of metal. ACSR which consists of a central core of steel strands surrounded by layers of aluminum strands is now the type of configuration that are popularly used as conductors for transmission lines.
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| Aluminum with Steel |
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