Current-Carrying Capacity

H. E. HOUSE
MEMBER AIEE

of ACSR

P. D. TUTTLE
MEMBER AIEE

and electric current, the following equation is valid

(1)
qc+qr =I2r+q.
or

I-qc +qr-qs

(1A)

Synopsis: Current-temperature characteristics of stranded-aluminum conductor

steel reinforced, known throughout the
industry as ACSR, have been investigated.
The effects of surface conditions, wind
velocity, altitude, and solar radiation are
illustrated for a widely used size of conductor; curves of current-carrying capacity
versus conductor outside diameter are
given for design conditions of 75 C (degrees
centigrade) conductor temperature and
25 C ambient temperature at 2-fps (feet
per second) wind velocity. Necessary
formulas and tables to permit computation
of current values for any set of operating
conditions are included. Computed values
of current are in close agreement with test
data which have obtained by Aluminum
Company of America (Alcoa) and other
investigators.

SINCE first introduced by Alcoa in

1909, the use of ACSR for overhead
electric power transmission lines has
grown steadily until it has almost replaced copper for such use. In most new
construction, aluminum instead of copper
is being used for overhead distribution
conductors. Because of the presence of
the steel core in ACSR and its consequent
effect on the electrical characteristics of
the conductor, considerable test work has
been carried on throughout the years to
evaluate effective resistance. This is
needed to compute the current-carrying
capacity of the conductor. Early investigations were carried out by Work for
Alcoa at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh, Pa.l The well-known
publications of Luke2 and Schurig and
Frick' were followed periodically by
others,4-8 indicating a strong and continued interest in the subject.
Results of tests for the determination of
the emissivity of stranded-aluminum conductors for surface conditions of both new
and weathered conductors were reported

in 1956.'

Tests to determine the effective 60-cycle

resistance of a great variety of sizes and
strandings of ACSR have been carried
Paper 58-41, recommended by the AIEE Trans.
miion and Distribution Committee and approved
by the AIEE Technical Operations Department for
presentation at the AIEE Winter General Meeting,
New York, N. Y., February 2-7, 1958. Manuscript submitted October 16, 1957; made available
for printing November 6, 1957.
H. E. HoUsE and P. D. TUTTLE are with Alcoa
Research Laboratories, Massena, N. Y.

FIEBRUARY 1959

out at the Alcoa Research Laboratories at

Massena, N. Y. Conductors were strung
under tension on a 120-ft (foot) test span.
Values of 60-cycle resistance were measured up to a conductor temperature of
200 C or 3,000 amperes/square inch if
200 C temperature was not reached.
The method which was used in these
tests is described by Tompkins, Jones,
and Tuttle.'0
A co-operative research program between the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Ill., and Alcoa Research
Laboratories has been completed.11,12
The results of this work provide a means
of accurate computations of reactance
and resistance for ACSR of any combination of aluminum and steel stranding.
Because of the tremendous growth of
the electrical utility industry, there remain very few long transmission lines in
the eastern part of the United States.
Lines that were once long have been
looped into newly constructed substations. The load on these short transmission lines is limited by the heating of
the conductors rather than by stability
and voltage regulation, as was the case
as late as the 1930's. For this reason, an
accurate understanding of the thermal
capabilities of the conductors is more important than ever before.
The formula developed by McAdams"
for convected-heat loss of single horizontal
tubes and wires has been found to give
accurate convected-heat loss for stranded
conductors. This formula has been combined with the results of emissivity tests9
and data on solar radiation,14"' and fieldtest data on absorption of solar and sky
radiation on outdoor test spans of
stranded conductors, in order to evaluate
the current-carrying capacity of ACSR.
With accurate values of a-c resistance for
a variety of strandings, it is now possible
to compute the current a conductor will
carry for any given set of conditions of
temperature, wind velocity, surface condition, and altitude above sea level,
both with and without the effect of the
sun.

Heat-Balance Equation of Electrical

Conductors
Under steady-state conditions of wind
velocity, temperature, solar radiation,

where q8 is convected-heat loss, q. is

radiated-heat loss, I is the current in
amperes, r is the effective a-c resistance
in ohms/ft of conductor, and qs is the
amount of heat received from solar and
sky radiation. Each heat quantity in the
equation is expressed in watts/lineal ft of
conductor.

CONVECTED-HBAT LOSS
The fundamental relationship for convected-heat loss of single horizontal tubes
and wires is given by McAdams (see reference 13, p. 220). This is expressed by
the dimensionless equation
0
hDk = 0.32+0.43

(2)

hDo/kf is the Nusselt number, and

DoGl,of is the Reynolds number for any

where

set of conditions. This formula is recommended for Reynolds numbers ranging

from 0.1 to 1,000 which include air velocities up to 2 fps for conductors up to 1.3inch diameter.
The units used in electrical engineering
are watts, degrees centigrade, and feet.
Accordingly, h, the surface coefficient of
heat transfer, is expressed in watts/sq
(square) ft/C; Do is conductor outside
diameter in ft; kf is the thermal conductivity of air, (watts) (ft)/(sq ft) (C); G
is the mass velocity of air in lb (pounds)/
hr (hour) (sq ft) cross section, or
the product of air density pf in lb/ft'
times the velocity V in ft/hr. The
quantity uf is the absolute viscosity of
air in lb-mass/ft-hr. Density, viscosity,
and thermal conductivity are at the
temperature of the air film given by the
relationship

if

tc+t.

where tA is the conductor temperature and

ta is the temperature of surrounding air
in C.

Then, for DopfV/&Af=0.1 to 1,000,

[ 0 .32+0.43(D

fvy I x
krDo (te -ta) (3)
Do

By simplifying and expressing conductor diameter D in inches, the following

equation is obtained

FHouse, Tuttle-Current-Carrying Capacity of A CSR

1169

Table 1. Viscosity, Density at Sea Level to 15,000 Ft, and Thermal Conductivity of Air
Temperature
F*

\100

32 ...
41....
50....
59 ...
68 ....
77 ....
86 ....
95 ....

(_

14

Absolute

Viscosity,
Af

Density, pf
Sea Level 5,000 Ft

10,000 Ft

sphere are having the yearly peak loads

during July and August rather than

Thermal

1S,000 Ft

Conductivity,
kI

O.. .273 .... 55.55. ...0.0415 ..... 0.0807. ..0 .0671....0.0554 .... .0.0455 .... 0.00739
5... 278 .... 59.73...0.0421.....0.0793. ..0.0660....0.0545.... 0.0447 .... 0.00750
10... 283.... 64.14 . 0.0427 . 0.0779. .. .0.0648. .0.0535 ... 0.0439 . 0.00762
16. 288.... 68.80. .....00433 ..... .0765... .0.0636.... 0.0526.... .0.0431.....0.00773
20... 293.... 73.70 ... 0.0439.....0.0752.... 0.0626 .... 0.0517. ...0.0424.... 0.00784
25 .298 .... 78.86 ...0.0444.....0.0740.... 0.016. ..0.0508 .... 0.0417.....0.00795
30... 303 84.29 0.0450.....0.0728.... 0.0606.... 0.0500....0.0411 ..... 0.00807
35.... 308 .... 89.99 ... 0.0456 ..... 0.0716 .... 0.0596.... 0.0492.... 0.0404.....0.00818
....

104.... 40... .313 .... 95.98 ...O.0461.....0.0704 .... .0.0586.... .0.0484.... .0.0397.....0.00830
113 .... 45 .. 318 .... 102.26 ... 0.0467.....0.0693 .... 0.0577 ... 0.0476 .... 0.0391 ..... 0.00841
122 .... 50... .323....108.85 .....00473.....0.0683....0.0568.... 0.0469.... .0.0385.....0.00852
131 .... 5.... 328....115.74
....0.0478.....0.0672....0.0559 .... 0.0462 .... 0.0379 ..... 0.00864
140 .... 60... 333....122.96 ..0.0484 ..... 0.0661 .... .0.0550 .... .0.0454....0.0373 ..... 0.00875
149 .... 65... 338....130.52 ...0.0489 ..... 0.0652.... 0.0542.... .0.0448.... .0.0367 ..... 0.00886
158 .... 70... 343.... 138.41l..0.0494.....0.0643... .0.0535... .0.0442 .... .0.0363 ..... 0.00898
167. ... 75... .348 ..146.66 .....00500 ..... 0.0634....0.0527 .... 0.0436.... 0.0358.....0.00909
176.... 80.. ..353 .... 155.27 . ....0505.....0.0627 .... 0.0522....0 0431... .0 0354.... 0.00921
185 ... 85... 358.... 164.26 ...O.0510 ..... 0.0616
.0.0513 .... .0.0423.... .0.0347.....0.00932
194 .... 90.. ..363.... 173.63 ...O.0515.....0.0608 .....0.0506 .... .0.0418 .... .0.0343.....0.00943
203.... 95... 368.... 183.40 ...0.0521 ......0599 .... .0.0498....0.0412... .0.0338.....0.00952
212.... 100....373. ... .19357..0.0526 ..... 0.0591....0.0492.... .0.0406 .... .0.0333 ..... O.00O66
* Degrees Fahrenheit.

fabsolute viscosity, lb/(hr) (ft), computed from formula in reference 17.

pf -density. lb of air/fts, computed from data given in reference 18.
kf -thermal conductivity of air, watts/(sq ft)(C) at tf- (Sc+ia)/2, reference 13, Table XI.
tg- ambient temperature C.

le conductor temperature C.
-

I Dp1 V\o~~~.521

watts/lineal ft of conductor (3A)

For Reynolds numbers from 1,000 to
50,000 the following empirical formula is
recommended by McAdams

-a

kf1

0.24(

o 0)
A

Expressing this in a manner similar to

equation 3(A) gives

which expressed in electrical engineering

units is 0.5275 X 10-8 watts/sq ft/K4,
where K is temperature in degrees
Kelvin or C+273.'6 The quantity e is
the thermal-emissivity constant which for
new conductor is 0.23 and for flat-black
well-weathered conductor 0.91 or possibly higher. The area of a circumscribing
cylinder A is expressed in sq ft. Converting to conductor outside diameter in
inches with temperature in K gives
0.5275X10 iKKDe
qr
~~(K 4 - Ka4)
12

=0.24 (DPIf)V.' k,(-)

=-

watts/ft of conductor (4)

-0.1695( DpfV)

kft-a)

where KC is conductor temperature and

K. is air temperature in K.
Simplifying gives

watts/ft of conductor (4A)

Values for pf, pf, and kf are given in Table
I.
For convected-heat loss in still air the
following formula checks closely with test
data obtained at Alcoa Research Laboratories in a room free from drafts.
qc - 0.072D"(
7(- ta)l "

watts/ft of conductor (4B)

where D is conductor diameter in inches,

tc conductor temperature in C, and la is the
temperature of the surrounding air in
C.

138De[( 100

(100

Values of (K/100)4 are given in Table I.

SOLAR-HEAT GAIN OF THE CONDUCTOR
Because of the large amounts of power
used by air-conditioning equipment, many
power utilities in the Northern Hemi-

Table

II. Heat-Transmision Factor

Altitudes Above Sea Level*

Elevation Above
Sea Level, Ft

(5)
qr,-eA(Kc'-Ka')
where a is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant,

10,000

5,000
15,.000
*

conditioning systems.","5

The amount of heat received from the

sun and sky may be expressed as

(6)

qs=a(QD Sill 9+Qd)A'

where QD is direct solar radiation and

Qd is sky radiation, both in watts/sq ft;
A' is the projected area of the conductor,
and a is the solar-absorption coefficient.
Outdoor tests at Massena indicate this is
0.23 for new conductor and 0.97 for black
conductor. For simplicity in computa-

watts/ft of conductor (SB)

RADITED-HiEAT Loss oF CONDUCTOR

The radiated-heat loss of a conductor
is given by the expression

1170

(SA)

December and January. The effect of

solar radiation on conductor temperature is more important than before because its maximum intensity now occurs
at the same time as the peak load.
The amount of heat received by a flat
surface perpendicular to the sun's rays and
located outside the earth's atmosphere is
approximately 123 watts/sq ft of surface.
However, because of the earth's atmosphere, part of this energy is absorbed
before reaching the earth. Points of high
altitude of, e.g., 10,000 ft, such as exist
in the Rocky Mountain area, receive
about 25% more solar energy than sealevel areas; see Table II. The amount
of solar heat received by a conductor
also depends on the altitude of the sun
above the horizon and the effective angle
of incidence between the direct rays of the
sun and the exposed surface. In addition to direct radiation, heat is radiated
from the sky to the object. This quantity
also varies with the sun's altitude.
Atmospheric contamination has a marked
effect on the solar heat received.
Considerable work has been done in the
field of solar-energy studies, in connection
with the heating of buildings, as a source
of power, and relative to the solar-heat
gain required to be absorbed by air-

...
...

Source, reference 15.

Table Ill. Total Heat Received by Surface

at Sea Level Normal to Sun's Rays
Solar

Altitude,
He, Degrees
5....
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
60

for

Multiplier for
Values la Table m
0....1.00
1.15
1.25
....1.30

80
90

Q,, Watts/Sq Pt
Clear
Atmosphere

Industrial

Atmosphere

21 ............. 12.6
22.3
.
4 0.2 .....
.54.2 .....
30.6
.64.4 ..
39.2
.71.5 .....
46.6
.77.0 .....
553.0
.81.5 .....
57.5
.84.8......f
.61.5
.87.4 .....
64.6
.90.0 .....
67.5
.92.9 .....
71.6
70 .95.0 ......,......75.2
.95.8 .....
77.4
78.9
.
96.4.
.....

* Source, reference 14.

House, Tuttle-Current-Carrying Capacity of A CSR

FEBRUARY 1959

Table IV. Altitude and Azimuth in Degrees

of Sun at Various Latitudes at Declination of
23.0 Degrees, Northem Hemisphere, June
10 and July 3*

Computation of Current-Carrying
Capacity

Local Sun Time

Degrees 10:00 A.M.

North
Latitude Ho

ZO

12 Noon

2:00 P.M.

Ho

He

ZO

Zo

Combining the various components of

heat loss and heat gain, the following
formula results

qc =20.95 watts/ft

I=

qr =0.138X 1.108X0.23(146.66-78.86)

V.]kf( t,

[1.01 +0.371( DPfV)

20... .62 .... 78. ...87... 0. 62... 282

25... .62 .... 88. 88 ... 180. 62. ...272
30... .62.... 98..
83 .. 180. 62... .262
35... .61... 107 . 78...180. 61... 253
115..
40....60...
73 .. 180
60
."45
45... 57.... 122 . 68 .. 180. 57.. .238
50... .54... .128. f3.. .180..54... 232
60... .47....137 .. 3.
80.47 .23
70... .40... 143. 43.. 180.40... 217

0.138D1 K_
[(~~100)

'/
l

(Ka4
100)

'

(7)

Source, references 19 and 20.

tion, Table III shows total heat received

from both direct and sky radiation for
both clear and industrial atmosphere.
This introduces a small amount of error
as sky radiation does not depend on the
angle of incidence. However, this error
cannot be detected in the final value of
conductor current. In the case of a
round, horizontally placed conductor, the
angle 9 is given by
O=cos-1[cos He cos (Z,-Zl)]
(6A)

0.00852 X50 (8)

(8A)

=2.37 watts/ft (9)

Assume the following: azimuth of line
135 degrees, latitude 35 degrees north,
clear atmosphere, 12 noon.
H, = 78
Zc 1800
-

Z,=1350

SAMPLE COMPUTATION
In the sample computation the following conditious apply:

Qs =95 +0.6=95.6 watts/ft2

9=cos-1[cos 78Xcos (180 -1350)1

Drake conductor, 795 MCM (thousand

circular mils), 26/7 ACSR, (new)
wind velocity=2 fps at sea level
air ternperature-25 C =I
conductor temperature-=75 C=1,
conductor outside diameter=1.108 inches
conductor a-c resistance=0.0265 ohm/
1,000 ft

sin 81.55=0.986

(10)

-cos-, 0.147=81.550 (11)

q.=0.23X0.986X95.6X 112
2.01 watts/ft (12)

120.95+2.37-2.01
0.0265 X 10 -'

K, =75+273 =348
Ka =25+273=2980

(13)

if=(75+25)/2 =50
where H, is the altitude of the sun above pf=0.0683 (Table I)
the horizon, Zc is the azimuth of the sun, yf=0.0473 (Table I)
(Table I)
and Z1 is the azimuth of the conductor kf=0.00852
V= 3,600 X2 =7,200 ft/hr
(north-south line Z& = 1800). See Table
IV for altitude and azimuth of sun at
various latitudes.

+0/371 1.108X0.0683X7.200 O.5S](8)0.0473

e =0.23

Current-Carrying Capacity Curves

By substituting these values, the following results:

Curves have been computed (Fig. 1)

for the following design conditions: 25
C ambient temperature, 75 C conductor
temperature, and 2-fps wind velocity, for
ACSR for sizes from no. 6 ACSR 6/1 to
3,364 MCM 108/37. A total of four

50

40

w
0.

cn

w
-J

30

NEW CONDUCTOR 10.000 F T. EL -SUN

NEW CONDUCTOR - SUN
NEW CONDUCTOR - NO SUN
BLACK CONDUCTOR -SUN
BLACK CONDUCTOR -NO SUN

-J
0

25-C AMBIENT TEMPERATURE

75C CONDUCTOR TEMPERATURE

-j

2 20
0

I--

0.w

10

COMPUTED VALUES
0

as

*s

40

1171

#a
't

was0
0

ll
lpi

-.s s

N
N C4 C4 coN

N t

aj

on

e-

la

Is Is>
I

"0

800

1000

1200

1400

M0

1800 2000

CLURRENT AMPERES -60 cps

2200

l_

2400

2600

2600

knd ambient conditions

N
o

OC

600

Fig. I (left). Current-carrying capacity of ACSR with various surface

)UCTOR DIAMETER - INCHES

1

US2F EC

:v

-:

Fig. 2 (above). Cuffent'carrying capacity of 795 MCM 26/7 ACSR

venus wind velocity

House, Tuttle-Current-Carrying Capacity of A CSR

FEBRUARY 1959

a value based on considerable test data,'

has been consistently used throughout the
industry because it represents a safe

0T

0.50

maximum.

L&i

0.30

0
0
0

Effect of Ambient Temperature on

Current-Carrying Capacity

0.20

tc

co

New Drake conductor has been selected

to illustrate the effect of changing ambient
temperature, with the sun effect neglected,
at a constant current -of 1,000 amperes.
This is shown in the following.

.1oo*c

tC

a.

75 C

t=5000

0.10

0.07

C.)
z
4

__

0.05

I.-

C)

__

0.03

ra
0

0
25
40

__

0.02

C)

Ambient
Temperature,
C

Temperature
Rise, C

67
58

57 .
83.
101 .

.
.

61

It is evident that the effect of selecting

ambient only slightly different from a
standard design value will have little
effect on the actual temperature rise as
illustrated by the foregoing example in
which a 40 C change in ambient only increased the temperature rise 4 C. This
increase is still less when sun effect is
taken into account, because this tends to
cancel the effect of radiated-heat loss,
leaving only convected-heat loss, which
varies approximately with temperature
rise, to balance to Pr loss.

0.01

an

0.005

0.2

2.0
1.8
1.4
1.2
1.6
1.0
0.8
CONDUCTOR OUTSIDE DIAMETER -INCHES

0.6

0.4

I1111

2.42d2.6

2.2

11 I I I1

11

to
0
I
.,

la

000C
I,,tQf

Co0

.t

to

*
COe
4

in
40
et O:
eD~~~~4 Dnor0e
P%;C F.fr
K
)0
to

_,

C0

Fig. 3. A-c resistance at 60 cps of ACSR at three conductor tempoeratures

Test Data on 60-Cps A-C Resistance

of ACSR

Effect of Wind Velocity on

Current-Carrying Capacity

To enable the engineer to compute the

current-carrying capacity, recently obtained test data on the 60-cps (cycle-persecond) a-c resistance (covering the complete range of sizes of ACSR) are given in
Fig. 3, in the forn of curves for 50 C, 75
C, and 100 C conductor temperature.
These values were obtained in a draftless
room on 120-ft spans under tension at an
ambient temperature of approximately
20 C. The temperature of the conductor
was determined by taking the average
temperature of a number of thermocouples.
Two variables affect the a-c resistance
of ACSR. The effect of increase in conductor temperature is to increase the

for ACSR under

the following conditions:
1. Black conductor, no sun, sea level.
2, 3. Black conductor, sun; and new
conductor, no sun; sea level.
4. New conductor, sun, sea level.
5. New conductor, elevation of 10,000 ft.
curves gives performance

In computing sun effect, a value of 85

watts/sq ft was used for total radiation
and
750, giving an effective heat from
the sun of 82 watts/sq ft.
It is significant that there is a definite
discontinuity in the curves between the
sizes 4/0 ACSR 6/1 and 226.8 MCM
ACSR 26/7. This is explained by the
increased magnetizing effect on the steel
core; the current in the single layer of
aluminum strands gives rise to eddycurrent and hysteresis losses in the
steel core which in turn cause a marked
e=

increase in effective a-c resistance. In

the case of more than one layer of alu-

minum strands with the spiraling in the

opposite direction in each successive layer,
the magnetizing effect is almost entirely

cqncelled.
1172

Conductor
Temperature,
C

Drake 795 MCM ACSR 26/7 has been

selected to illustrate the effect of increasing wind velocity, other conditions remaining constant. Ambient temperature
was taken at 25 C and conductor temperature 75 C. Curves are shown in Fig. 2
for new and black conductor, both with
and without the effect of sun, and new
conductor at 10,000-ft elevation. Note
that for black conductor with sun effect,
the increase in current capacity of 2-fps
velocity over still air is 143%. The increase from 2 fps to 5 miles per hour
is 13.0%. A design wind velocity of 2 fps,

Table V. Current-Carrying Capacity at 60 Cps, Amperes

New

ACSR

Black Condition

Condition

Sun

1,590 MCM 54/19............1,430 . ......

941 .
795 MCM 54/7 ........,,,,.
No. 4 6/1 ................... 149 .......

No Sun

1,482
973

..
..

151 .........

House, Tuttl,-Current-Carrying Capacity of A CSR

Sun

- From Chart in
-_____________
Reference I
No Sun

1,564 ..
1,020 .

155 .......

1.762 ..........
1,130 ..
165

.........

.500
960
148

FIEBRUARY 1959

resistance of the conductor with an increase in conductor temperature. An increase in conductor temperature may be
caused by either increased ambient temperature or increased current. Eddycurrent and hysteresis losses in the core
increase the effective a-c resistance
noticeably for single-aluminum-layer conductors, as previously explained. The
magnetic loss component of a-c resistance
increases with an increase in current
until the point of magnetic saturation has
been reached, after which there is no further increase in this component. This
particular behavior of ACSR is dealt
with fully by Lewis and Tuttle."

Comparison of Revised CurrentCarryig Capacity with Previously

Published Temperature-Rise Data
The current-carrying capacity curves
published by Alcoa in 19461 are based on
an ambient temperature of 40 C and a
wind velocity of 2 fps. Accordingly,
current-carrying capacity of three typical
sizes of ACSR have been computed by
the method presented in this paper for
both new and black conductor, with and
without the effect of sun, assuming a
conductor temperature of 100 C or a 60
C rise, and 2-fps wind velocity; see Table
V.
Previously published information, although limited in scope, appears to be
conservative. In general, a conductor
weathers rather rapidly the first year of
operation, so that it can be expected to
operate at a lower temperature than
a new conductor. However, in certain
areas of the western part of the United
States, high-voltage conductors have been
observed to stay bright for many years.
For this reason, thermal-radiation and
solar-absorption characteristics may vary
considerably in different geographical
locations. The new data presented represent limiting conditions for new and
weathered conductors.

Conclusions
The necessary formulas, curves, and
tables have been presented which will
enable transmission engineers to select the
size of ACSR most suitable for their requirements. It is believed that the data
given to illustrate the effect of the sun are
of importance in light of the fact that
many system peak loads are now occurring in the daytime during the summer
months, because of air-conditioning and
pumping-equipment loads.
Computed values of current-carrying
capacity at sea level are im close agree-

FEBRUARY 1959

ment with test data obtained by the

Alcoa Research Laboratories and those
observed by other organizations.

References
1. ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS OP ACSR (a
pamphlet). Aluminum Company of America.
Pittsburgh, Pa., May 1946.
2. CURRE3NT CARRYING CAPACITY OF WIRBS AND
CABLES, George E. Luke. Westinghouse Electric
Journal, Pittsburgh, Pa., Apr. 1923.

Journal, Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pa.,

vol. 23, no. 5, Nov. 1940, pp. 583-617.
25. HEAT TRANSMISSION AS INFLUENCED BY
HRAT CAPACITY AND SOLAR RADIATION, P. C.
Houghton, J. L. Blackshaw, B. M. Pugh, P.
McDermott. Paper no. 923, Transactions, American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers, New York, N. Y., Jan. 1932.
26. A RATIONAL HE[AT GAIN METHOD FORITE
DBTERaINATION OF ALa CONDITIONING COOLINGO
LOADS, F. H. Faust, L. Levine, F. 0. Urban.
Journal, Heating, Piping and Air Conditioning
Section, Ibid., Aug. 1935.

3. HEATING AND CURRENT CARRYING CAPACITY

oP BARB CONDUCTORS FOR OUTDOOR SERVICE,

0. R. Schurig, C. W. Frick. General Electric Review, Schenectady, N. Y., vol. 33, Mar. 1930.
4. DBTBRMINING CURtBNT RATINGS OF OVERHEAD CONDUCTORS, PARTS I AND II, H. P. Seelye,
A. L. Malmstrom. Electric Light and Power,

Chicago, Ill., Dec. 1943.

5. SAFB RATINGS FOR OVERHEAD LINE CONDUCTORS, Leonard M. Olmsted. AIEE Transactions,
vol. 62, 1943, pp. 845-53.
6. ELECTRICAL HEATING CRACTERISTICS OF
OVERHE:AD CONDUCTORS, PARTS I-IV, E. B.
George. Electric Light and Power, Dec. 1944;
Jan. 1945; Apr. 1945; Dec. 1945.
7. CURRENT CARRYING CAPACITY OF OV3RHEAD
CONDUCTORS, H. A. Enos. Electrical World, New
York, N. Y., May 15, 1943.

CURRENT CARRYING CAPACITY OF ACSR

CONDUCTORS, J. H. Waghorne, V. E. Ogorodnikov.
AIEE Transactions, vol. 70, pt. II, 1951, pp.

8.

1159-62.

EISSIVITY AND ITS EFFECT ON TEB CURRENTCARRYING. CAPACITY OF STRANDED ALUMINUM

CONDUCTORS, C. S. Taylor, H. E. House. Ibid.,
vol. 75, pt. III, Oct. 1956, pp. 970-76.
10. MEASUREMBNTS OF RESISTANCB AND REACTANCB OF EXPANDBD ACSR, Joel Tompkins, B. L.
Jones, P. D. Tuttle. Ibid., vol. 74, pt. III, June
1955, pp. 368-75.
11. THE RBSISTANCEC AND REACTANCE OF ALUMINUM CONDUCTORS, STEBL REINFORCED, W. A.
Lewis, P. D. Tuttle. Ibid., pp. 1189-1215 o
this issue.
12. TEE MAGNBTIC PROPBERTIBS OF ACSR CORE
WIRE, T. W. Matech, W. A. Lewis. Ibid., pp.
1178-89 of thi issue.
13. HBAT TRANSMISSION (book), W. H. McAdams.
McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York,
N. Y., second edition, 1942.
14. HBATING, VENTILATING AND AiR CONDITIONINO GuIDE 1956. American Society of Heating and
Air Conditioning Engineers, New York, N. Y.,
1956.
15. POWBR FROM SOLAR ENBRGY, J. r. Yollot.
Transactions, American Society of Mechanical
Engineers, New York, N. Y., vol. 79, no. 6, Aug.
1957, pp. 1349-57.
16. A REVIBW Op TERMAL RADIATION CONSTANTS, 1N. W. Snyder. Ibid., vol. 76, 1954, pp.
9.

537-39.

17. Tim VISCOaIrY, THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY AND

P&ANDTL NUMBER FOR ANR mm OTHER GSEs,

J. Hilsenrath, Y. S. Touloukian. Ibid., pp. 967-

981.
18. FAN ENGINEERING, Richard D. Mason, editor.
Buffalo Forge Company, Buffalo, N. Y., fifth
edition, 1948.
19. THE AMERICAN NAUTICAL ALMANAC 1957.
U. S. Naval Observatory, Washington, D. C., 1957.
20. SIGHT REDUCTION TABLBS FOR AIR NAVIGATION, VOLS. II, III. Publication no. 249, U. S.
Navy Hydrographic Office, Washington, D. C.,
1957.
21. BARLow's TABLBS, L. J. Comrie, editor.
Chemical Publishing Company, New York, N. Y.,
fourth edition, 1944.
22. THERMAL RADIATION TABLBS AND APPLIcATIONS, R. V. Dunkle. Transactions, American
Society of Mechanical Engineers, vol. 76, 1954,
pp. 549-52.
23. GAs TABLECS (book), J. H. Keenan, J. Kaye.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, N. Y., 1948.
24. PROPOsED STANDARD SOLAR RADIATION
CURtVS FOR ENOINEBRING USE, Parry Moon.

Discussion
Morgan (Washington Water Power
Company, Spokane, Wash.): The authors
are to be commended for the thoroughness
with which they have considered the factors

W. A.

which may affect the heat balance of a

conductor that is carrying alternating electric current with the usual prescribed limits
of conductor temperature and ambient
temperature. Particularly, the effect of
sunshine is noted.
However, the application and operating
engineer is in need of published data or
guides which should be forthcoming from
manufacturers of ACSR and all-aluminum
conductors as to the effects of loading above
the currents which give the usual temperature rises. Obviously there is a time-current
relationship for such overloads, i.e., the
shorter the time the greater is the amount of
current that may be allowed to flow above
that which would just give the desired temperature rise. Specifically, there is probably a temperature somewhat above 75 C
where continuous operation would cause
a reduction in the tensile strength, another
temperature where the tensile strength
would be reduced 5% if operated at that
temperature a specific time, etc. Or, are we
to assume that aluminum has not agreed
upon temperature limit and will lose some
percentage of its tensile strength if operated
continuously at even 75 C?
There are data available for determining
how much a transformer may be overloaded
under emergency conditions without jeopardizing its life, or, in some cases a calculated
loss-of-life expectancy may be calculated and
is acceptable. Similarly, it is desirable to
know how much a conductor may be overloaded during an emergency and for how
long. For example, assume that one of
two parallel circuits is out of service and
it is desired to carry an overload current
(say 25% above the rated value which
would give 75 C conductor temperature)
over the daily peak rather than to cut off
customers.

Perhaps the steel reinforcing will provide

for most of the loss of margin of tensile
strength in ACSR conductors. But, allaluminum conductor may be particularly
vulnerable to overload currents, and, if it is,
perhaps we should know its critical conductor temperatures or time-current overload
characteristics.

E. E. George (Ebasco Servces Inc.,

Little Rock, Ark.): The authors have
done an excellent job in utilizing pre-

House, Tuttle-Current-Carrying Capacity of A CSR

1173