To: Colin McCullough

3M Company
Composite Conductor Program
Bldg 251-2A-39
St. Paul, MN
55144-1000
USA

KINECTRICS NORTH AMERICA INC. TEST REPORT

FOR 3M COMPANY TO COMPARE THE SHORT CIRCUIT PERFORMANCE
OF ACCR TO ACSR CONDUCTORS

Kinectrics Report No.: 9513-049-RC-0001-R00

May 12 , 2003
(Revised June 2008)

C.J. Pon
Transmission and Distribution Technologies Department

A series of Short Circuit Tests were performed for 3M Company on their Aluminum Conductor
Composite Reinforced (ACCR) Conductor. These tests are part of a larger series of tests to
demonstrate the viability of ACCR conductors for use on overhead electric power transmission
lines. The tests were performed by Kinectrics North America Inc. personnel at 800 Kipling
Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M8Z 6C4, Canada. 3M owns the data which is released and
published by permission of 3M. Overall the ACCR conductor behaves in a very similar way to
ACSR. Increasing but similar short-circuit energies in both ACCR and ACSR lead to the onset
of damage due to birdcaging of the aluminum layers. Slightly lower temperatures were noted to
develop in ACCR as compared to ACSR.

TEST OBJECTIVE

The objective of the Short Circuit Test program was to compare the thermal and mechanical
performance of two (2) ACCR conductors to two (2) ACSR conductors of equivalent aluminum
alloy areas (ie. kcmil) when subjected to increasing levels of short circuit energy. Possible
damages to conductors due to short circuit currents are annealing and birdcaging of the
aluminum strands. The composite core of 3M’s ACCR conductor has a lower coefficient of
thermal expansion and higher conductivity than the steel core in conventional ACSR
conductors. The short circuit tests would provide information on whether these differences
affect the thermal and physical response of the ACCR conductors during short circuit conditions.
TEST CONDUCTORS

Two (2) different sizes of ACCR and ACSR conductors were included in the testing.

The ACCR 477 kcmil, 26/7 conductor manufactured by 3M Company was compared to ACSR
477 kcmil, 26/7 “Hawk” conductor commonly used on overhead transmission lines. The
construction of these conductors is the same in that there are 26 aluminum alloy wires in 2
layers surrounding 7 core wires. The outside diameter of both conductors is 0.858 inches
(21.793 mm) and the individual wire diameters are also the same. The differences reside in the
composition of the aluminum alloy wires and the core wires. The aluminum alloy in the ACCR
conductor contains small amounts of zirconium to provide resistance to annealing at elevated
temperatures. The core wires of the ACCR are made from a fiber reinforced aluminum matrix
composite.

The ACCR 795 kcmil, 26/19 conductor manufactured by 3M Company was compared to ACSR
795 kcmil, 26/7 “Drake” conductor. The outside diameters of the conductors are both 1.108
inches (28.143 mm). The numbers and diameters of the aluminum alloy wires are also the
same. There are 19 smaller diameter composite core wires in ACCR compared to 7 larger steel
wires in ACSR.

The data sheet on the 477 kcmil and 795 kcmil ACCR conductors used in the short circuit tests
are contained in Appendix A.

TEST SET-UP

The Short Circuit Tests were carried out at Kinectrics’ Outdoor High Current Yard.

Test Apparatus

A typical set-up for the test is shown in Figure 1a and Figure 1b. The ACCR and ACSR
conductor samples to be tested were mechanically and electrically connected in series. This
ensured that they were subjected to the same short circuit current and mechanical tension. The
samples were tensioned horizontally about 1.5 m (4.8 ft) above the ground.

The short circuit currents were provided by a high level current transformer. A separate low
level transformer was also connected to the test span. It provided a low level current to
maintain the cable temperature at the desired starting temperature between short circuit
applications.

The length of each test conductor was about 7 m (23 ft). The conductors were supported by
suitable dead-end terminations. A turnbuckle was used to tension the conductors and a
dynamometer was used to measure the tension.
 Tower Tower
OPGW Under Test
Splice Tray
Splice Tray
Dynamometer O ptics to Control Room
(loop end)
Turnbuckle Deadend Hardware Deadend Hardware

Therm ocouples
Dum my Cable

Insulator Insulator
High Current Circuit

Isolation Switch Isolation Switch

25 Volts

Current
Limiting
Impedance

0-240Volt
Pre-Heating
Circuit
Make Switch

Supply Transform er

Figure 1a: Electrical Circuit for Short Circuit Test

 Figure 1b: Typical Set-up for Short Circuit Test in High Current Yard

Figure 1c: Typical Installation of Thermocouple on Temperature Sample

Instrumentation and Data Acquisition

For all tests, the temperature of each conductor was measured at three (3) locations using fast
responding thermocouples. They were spaced approximately one (1) m (3.28 ft) apart and were
positioned in the conductor as follows:

Thermocouple #1 - Between two (2) Aluminum Alloy Wires

Thermocouple #2 - Between a Core Wire and an Aluminum Alloy Wire
Thermocouple #3 - Between two (2) Core Wires

The thermocouples were optically isolated from other instrumentation to prevent electrical
interference into the data acquisition system.

A typical thermocouple installation is shown in Figure 1c.

For each short circuit application, or “shot”, a high-speed data acquisition system recorded the
short circuit current at 5000 samples/second. The thermocouple readings from the temperature
sample were recorded at 500 samples/second. Short circuit energy is measured in units of
kA2-sec (i.e current2 x time [duration]). The time is the duration of the short circuit current and
the current is that applied during the short-circuit condition. For typical utility applications, the
duration is 0.1-1.0 seconds, depending on the reaction time of the particular circuit-breakers
employed. Thus values of short circuit energy can be manipulated by changing both the current
and the duration time.

Experiments were performed by subjecting the conductors to increasing levels of short circuit
energy, as expressed by kA2-sec, and measuring the maximum temperature rise of the
conductor constituent materials at each level, and recording the physical response of the layers
as to whether they accumulate damage via birdcage formation.

TEST PROGRAM

The test results are presented in three sections:

1. Compare ACCR vs. ACSR behavior with increasing short-circuit energies for both
477 kcmil and 795 kcmil, with the initial conductor temperature being “low”, of the
order of 40°C.
2. Compare the effect of duration time for a fixed short-circuit energy (477 kcmil only)
3. Compare ACCR vs. ACSR behavior with increasing short-circuit energies for both
477 kcmil and 795 kcmil, with the initial conductor temperature being “elevated”, of
the order of 150°C, and above 200°C (i.e. what happens when a short-circuit occurs
on a heavily electrically loaded line).
TEST SERIES #1 - Comparison of 477 kcmil and 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR with low
initial (40°C) conductor temperatures

The objective of the test series was to compare the performance of the 477 kcmil ACCR and
ACSR conductors and 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR conductors under short circuit conditions
that would increase the conductor temperatures to approximately 340°C as measured by T#1.
This temperature is the theoretical onset of annealing of aluminum. (Ref. Aluminum Electrical
Conductor Handbook, Figure 6-1B) and was intended to be a target only. Constraints imposed
by the electrical set-up and the High Current Laboratory would limit the amount of energy that
could be imparted to the conductors. The starting temperature of the conductors as measured
by T#1 was nominally 40°C.

The test plan called for the conductors to be subjected to increasing levels of short circuit
energy, as expressed by kA2-sec, and measuring the maximum temperature rise of both
conductors at each energy level. The maximum theoretical short circuit energy level to produce
340°C temperatures is 1020 kA2-sec for 477 kcmil ACSR conductors and 2856 kA2-sec for 795
kcmil ACSR conductors.

Up to three (3) shots (short-circuit applications) were applied for each energy level. If the shots
were considered representative and accurate and the thermocouples behaved properly, then
additional shots were not required. Repeating shots at the same level were done when it was
judged that one or both of the conductors was beginning to experience physical change such as
birdcaging. The actual energy levels, fault currents and fault durations varied from the nominal
values depending on how the tests progressed. The capacity of the High Current Laboratory
imposed limitations on energy levels to about 3000 kA2-sec.

The short circuit current and duration of each shot were adjusted to produce the desired energy
imparted to the conductors. Each shot was applied with the maximum possible asymmetry (ie,
maximum DC Offset).

The conductors were visually inspected for birdcaging, melting or other damage throughout the
test. After each shot, the temperatures of the conductors were allowed to cool to 40°C before
proceeding with the next shot.

(a) 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR

Table 1 shows the recorded temperatures in 477-kcmil ACCR and ACSR for different applied
short-circuit energies. For the 477-kcmil conductors, the maximum temperatures reached on the
outer aluminum alloy wires and in the core of the ACCR conductors were lower than the
maximums reached at the comparable locations in the ACSR conductor. Appendix B, entitled,
“Individual Short Circuit Test Data Sheets for 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors with Initial
Low (40°C) Conductor Temperature”, shows the output data for each short-circuit trial. For each
test or “shot” there is a graph of fault current (amps) vs. fault time (ms), and then two graphs of
temperature vs. time for the constituents of ACCR and ACSR. In both conductors, the aluminum
layers reach their maximum temperatures in far less than a second, while the cores take
considerably longer; the ACCR core (30s) heats faster than the steel core of ACSR (> 60s),
reflecting it’s higher thermal conductivity.
 Table 1: Short Circuit Test Results on 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors with low initial (40°C) conductor temperatures

Current Duration Energy 477 kcmil ACCR Max. Temp. (C) 477 kcmil ACSR Max. Temp. (C)
Test # RMS (kA) Peak (kA) (msec) I²t (kA²s) Initial T#1 T#2 T#3 Initial T#1 T#2 T#3
02-1983 31.1 74.6 220 233 40 86 83 75 47 91 90 78
02-1984 31.1 74.6 220 232.5 40 86 82 75 46 89 90 78

02-1985 30.9 74.2 386 388 40 118 112 101 44 123 121 102
02-1986 30.9 74.3 386 389 41 122 113 105 44 125 121 106

02-1987 30.8 74.2 597 585 41 164 153 135 43 166 163 145
02-1988 30.7 74.2 604 590 40 163 150 139 43 171 168 144

02-1989 34.9 84.2 671 843 41 230 209 189 44 246 235 212
02-1990 34.7 83.8 671 832 41 225 213 192 41 232 236 198
02-1991 34.6 83.5 671 829 40 225 204 191 40 219 228 199

02-1992 34.9 84.5 806 1008 40 276 264 243 40 278 283 251
02-1993 35.0 84.5 806 1010 40 273 257 245 41 277 273 245

02-1994 34.9 84.3 971 1207 40 336 300 302 40 360 350 305
02-1995 34.8 84.2 971 1200 40 331 300 295 40 358 346 313

T#1 – Between two AA wires

T#2 – Between Core and AA Wires
T#3 – Between two Core Wires
At nominally 1200 kA2sec, where temperatures reached 300-360oC, the temperature of the ACCR
was always lower than the ACSR, and this was by an average of 11oC at the core, 48oC at the
aluminum/core interface and 25oC at the outer surface. The temperature gradient of surface to
core difference was also lower in the ACCR (35oC) versus ACSR (50oC). This is shown
graphically in Figure 2.

The ACCR exhibited mild and reversible birdcaging at nominally 1000 kA2sec (i.e. no permanent
damage). Both ACCR and ACSR exhibited permanent birdcaging, shown in Figures 3a and 3b,
respectively, at nominally 1200 kA2sec. No further testing was performed after the conductors
had permanently birdcaged.

Figure 2: Maximum Temperature vs. Short Circuit Energy for 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR
Conductors (Nominal Initial Temperature 40°C). Across the range of increasing short
circuit energy, the cores always run cooler than the outer aluminum strands, and the
core and aluminum constituents in ACCR run cooler than the corresponding
constituents in ACSR.
 Figure 3a: Permanent Birdcaging of 477 kcmil ACCR Conductor at 1200 kA2sec

Figure 3b: Permament Birdcaging of 477 kcmil ACSR Conductor at 1200 kA2sec

(b) 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR

The 795 kcmil conductors exhibited similar trends in behaviour as the 477 kcmil conductors. The
data is shown in Table 2 for the recorded temperatures in 795-kcmil ACCR and ACSR for different
applied short-circuit energies

At nominally 3000 kA2sec, where temperatures reached 220-365oC, the temperature of the ACCR
was significantly lower than the ACSR. This was by an average of 43oC at the core, 74oC at the
aluminum/core interface and 50oC at the outer surface. The surface to core difference was also
lower in the ACCR (47oC) versus ACSR (54oC). This data is shown graphically in Figure 4. Both
ACCR and ACSR exhibited permanent birdcaging, shown in Figure 5, when the fault energies had
reached nominally 3063 kA2sec. No damage was observed at the next lowest energy of 2517
kA2sec. No further testing was performed after the conductors had permanently birdcaged.

Appendix C, entitled, “Individual Short Circuit Test Data Sheets for 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR
Conductors with Initial Low (40°C) Conductor Temperature”, shows the output data for each short-
circuit trial. As with the 477 kcmil conductors, in both 795 kcmil conductors the aluminum layers
reach their maximum temperatures quickly when compared with the core. For the outer aluminum
wires, the ACSR reached their maximum temperatures in less than 4 seconds and the ACCR in
less than 10 seconds, independent of the applied energy.

Figure 4: Maximum Temperature vs. Short Circuit Energy for 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR
Conductors (Nominal Initial Temperature 40°C). Across the range of increasing short
circuit energy, the cores always run cooler than the outer aluminum strands, and the
core and aluminum constituents in ACCR run cooler than the corresponding
constituents in ACSR.
 Table 2: Short Circuit Test Results on 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors
with low initial (40°C) conductor temperatures

795 kcmil ACCR Max. 795 kcmil ACSR Max. ACCR - Time to Max ACSR - Time to Max
Current Duration Energy
Temp.(C) Temp.(C) Temp. (sec) Temp. (sec)
RMS Peak
Test # (msec) I²t (kA²s) Initial T#1 T#2 T#3 Initial T#1 T#2 T#3 T#1 T#2 T#3 T#1 T#2 T#3
(kA) (kA)
02-1996 35.6 88.5 603 799 41 95 83 80 39 99 80 68 55 na 20 na
02-1997 35.4 88.3 612 801 41 96 84 83 42 101 81 83 <10 30 100 <4 20 180
02-1998 35.4 88.3 609 794 41 95 84 82 43 103 83 84 <10 35 95 <4 18 160

02-1999 35.7 88.8 773 1028 41 112 95 98 43 121 98 95 <10 30 95 <4 20 165
02-2000 35.7 88.9 781 1025 40 112 96 94 42 121 95 93 <10 35 100 <4 21 158

02-2001 37.6 93.4 1029 1489 41 146 125 124 41 164 124 126 <10 42 112 <4 25 128
02-2002 37.6 93.2 1030 1482 40 145 128 123 41 163 125 127 <10 22 100 <4 55 116

02-2003 37.4 93.2 1373 1959 39 179 150 152 39 207 168 166 <10 25 100 <4 33 n.a.

02-2004 37.4 93.1 1766 2501 37 221 184 189 38 266 200 222 <10 40 96 <4 26 n.a.
02-2005 37.6 93.6 1763 2517 40 237 201 193 40 270 204 209 <10 60 100 <4 70 80

02-2006 37.6 93.5 2097 3000 35 268 232 222 37 320 261 249 <10 55 100 <4 17? 65
n.a.
thermo
02-2007 38.0 94.6 2097 3062 39 284 245 235 40 332 N/A N/A <10 40 90 <4 15?
couple
shifted

T#1 – Between two AA wires

T#2 – Between Core and AA Wires
T#3 – Between two Core Wires
 Figure 5: Permanent Birdcaging of 795 ACCR Conductor at 3063 kA2sec.
Corresponding picture for ACSR was unavailable but looked similar.

Further data is plotted in Figure 6. This shows the ACSR core heats up faster as the applied
energy increases. At lower energies (<2200 kA2sec) the ACSR core heats up slower than the
ACCR core, consistent perhaps with the fact that the thermal conductivity of the ACCR core is
greater than the steel core of the ACSR. As the fault energy increases, the steel core heats up
increasingly rapidly which, may be attributable to inductive eddy current heating in the steel core.
200

180

160

140
Time to Max. Temp. (msec)

T#2-ACCR, Btwn Core Wire and AA Wire

120
T#3-ACCR, Btwn 2 Core Wires
T#2-ACSR, Btwn Core Wire and AA Wire
T#3-ACSR, Btwn 2 Core Wires
100
Linear (T#3-ACCR, Btwn 2 Core Wires)
Linear (T#3-ACSR, Btwn 2 Core Wires)
Linear (T#2-ACCR, Btwn Core Wire and AA Wire)
80
Linear (T#2-ACSR, Btwn Core Wire and AA Wire)

60

40

20

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500
Energy (kA^2sec)

Figure 6: Time to Maximum Temperature for 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors
(Nominal Initial Temperature 40°C). The steel core for ACSR conductors heats up
increasingly rapidly as the fault energy increases, perhaps due to increased inductive
eddy current heating in the steel. The ACCR core does not show this effect. The inner
aluminum layers (at the aluminum/core interface) heat more quickly than the cores.
TEST SERIES #2 – Comparison of the Effect of a Fixed Duration Time for Increasing
Short-circuit Energy on 477 kcmil ACSR and ACCR

The objective of the test series was to repeat the tests performed on the 477 kcmil ACCR and
ACSR conductors but with the added constraint that the short circuit duration would be limited to
30 cycles (0.5 seconds). The idea was to determine if shorter duration faults with higher
currents produced any observable performance differences when compared to the longer
duration and lower currents used in the previous tests. The 795 kcmil conductors were not
included in this part of the program.

As before, the test plan called for the 477 kcmil conductors to be subjected to increasing levels
of short circuit energy up to about 1020 kA2-sec while measuring the temperature of both
conductors at each level. The initial tension of the conductors at 40oC was 2921 lbf (1325 kgf)
or 15% RTS.

The short circuit durations for the higher level shots greater than 800 kA2sec ranged from about
670 ms to 970 ms. The results, in comparing Tables 1 and 3 for similar fault energies, indicate
that there is little difference in temperature rise with differences in short circuit durations of
several hundred milliseconds. The data is shown in Table 3, and the data sheets for individual
experiments are in Appendix D entitled, “Individual Short Circuit Test Data Sheets for 477 kcmil
ACCR and ACSR Conductors with Fixed Duration Times”.

An additional measurement of voltage drop across each test conductor was made during these
tests. Unlike ACSR conductors, ACCR conductors do not introduce any ferromagnetic effects
due to the absence of steel in the core. Ferromagnetic effects will increase the AC Resistance
of a conductor. The idea was to measure the voltage drops in both samples for each short
circuit shot. A lower voltage drop in the ACCR conductor would indicate lower AC resistance.
This measurement was not in the initial scope of work. The set-up for this measurement was
not performed with the precision that would normally be taken. For this reason, the data should
be treated as an indicator, rather than a reliable and accurate measurement of AC resistance.

The voltage drop across the ACCR for energy levels from about 370 kA2sec to 1000 kA2sec was
consistently about 15% lower than the ACSR. The reader is reminded that only voltage drop was
measured. The determination of AC resistance was not the primary objective of the tests.
However, the voltage data do support the idea that the ACCR conductor has lower AC resistance
than the ACSR conductor.
 Table 3: Short Circuit Test Results on 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors
(Fixed Fault Duration time of 0.5s)

Current Voltage Duration Energy 477 kcmil ACCR Max. Temp. (C) 477 kcmil ACSR Max. Temp. (C)
ACCR ACSR
Test #
RMS (kA) Pk (kA) (V) (V) (ms) I²t (kA²s) Initial #1 #2 #3 Initial #1 #2 #3
02-2521 26.3 65.5 61 72 513 374 41 113 108 98 42 122 118 84

02-2522 26.2 65.5 61 72 513 373 41 113 109 98 41 120 117 85

02-2523 38.2 92.6 91 107 506 767 41 200 194 180 39 220 212 178

02-2524 38.1 92.4 91 106 506 765 42 198 195 182 40 219 214 181

02-2525 40.6 97.7 98 114 590 1001 42 264 256 242 38 294 290 244

02-2526 40.6 97.7 98 115 590 1001 42 265 251 247 39 300 287 250

T#1 – Between two AA wires

T#2 – Between Core and AA Wires
T#3 – Between two Core Wires
TEST SERIES #3 - Comparison of 477 kcmil and 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR for Elevated
Initial Conductor Temperatures

The objective of these test series was to compare the performance of the 477 kcmil and 795
kcmil ACCR and ACSR conductors at high starting temperatures. Two temperatures were
o
chosen, one at approximately 240 C and then also a lower starting temperature of
o
approximately 150 C. The results were compared to those obtained from testing with an initial
o
conductor temperature of 40 C. The 240oC temperature was chosen because it represents the
o
maximum emergency operating temperatures for the ACCR conductor. Based on the 40 C
tests, it was anticipated that birdcaging might occur sometime during the shots with a starting
o
temperature of 240 C. The experiment proceeded by establishing a measured initial conductor
o
temperature of roughly 240 C and then applying increasing levels of short-circuit energy. When
complete, this was repeated for the lower initial conductor temperature.

The initial tension of the conductors at 240oC was lowered from 15% to 10% RTS to reflect the
lower tensions observed in conductors at elevated temperatures. This was 1948 lbf (884 kgf)
for the 477 kcmil conductors and 3150 lbf (1429 kgf) for the 795 conductors. The duration of the
short circuits did not exceed 562 ms.

The data for the conductors is shown in Tables 4 and 5. As with the previous tests, the ACCR
always ran cooler than the ACSR conductor. In comparison to the previous (low temperature)
data, beginning with hot conductors requires far less short-circuit energy to reach the same peak
temperatures. In general for similar short-circuit energy inputs, the temperature rise in these
elevated temperature tests was greater compared to the low starting temperature tests for both
477 and 795 kcmil conductors. This can be attributed to the fact that the resistance of conductors
increases as temperature increases, and thus at the elevated initial temperatures, the higher
resistance results in higher I2R heat generation. Interestingly, no birdcaging was observed in any
these experiments. The experimental progression of increasing short-circuit energy was halted
when the peak temperatures approached 400°C. The output for each individual experiments is
presented in Appendix E for the 477 conductors, entitled, “Individual Short Circuit Test Data
Sheets for 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors with Initial Elevated Conductor Temperature”,
and in Appendix F for the 795 conductors, entitled, “Individual Short Circuit Test Data Sheets for
477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors with Initial Elevated Conductor Temperature”.

Specific data is plotted in Figures 7-10, in which the temperature axis is plotted as the
temperature rise above the initial conductor temperature (i.e. temperature change). This helps
to filter out the small differences between starting temperatures. In Figure 7, for 477 kcmil
conductors with a nominal 150°C starting temperature, the cores change temperature less (i.e.
run cooler) than the outer and interface layers. Each ACCR layer runs cooler (has less
temperature rise) than it’s ACSR counterpart; the core by 10-20°C, the outer Al layer by 0-20°C,
and the interface by 10-20°C. Similar trends are seen for the 795 kcmil conductors in Figure 8.
Compared to the 795 kcmil outer aluminum strands, ACCR cores have 10-20°C less
temperature rise (i.e. a lower temperature gradient), whereas this is 15-30°C in ACSR. As with
the 477 conductors, each 795 ACCR layer runs cooler (has less temperature rise) than it’s
ACSR counterpart; the core by 10-20°C, the outer Al layer by 10-20°C, and the interface by
10-20°C.
 Table 4: Short Circuit Test Results on 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors
with initial elevated conductor temperatures

Current Duration Energy 477 kcmil ACCR Max. Temp.(C) 477 kcmil ACSR Max Temp. (C)
Test # RMS (kA) Peak (kA) (msec) I²t (kA²s) Initial(1) T#1 T#2 T#3 Initial(1) T#1 T#2 T#3
02-2537 26.8 64.0 505 375 244 343 343 328 239 348 354 316
02-2538 34.2 79.7 505 603 208 369 375 345 221 407 422 354
02-2539 34.3 81.7 505 614 151 308 299 272 167 339 237 304
02-2540 34.3 81.8 505 615 139 295 288 256 148 314 314 285
02-2541 26.8 65.5 505 380 142 236 226 204 156 248 248 233
02-2542 23.4 57.8 421 244 136 192 186 169 156 200 207 196
02-2543 23.3 57.4 421 243 164 225 217 196 186 247 242 232
02-2544 23.3 57.1 421 242 194 252 244 221 221 282 286 258
02-2545 23.4 57.0 421 243 224 288 277 259 237 303 314 277

T#1 – Between two AA wires

T#2 – Between Core and AA Wires
T#3 – Between two Core Wires

(1) - Average of three thermocouples before shot

–
 Table 5: Short Circuit Test Results on 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors with initial elevated conductor temperatures

Current Duration Energy 795 kcmil ACCR Max. Temp.(C) 795 kcmil ACSR Max Temp. (C)

Test # RMA (kA) Peak (kA) (msec) I²t (kA²s) Initial T#1 T#2 T#3 Initial T#1 T#2 T#3
02-2527 25.1 62.5 511 342 229 260 225 255
236 264 256 284
270 282 285 291
02-2528 33.3 81.2 511 595 232 285 202 n.a.
234 291 251 309
263 290 274 292
02-2529 33.4 81.1 503 588 235 288 251 321
241 297 257 318
270 296 287 302
02-2530 38.6 92.8 511 796 203 277 225 313
213 288 235 318
240 279 261 293
02-2531 41.4 98.8 552 982 212 308 236 357
225 310 244 356
250 304 270 330
02-2532 41.4 99.0 552 986 213 306 233 346
219 313 235 342
246 329 251 323
02-2533 41.5 100.4 562 1006 150 n.a. 163 264
160 245 164 263
169 249 172 241
02-2534 38.5 94.1 504 782 133 190 145 218
143 196 145 212
151 203 151 201
02-2535 33.0 81.4 513 587 146 189 159 215
157 195 159 208
167 202 169 200
02-2536 25.0 63.2 513 343 133 157 149 180
143 164 149 178
151 171 157 174
T#1 – Between two AA wires
T#2 – Between Core and AA Wires
T#3 – Between two Core Wires
Figure 7, Maximum Temperature Rise vs. Short Circuit Energy for 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR
Conductors (Nominal Initial Temperature 150°C). All layers in ACCR run cooler than equivalent
layers in in ACSR.

Figure 8 Maximum Temperature Rise vs. Short Circuit Energy for 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR
Conductors (Nominal Initial Temperature 150°C). All layers in ACCR run cooler than equivalent
layers in in ACSR.
Figure 9 Maximum Temperature Rise vs. Short Circuit Energy for 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR
Conductors (Nominal Initial Temperature 220°C). All layers in ACCR run cooler than equivalent
layers in in ACSR.

Figure 10 Maximum Temperature Rise vs. Short Circuit Energy for 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR
Conductors (Nominal Initial Temperature 240°C). All layers in ACCR run cooler than equivalent
layers in in ACSR.
In Figure 9, for 477 kcmil conductors with a nominal 220°C initial temperature, the cores change
temperature less (i.e. run cooler) than the outer and interface layers. Compared to the outer aluminum
strands, ACCR cores have 20-35°C less temperature rise than the outer layers (i.e. core to surface
temperature gradient), and the ACSR cores have 40-60°C less temperature rise than it’s outer layers.
For each ACCR layer, compared to it’s ACSR counterpart, the core is hotter by 5°C, the outer Al layer
cooler by 20-30°C, and the interface is cooler by 20-40°C. Similar trends are seen for the 795 kcmil
conductors in Figure 8. Compared to the 795 kcmil outer aluminum strands, ACCR cores have 20-
40°C less temperature rise (i.e. core to surface temperature gradient), whereas this is 30-60°C in
ACSR. For each 795 ACCR layer, compared to it’s ACSR counterpart, the core is hotter by 5°C, the
outer Al layer cooler by 20°C, and the interface is cooler by 10-20°C. The ACCR begins cooler
(220°C) than the ACSR (240°C) because they are heated in series by the same current, and so the
ACCR inherently runs cooler.

CONCLUSIONS

1. ACCR and ACSR conductors were tested in series to provide a direct comparison of their
behavior under short-circuit conditions. Overall, their behavior was very similar.
2. The limiting behavior was established as the formation of a permanent birdcage in the
aluminum strands, which was at similar short-circuit energies for both ACCR and ACSR; at
1200 kA2sec for 477 kcmil conductors and 3000 kA2sec for 795 kcmil conductors.
3. The temperatures of the conductor strands at the maximum applied short-circuit energies (with
a starting conductor temperature of 40°C) was 300-350°C for the 477 kcmil conductors and
250-350°C for 795 kcmil conductors.
4. The temperature of the core, outer aluminum strands, and the interface between core and
aluminum was monitored throughout the tests, and the peak temperatures in all layers ran
cooler in ACCR when compared with ACSR.
5. The temperature gradient between the core and the outer aluminum layers was smaller in
ACCR than in ACSR.
6. The effect of increasing initial conductor temperatures (150-240°C), led to lower short-circuit
energies to attain the same peak strand temperatures. However, birdcaging was not observed
in the experiments that used the elevated initial conductor temperatures.
7. The aluminum strands heat very fast compared to the core, attaining their peak temperatures
in a range between less than 1, and up to 10 seconds, whereas the cores would often take 15-
70 seconds to attain their peak temperatures.
8. Lower voltage drops across ACCR conductors compared to ACSR conductors support the
assertion that ACCR conductors have a lower AC resistance (by about 15%).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Messrs. C. Maurice and E. Antinucci performed the Short Circuit Test.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Award No. DE-
FC02-02CH11111.

REVISION NOTE

The revision in 2008 from the 2003 document resulted in no change to the data. Only the order of
presentation was revised in order to improve clarity.

Prepared by:
__________________________________________________
C.J. Pon
Principal Engineer
Transmission and Distribution Technologies Department

Approved by:
___________________________________________________
J. Kuffel
Manager
Transmission and Distribution Technologies Department

CJP:JC

DISCLAIMER

Kinectrics North America Inc. has prepared this report in accordance with, and subject to, the terms and
conditions of the contract between Kinectrics North America Inc. and 3M Company, dated August 15,
2002.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of
the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Energy.

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 APPENDIX A

Specifications for 477 kcmil and 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors used in the Tests
 TM
3M Composite Conductor Specification
Conductor Physical Properties
Designation 477-T16 795-T16 477-T16 795-T16
Stranding 26/7 26/19 26/7 26/19
kcmils kcmil 477 795 mm^2 241 403

Diameter
indiv Core in 0.105 0.082 mm 2.7 2.1
indiv Al in 0.135 0.175 mm 3.4 4.4
Core in 0.32 0.41 mm 8.0 10.4
Total Diameter in 0.86 1.11 mm 21.8 28.1

Area
Al in^2 0.374 0.624 mm^2 241 403
Total Area in^2 0.435 0.724 mm^2 281 467

Weight lbs/linear ft 0.539 0.896 kg/m 0.802 1.333

Breaking Load
Core lbs 11,632 18,556 kN 51.7 82.5
Aluminum lbs 7,844 12,578 kN 34.9 55.9
Complete Cable lbs 19,476 31,134 kN 86.6 138.5

Modulus
Core msi 31.4 31.4 GPa 216 216
Aluminum msi 8.0 7.4 GPa 55 51
Complete Cable msi 11.2 10.7 GPa 78 74

Thermal Elongation
Core 10^-6/F 3.5 3.5 10^-6/C 6.3 6.3
Aluminum 10^-6/F 12.8 12.8 10^-6/C 23.0 23.0
Complete Cable 10^-6/F 9.2 9.2 10^-6/C 16.5 16.3

Heat Capacity
Core W-sec/ft-C 13 22 W-sec/m-C 44 71
Aluminum W-sec/ft-C 194 324 W-sec/m-C 636 1,062

Conductor Electrical Properties

Resistance
DC @ 20C ohms/mile 0.1832 0.1100 ohms/km 0.1138 0.0683
AC @ 25C ohms/mile 0.1875 0.1126 ohms/km 0.1165 0.0700
AC @ 50C ohms/mile 0.2061 0.1237 ohms/km 0.1281 0.0769
AC @ 75C ohms/mile 0.2247 0.1349 ohms/km 0.1396 0.0838

Geometric Mean Radius ft 0.0290 0.0375 cm 0.8840 1.1416

Reactance (1 ft Spacing, 60hz)
Inductive Xa ohms/mile 0.4296 0.3986 ohms/km 0.2685 0.2491
Capacitive X'a ohms/mile 0.0988 0.0912 ohms/km 0.0618 0.0570
 Appendix B

Individual Short Circuit Test Data Sheets for 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors
with Initial (40°C) Conductor Temperature
 Appendix C

Individual Short Circuit Test Data Sheets for 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors
with Initial (40°C) Conductor Temperature
 Appendix D

Individual Short Circuit Test Data Sheets for 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors
with Fixed Duration Times
 Appendix E

Individual Short Circuit Test Data Sheets for 477 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors
with Initial Elevated Conductor Temperature
150°C
150°C
150°C
150°C
150°C
 Appendix F

Individual Short Circuit Test Data Sheets for 795 kcmil ACCR and ACSR Conductors
with Initial Elevated Conductor Temperature