ACCC conductor

{{Short description|Type of overhead power line conductor}}

{{COI|date=February 2024}}

ACCC (Aluminum Conductor Composite Core) is a registered trade mark for a type of "high-temperature low-sag" (HTLS) overhead power line conductor.

Description

CTC Global developed and commercialized the ACCC Conductor. On June 17, 2025, [https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250617507388/en/Google-and-CTC-Global-Announce-Initiative-to-Expand-American-Electric-Grid-and-Transmission-Capacity-U.S.-Supply-Chain-with-Advanced-Conductors Google announced support for expanding deployment].

Advantages

It is able to carry approximately twice as much current as a traditional aluminium-conductor steel-reinforced cable (ACSR) cable of the same size and weight,{{cite conference |last=Wareing |first=B. |conference=CIGRÉ (International Council on Large Electric Systems) Seminar |title=Types and Uses of High Temperature Conductors |location=Bangkok |url=http://www.aeolus.bz/Seminar%202011/Brian%20-%20New%20Conductor%20use%20Tutorial%20in%20CIGRE%20format%2028%20Feb%202011.pdf |publisher=CIGRÉ Study Committee B2 Working group 11 |date=28 February 2011 |accessdate=2014-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203002720/http://www.aeolus.bz/Seminar%202011/Brian%20-%20New%20Conductor%20use%20Tutorial%20in%20CIGRE%20format%2028%20Feb%202011.pdf |archive-date=3 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}

File:ACSR and ACCC.JPG and composite-core ACCC conductors]]Its light weight and softness result in roughly 30% greater conductivity than an equivalent ACSR conductor, allowing 14% more current to be carried at equal temperature. For example, {{convert|1.107|in|mm|abbr=on}} diameter ACCC "Drake" conductor at 75 °C has an AC resistance of 106 mΩ/mile,{{Cite thesis |page=70 |title=Making the Case for High Temperature Low Sag (HTLS) Overhead Transmission Line Conductors |first=Koustubh |last=Banerjee |date=January 2014 |type=M.Sc. |publisher=Arizona State University |url=https://keep.lib.asu.edu/_flysystem/fedora/c7/113748/Banerjee_asu_0010N_13601.pdf}} while equivalent ACSR conductor has an AC resistance of 139 mΩ/mile,{{Cite web |url=http://www.southwire.com/ProductCatalog/proddetail.jsp?token=16&desc=ACSR |title=Aluminum Conductor. Steel Reinforced. Bare. |website=Southwire |accessdate=2016-01-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054627/http://www.southwire.com/ProductCatalog/proddetail.jsp?token=16&desc=ACSR |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }} 31% higher.

File:Sag Comparison Test Data.jpg

Operation at high temperatures implies high line losses, which may be uneconomical, but the ability to carry such current contributes to the redundancy of the electric grid (the high overload capacity can stop a potential cascading failure) and thus can be valuable even when rarely used directly. Even at higher operating temperatures, the ACCC conductor's added aluminum content and lower electrical resistance offers reduced line losses compared to other conductors of the same diameter and weight.

Disadvantages

File:ACCC Conductor Dead End Assembly.jpg

  • The primary disadvantage is cost; ACCC costs 2.5–3 times as much as ACSR cable.https://inl.gov/content/uploads/2024/02/23-50856_R8_-AdvConductorszScan-Report.pdf
  • Although ACCC has significantly less thermal sag than even other HTLS conductor designs, it has a lower axial stiffness.{{cite journal |last1=Qiao |first1=Kun |last2=Zhu |first2=Anping |last3=Wang |first3=Baoming |last4=Di |first4=Chengrui |last5=Yu |first5=Junwei |last6=Zhu |first6=Bo |title=Characteristics of Heat Resistant Aluminum Alloy Composite Core Conductor Used in overhead Power Transmission Lines |journal=Materials |date=31 March 2020 |volume=13 |issue=7 |pages=1592 |doi=10.3390/ma13071592 |doi-access=free |pmid=32244389 |pmc=7178384 |bibcode=2020Mate...13.1592Q }} Therefore, it sags more than other designs under ice load, although an "ultra-low-sag" (higher modulus) version is available at a cost premium. Also, other aluminium alloys with an increased strength at the expense of electrical conductivity can be used to improve ice load sag. Ice load can also lead to the loosening of outer layer strands because of plastic deformation by the attached weight.
  • Annealed aluminum is extremely soft and makes the conductor prone to surface damage during installation if mishandled.
  • The conductor has a larger minimum bend radius, requiring extra care during installation.
  • The conductor requires special fittings and stringing equipment that are more expensive.

References

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Category:Power cables