Electrical and mechanical investigation of composite core aluminum conductors

Project Title: Electrical, Mechanical and Thermal Investigation of Composite Core Aluminum Conductors Summary It is desired that electrical energy be transmitted from generation plants to consumers with as little loss as possible, thus with the highest efficiency. Energy transmission is carried out by overhead lines, especially at long distances, due to the insulation problems of high voltage and the more difficult and costly installation of cable systems. Overhead line conductors are conductors that carry the generated electrical energy to consumption areas through poles and distribute them in these regions. Conductors to be used in overhead lines must have high conductivity levels in order to minimize losses in the transmission and distribution of energy. On the other hand, overhead line conductors should be chosen from materials that are sufficiently resistant to mechanical loads and outdoor conditions (snow, ice, wind, rain, sun, etc.), and at the same time as light as possible. One of the important criteria in conductor selection is affordable cost. Considering all these features, both aluminum and copper conductors are suitable for overhead lines. However, over time, copper has been replaced by aluminum, which is cheaper and lighter. Aluminum was used for the first time in America and France in 1895 as an overhead stranded conductor and in 1908 as an overhead steel core aluminum conductor [1]. The conductivity and mechanical strength of the line are related to the diameter and density of the conductor used. Due to the current they carry and external factors, the overhead line conductors get hot and deflection occurs in the conductors that are stressed between the poles. In order to reduce the deflection values as much as possible, the heat coefficient of the conductors used in transmission lines should also be good. At the same time, the conductors must be flexible in order to be able to withstand the tensile forces caused by tension and deflection. During the selection of the appropriate conductor, factors such as voltage level, power loss, heating state and corona loss are also taken into consideration. Overhead line conductors are made of solid (solid or solid), single-wire or braided multi-wire. Conductors made of solid wire are manufactured from a kind of material and as a single solid wire with a cross section up to 10 〖mm〗^2. 16 〖mm〗^2ones are also made to be used in some special cases. Stranded conductors are made of the same or the same type of metal. They are conductors formed by spiraling thin wires. There is no insulating layer on these conductors. Stranded conductors are used due to their ease of assembly in large sections, their flexibility, ability to be reeled and easy to carry. As a result of evaluations made in many aspects such as cost, electrical conductivity, lightness, flexibility and mechanical strength, the most commonly used materials in power systems are aluminum and steel-core aluminum braided conductors. Today, stranded conductors are preferred in transmission and distribution lines to transmit energy more efficiently. In addition to structures consisting entirely of aluminum stranded conductors, there are also stranded conductors supported by steel. In recent years, in order to get rid of the disadvantages of steel, conductors with composite materials, which are as strong as steel but light and flexible, have also been produced. Composite core is 70% lighter and twice stronger than steel core [2]. In this study, ACCC, whose applications are increasing in overhead lines with its advantages, will be examined in detail and compared with ACSR conductors with the same properties. Various experiments will be conducted for this purpose.