Conductor Material Used In Overhead Power Lines

A conductor is one of the most imperative components of overhead lines. Choosing the right conductor for overhead lines is as necessary as choosing the economic transmission voltage and conductor size. However, a conductor should have the following properties:

• High electrical conductivity
• Lower weight per unit volume
• High tensile strength to resist mechanical stresses
• Relatively lower cost without compromising much of other properties

Conductor Materials

Initially, copper was the preferred material for overhead conductors. But, now aluminum has replaced copper as it is cost-effective and lightweight than the copper conductor of the same resistance. The following materials are considered to be good conductors.

Copper 

Copper has high conductivity and greater tensile strength. Therefore, copper is a hard-drawn stranded form is the best option for overhead lines. It has a high current density and a relatively smaller cross-sectional area. Due to its higher cost and non-availability, copper is rarely used for overhead power lines.

Aluminum

Aluminum has 60% conductivity of copper; that means, for the same resistance, the diameter of an aluminum conductor is about 1.26 times than copper conductor. The tensile strength of aluminum is less than copper. Considering cost, conductivity, tensile strength, and weight, aluminum is preferred over copper.

Cadmium-copper

Cadmium copper alloys contain approximately 98 to 99% and up to 1.5% of cadmium. An additional 1% of cadmium to copper increases the tensile strength by up to 50%. These conductors are helpful for exceptionally long spans. However, due to the high cost of cadmium, such conductors may be unaffordable in many cases.

Other Materials

Some other metals and alloys conduct electricity. Silver is more conductive than copper, but due to its high cost, it is not helpful in many cases. Galvanized steel may also be used as a conductor. Although, steel has high tensile strength, and these conductors are not suitable for transmitting power. High strength alloys such as phosphor-bronze may also be used sometimes in extreme conditions.

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