Overhead Line Conductor

Introduction

Power Line Design

Module 1
By JDerecho III
Overhead conductor – are bare or covered, insulated or earthed
cables strung between supports.

Bundle conductors – are arrangement of two or more subconductors

used instead of a single conductor and usually kept at an
approximately constant spacing on their entire length.

Note:

Recommended conductor minimum cross sections are given in table 7.2

Standards for Overhead line conductors and individual wires
Conductors are made either of one material – single material
conductors – or of two materials – composite conductors.

• Single material conductor can be formed by monometallic

or metal-clad steel wires
• Composite conductor include combinations of
monometallic and metal-clad steel wires

Note:

The conductors are manufactured with at least one or more successive layer with
changing layer direction, arranged helically around a core wire. The outermost
layer is preferably right-hand.
ALx, where x refers to standardized alloys usually applied
STyz, where y represents the mechanical strength and z is type of
zinc coating
YzSA, where y for steel strength and z the conductivity percentage
in relation to copper

In North America, UK and France, the conductors have distinguished

by names of flowers, birds or animals.
 Aluminium (AL1)
Aluminium-Magnesium-Silicon alloys (AL2-AL7)
Steel Wires (ST1A-ST6C)
Aluminium-clad Steel Wires (20SA-40SA)
Copper and Cooper Alloys (E-Cu)
Thermal Resistant Aluminium Alloys (TAL)
The following items should be taken into account for an optimum
conductor selection:

1) Conductor Allowable Temperature

2) Conductor Thermal Elongation
3) Creep
4) Bending stiffness
1) Conductor Allowable Temperature
Data to be considered
1) Conductor Allowable Temperature
1) Conductor Allowable Temperature
1) Conductor Allowable Temperature
1) Conductor Allowable Temperature
Conductor Bending Stiffness is the rigidity of a Conductor to the
extent to which it resist deformation in response to an applied
force.

Due to the condition between the individual wires and the layers of a
stranded conductor, the bending stiffness can only be determined
between its upper and lower limit.
3) Bending Stiffness of a Conductor
The minimum value results results with the assumption that the
strands can move without any friction relative to each other. The
minimum bending stiffness of a composite conductor is

nFe – number of steel strand

nA1 – number of aluminum strand
Efe, EA1 – modulus of elasticity of steel and aluminum
dfe, dA1 – diameter of steel and aluminum strands
3) Bending Stiffness of a Conductor
The assumption of completely non-displaceable strands yields the
maximal bending stiffness of a composite conductor

N – number of layers counting the core wire as the 1st layer

Ri – the average radius of the helix of the of the layer i
Ipdi – the polar moment of inertia of a strand in the layer i
Adi – the cross section of a strand in the layer I
ni – the number of strands of the layer I
Ei – the modulus of elasticity of the layer i
3) Bending Stiffness of a Conductor

If the tensile-loaded conductor is bent, the layers will move

relatively to each other, depending on the conductor curvature and
the friction between layers. The conductor structure is partly
destroyed and the effective bending stiffness will be in between
both limits.
 4) Creep

Is a non-reversible elongation of a conductor caused by consolidation of

the conductor structure after the first loading of the stranded
conductor. The following affect essentially to the conductor creep:

1) metallurgical procedure
2) tensile stress
3) conductor temperature