The present disclosure relates to electrical conductors, such as a high voltage overhead electricity transmission lines.
As the need for electricity continues to grow, the need for transmission and distribution lines with higher current carrying capacity grows as well. The amount of power an overhead electricity transmission line can deliver is dependent on the current-carrying capacity (ampacity) of the line. Overhead electricity transmission lines can be formed in a variety of configurations. Some configurations include a highly conductive core formed of one or more wires such as aluminum alloy. These include conductors are referred to as all aluminum conductor (“AAC”), all aluminum alloy conductor (“AAAC”), and the like. Other configurations include a low or non-conducting core such as steel or carbon fiber composites. These include conductors referred to as aluminum conductor steel reinforced (“ACSR”), aluminum conductor steel supported (“ACSS”), aluminum conductor composite core (“ACCC”), and the like. ACSR, ACSS, ACCC, and AAAC cables, among others, can be used as overhead cables for overhead distribution and transmission lines. While such cables can have an overall high tensile strength, there remains a need to increase the conductivity of the line to increase its current-carrying capacity.
The present disclosure provides a core for composite conductors which have increased conductivity. When the core is combined with conductor wires to form a composite conductor, the current-carrying capacity of the composite conductor can be increased. Example composite conductors include, without limitation, overhead electricity transmission lines. Methods for manufacturing cores having increased conductivity are also disclosed.
The present disclosure can be applicable to a wide array of interstitial filler materials, core materials, and conductor materials, which may be used in a variety of conductor types, such as ACSR, ACSS, ACCC, and AAAC cables, for instance. In certain embodiments, the core, interstitial fillers, and conductor include solid or stranded round wires. In other embodiments, the core, interstitial fillers, and conductor include stranded shaped wires. Further, the core, interstitial fillers, and conductor can be formed from any suitable material, such as steel, steel coated with zinc, steel coated with aluminum, aluminum, aluminum alloy, aluminum composite, copper, carbon fiber composite, plastic, or other materials known to those familiar in the art.
In accordance with the present disclosure, conductive fillers can be stranded over the core or otherwise embedded in the core. Once the core is combined with conductors to form an overhead electricity transmission line or other type of conductor, the conductive filler of the core serves to beneficially increase the cross sectional area of the conductive section of the composite conductor. The amount of increase of the conductive section provided by the conductive fillers can depend on the size and construction of the composite conductor, as described in more detail below.
Referring first to
In accordance with the present disclosure, at least portions of conductive fillers 104 can be stranded into each of the interstices. The diameter of the conductive filler 104 can be selected based on the size of the interstices. As shown, for instance, the conductive filler 104 can be sized such that an inner portion of the conductive fillers 104 is received into the interstices, while an outer portion of the conductive fillers radially extends past a core circumference (shown by dashed line 106), as defined by the outer periphery of the core wires 102. While round conductive fillers 104 are depicted in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Beneficially, due to the conductive fillers 104 being positioned between adjacent core wires 102, the deformation of the inner layer of the conductive wires 150 (for either round or trapezoidal wires) may be reduced, as the conductive fillers 104 can generally fill the voids between the core wires 102. Additionally, the conductive fillers 104 increase the cross sectional area of conductivity, which can increase the overall current carrying capacity of the complete conductor 160.
While the conductive fillers 104 in
The use of conductive fillers according to the present disclosure can provide additional current carrying capacity to conductors. Table 1 identifies example increased conductivity for example composite conductors having aluminum wires (i.e., conductive wires 150) and a steel core (i.e., core wires 102):
Table 2 identifies example construction dimensions with interstice space available for fillers:
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value.
It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given throughout this specification includes every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation given throughout this specification will include every higher numerical limitation, as if such higher numerical limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given throughout this specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within such broader numerical range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.
Every document cited herein, including any cross-referenced or related patent or application, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests, or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in the document shall govern.
The foregoing description of embodiments and examples has been presented for purposes of description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the forms described. Numerous modifications are possible in light of the above teachings. Some of those modifications have been discussed and others will be understood by those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described for illustration of various embodiments. The scope is, of course, not limited to the examples or embodiments set forth herein, but can be employed in any number of applications and equivalent articles by those of ordinary skill in the art. Rather it is hereby intended the scope be defined by the claims appended hereto.
The present application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/444,448, entitled ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS HAVING INCREASED CURRENT CARRYING CAPACITY, filed Jan. 10, 2017, and hereby incorporates the same application herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62444448 | Jan 2017 | US |