High Capacity Conductors for Cost Effective Upgrade In Transmission Network

Jason Huang, CTC, 2026 McGaw Ave., Irvine, California 92614, USA (Phone: 949 428 8500; email: jhuang@ctccable.com)

ABSTRACT
Carbon Fiber Composite Core Conductor (ACCC) is a new class of conductor for the electric delivery system. It offers greater capacity, superior strength, lighter weight and lower thermal sag. It is also free of the corrosion associated with metallic cores. The superior strength of the composite core allows for the stranding of an increased quantity of aluminum in trapezoidal layers with fully annealed aluminum for maximum current carrying capacity with the lowest loss. This conductor brings important advantages where lines need uprating as well as for new lines. This conductor would be ideally suited to the challenges facing grid owners and operators, by increasing capacity through new lines or upgrades where existing infrastructure and Right of Way can be fully leveraged for cost effective capacity additions. The low line loss also makes it attractive for connecting the alternative energy source (e.g., wind or solar) to the Grid where line loss could substantially impact the business model of alternative energy sources. With over 5 years of commercial installation, it is important to consider the technology behind the conductor and the experience from the field. Unlike metallic cored or metal ceramic composite core conductors, there are unique attributes associated with the ACCC carbon fiber composite cored conductor, including its performance characteristics at high temperatures. This paper will review and discuss thermal oxidation fundamentals, testing and field experience related to temperature capability; as well as the comprehensive durability testing and longevity of composite core conductors.

1. INTRODUCTION
Carbon fibre composites are the material of choice for many high performance and demanding applications (e.g., primary structures in Boeing 787 and Airbus A350), because of their higher strength and lighter weight, and their exceptional resistance to cyclic load fatigue. The extremely low axial thermal expansion in carbon composite makes it ideal for application where controlled thermal expansion is highly desirable. The ACCC Conductor (Aluminium Conductor Composite Core) consists of a hybrid carbon and glass fibre core, wrapped with trapezoidal shaped aluminium strands. The high strength structural core carries most of the conductors mechanical load, while the fully annealed high purity aluminium strands carry all of the conductors electrical current. This patented composite core is manufactured using a proprietary continuous pultrusion process, wherein carbon and boronfree glass fibres are impregnated with a toughened epoxy resin optimized for thermal and environmental stability. The Boron-free glass fibres, surrounding the central carbon fibres, are placed in outer shell of the composite core to prevent galvanic corrosion between carbon and aluminium while improving ACCC core flexibility. The composite core is then spooled onto reels, before shipment for aluminium stranding, Figure 1 - ACCC Conductor undergoes quality control testing that ensures a minimum _________________________
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tensile and bending strength, along with a minimum glass transition temperature (Tg). With economic growth, many electrical transmission corridors in the world are overloaded and could no longer support the transmission of needed power to sustain economic growth, or allowing for power to be imported to load centres cost effectively (e.g., relatively cheap hydroelectric power could not be imported). The primary limiting factor for increasing the capacity of many transmission and most distribution lines relates to conductor thermal sag. When a conductor carries more current, its temperature rises, causing the conductor to elongate (i.e., sag) in accordance with its cores coefficient of thermal expansion. The ACCC Conductor with maximum usage of fully annealed Aluminium, was developed for optimal efficiency (lowest line loss), highest capacity and lowest thermal sag, to cost effectively increase the capacity of the electrical transmission and distribution grids. The ACCC conductors hybrid composite core exhibits a coefficient of thermal expansion about 1/8th that of a steel core (and 1/10th of aluminium core). The reduced thermal expansion decreases thermal sag and allows the conductor to carry more current without compromising clearance requirements. An ACCC conductor of equivalent diameter and weight can carry approximately twice the power of a conventional ACSR conductor. The major US east coast power outage of 2003 was caused by excessive line sag during peak summer demand conditions. The ACCC conductor technology can substantially increase the electric grid reliability by reducing the risk of such occurrence and allowing for additional power to be efficiently moved to load centres during peak demand conditions.

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Increasing Line Capacity and Enhancing Grid Reliability Using the ACCC Conductor
With clearance limitations between the conductor and the ground/vegetation/electrical underbuild/other utilities lines well established, sag associated with conventional ACSR has become the limiting factor to increase transmission line capacities at utility companies. Aside from excessive thermal sag in ACSR conductors, the aluminium strands in ACSR conductors will be annealed at high temperatures. This will lead to substantial loss in strength and stiffness of the ACSR conductor (aluminium strands could account for as much as 50% of the ultimate strength in some ACSR conductors), further exacerbate creep and sag in these conductors. While other conductors such as ACSS Aluminum Conductor Steel Supported utilize preannealed aluminium strands, allowing them to operate at much higher temperatures without degrading their rated strength, ACSS also sags substantially at higher temperatures due to its higher coefficient of thermal expansion in the steel core. ACSS conductors typically involve extra weight from its steel core. When ACSS conductor is utilized as a replacement for ACSR conductor, the supporting structures often require reinforcement or replacement. This is also true when a larger / heavier conductor is used to replace an existing conductor to improve the lines capacity. Upgrading or replacing existing structures can be very difficult and expensive especially in remote locations with difficult access or terrain, or in more populated areas where under-built electrical and communication lines can be extensive. In applications where metal corrosion is a concern, the higher operating temperature for metal core conductors could further limit the longevity of such conductors. The ACCC Conductor is ideally suited to upgrade existing transmission and higher voltage distribution lines due to its mechanical strength, thermal stability, and improved conductivity compared to any other conductor type of the same diameter and weight. The ACCC conductor offers a less expensive alternative to increasing line capacity, as it can be installed without requiring structural modifications. An ACCC conductor of the same size (OD) and weight can be operated at emergency temperatures of as high as 200 oC, offering the highest capacity among all the comparable conductor options (including running the other HTLS conductors at substantially higher temperatures) without exhibiting significant thermal sag (in Figures 2 and 3), as demonstrated in a conductor comparison test conducted at Kinectrics Lab, Canada, as part of a Hydro One study, where several types of Drake (28.15 mm OD) sized conductors were compared to ACSR conductor under a 1600 amp load. The unique attribute of highest capacity with lowest thermal sag in ACCC conductors, could substantially improve the capacity of the grid to handle emergency conditions (N-1 and N-2), as well as the transient nature and the peak loads from alternative energy sources (solar and wind powers), thereby enhance the grid reliability.

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Figure 2: The ACCC conductor carries more current than any other conductor at the same temperature, and delivers more peak capacity than other conductors, even when they are operated at much higher temperatures. It is important to note that one does not have to run the conductors at extremely high temperatures to obtain the required capacity. The High Capacity Low Sag ACCC Conductor provides the option to the electric utility customers to obtain the necessary capacity for emergency conditions without having to operate its system at the extreme temperatures required for other types of conductors of similar size and weight.
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Figure 3 - Sag and Temperature Comparison between Different Types of Conductors (1600 amps)

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Minimizing Line Loss, Improving System Efficiency and Avoiding CO2 Emission Using the ACCC Conductor
The Hydro One Sag Test also noted that the ACCC conductor ran 60 to 80 oC cooler than the other conductors tested under the same load (1600 A). This cooler operating temperature is a direct reflection of the ACCC conductors greater efficiency compared to the other conductor types. This is because the ACCC conductors composite core is much stronger and lighter than its steel counterpart. The reduced core weight allows more aluminium to be added to the conductor cable without a conductor weight penalty; and the superior strength of ACCC core makes it possible to shrink its core size w/o sacrificing conductor strength while allowing maximum amount of highly packed trapezoidal aluminium strands under the same conductor OD. While other wire types such as ACSS-TW (trapezoidal wire) are also available in this format, they exhibit a substantial (~30%) weight penalty compared to ACCC conductor of the same diameter, which can increase line sag substantially even to the point that it cant carry as much current as the ACSR conductor it was designed to replace due to clearance requirement. The ACCC conductors improved conductivity (decreased electrical resistance), compared to other conductors of the same diameter and weight, reduces line losses by well over 35% (Figure 4). This improved efficiency can have a profound effect on overall system performance, improve the economics of a renewable resource by delivering more power using fewer turbines or solar panels, decrease generation requirements, and even reduce fuel consumption.

Figure 4: Annual value of line loss reduction from deploying ACCC Conductor. Key assumptions include - Single Circuit 230 kV Line; 1200 Peak Amps; Load Factor 50%; Cost of Generation $50/MWh; Ambient Temp 25C; Elevation Sea Level; Latitude 30N; Date June 21; Wind 2ft / second; Absorptivity .5; Emissivity .5; Solar Radiation 96.

Much remains to be done to improve the efficiency of the electrical grid where 8 to 10% of all energy generated is lost, with a substantial portion of grid losses due to conductor line losses. This is one of the primary reasons why the US Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides incentives for _________________________
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investments in technology that help improve the efficiency and reliability of the grid. Specific reference is made to composite core conductors where their utilization can provide up to a 2% increase in the regulatory allowed return on investment or equity. The utilities and their customers will ultimately be rewarded as these new conductor technologies become more widely deployed. It is likely that the increased deployment and utilization of the highly efficient ACCC conductor will be due to the worlds increasing effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (while boosting grid capacity, stability and reliability). According to India Energy Information Administration, the 2006 energy production in India is over 680 Billion KWh. 70% of Indian power comes from thermal power plants (Electricity Outlook India 2008). Electricity losses in India during transmission and distribution are extremely high and vary between 30 to 45% (Indian Prime th Minister sets 2012 as deadline to end power shortage in the country, May 28 , 2007). Grid loss could account for over 68 billion kWh or roughly $3.4 Billion dollars per year (assuming 10% loss attributable to Grid efficiency at $50/MWh). According to Science News (November 15th, 2007, carbon dioxide emission from power plants rated worldwide), India is responsible for 583 million tons of CO2 emission to the atmosphere annually (4th behind US, China and Russia) from its power sector. If all the 70% of the India energy comes from coal (1 metric ton CO2 per MWh per US EPA), India could be releasing as much as 476,000,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere annually. A 35% reduction in transmission line losses (which account for approximately 35% of overall grid losses) by deploying ACCC conductor technology could potentially reduce CO2 emissions by 20 million metric tons, or the equivalent of removing approximately 1.4 million passenger cars from the highway per year.

2 TEMPERATURE CAPABILITY OF ACCC CONDUCTOR SYSTEM

The key design drivers for overhead electrical conductor include the tensile strength (sufficient to handle the load from self-weight, ice, and wind with sufficient margin of safety to guard against failure), thermal and load sag (to meet clearance requirement) and thermal resistance (capable of supporting the generated heat from resistance at a given current). In addition, the conductor must show resistance to or management of Aeolian vibration (usually expressed in terms of self dampening properties and resistance to fatigue) and other stresses. Sag is directly derived from the elongation in the conductor, either from thermal elongation or tensile elongation. Thermal sag (from high temperature) in ACCC conductor is only dependant on the thermal expansion coefficient and youngs modulus along the axial direction. Tension sag (from line tension as a result of self weight, ice or wind loads) in ACCC conductor is also dependant on the Youngs modulus of the core along the axial direction. These critical design properties (tensile strength, tension sag and thermal sag) in an ACCC overhead conductor are all fibre dominated properties (i.e., CTE, Modulus and Tensile Strength) in ACCC Core. Changes to the resin matrix at high temperatures (to the extent the composite tensile strength is retained) have negligible effect to these design critical fibre dominated properties or the sag performance associated with ACCC conductors. The rated tensile strength of the core is fibre dominated, and is mostly controlled by the strength of the carbon and glass fibres and their respective fibre volume fractions. There are two situations where the strength of the ACCC core could be affected: Fibre breakage (typically from fibre buckling in compressive failure). This rare event is completely avoidable when proper tension is maintained and sharp bend angles are avoided at all times, but could happen when installation was not properly carried out following the CTC Engineering Guidelines.

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Thermal exposure of the polymer matrix beyond temperatures where the matrix decays to the point where there is insufficient matrix property to ensure an effective load transfer to the fibres.

The temperature ratings for the ACCC conductor are fixed to ensure an acceptable continuous operation at 180oC but with the possibility of incursions above that temperature up to 200oC. The core can also withstand higher temperatures for very short duration associated with short circuit temperatures. These temperature guidelines have been based on extensive fundamental research, laboratory testing, field validation and life modelling.

Heat Induced Oxidation of the ACCC Core

Over time and with the application of heat, the surface of the core begins to oxidise. This is a phenomena common to all polymer resin matrices and contributes to the temperature induced weight loss (and associated slight shrinkage) observed in these materials. In the ACCC core, because of its proprietary resin matrix, the oxidation reaction by-product forms a thin but denser layer of about a few hundred microns, which hermetically seals the underneath composite structure from further oxygen ingress. The denser reaction layer retards oxygen diffusion (as compared to the fresh resin), limiting the extent of matrix degradation (and associated weight loss). The protective layer and absence of microcracking in the protective glass shell layer are directly responsible for the superior thermal oxidative stability in ACCC.
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Figure 5: The left diagram is data on resin specimens aged for 3200 hours at 200oC. A denser layer (with higher elastic modulus) forms on the composite [1]. The right diagram shows the concentration of oxygen as a function of the distance from the composite surface [1].

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140

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Figure 6: The left graph shows measurements of the oxidation layer for different aging times, up to 52 weeks at 180C [1]. Whilst this layer amounts to only a few microns, the product is designed with a very thick glass reinforced protection layer to take into account not only the oxidisation process, but also variations from manufacturing process.

(a) (b) Figure 7: Transverse cross section of hybrid composite rods thermally aged in air at (a) 180C and (b) 200C for 8,736 hours [1]. It can be seen that the higher the temperature the greater the oxidation layer. Such protection layer in ACCC core should be stable until about 217 oC (the transition point toward thermal decomposition).

Effect of High Temperature on Design Critical Properties

Heat is the primary agent that can cause aging of the composite core over time. The carbon and glass fibres are essentially inert in the temperature ranges the ACCC conductor is expected to operate. Thus, only the polymer matrix is susceptible to heat, in that it can undergo changes in its chemistry over time that can affect its ability to transfer loads to the fibres, and maintain the composite cores strength. To determine the effect of the continuous and emergency operating temperatures on the tensile strength of the composite rod, composite core samples were subjected to continuous exposure at 180 and 200C for one year, with no mechanical load applied. Core samples were pulled out of ovens periodically and tensile tested to failure at room temperature. No significant change in tensile strength was observed, as shown in Figure 8. The thermal degradation layer is limited to the first few hundred microns despite extended thermal exposure at 180 or 200C [1]. The superior thermal oxidative stability of ACCC core, however, can be partially attributed to its unique product configuration (besides the proprietary resin formulation). The unique cylindrical shape of the composite core allows for continued shrinkage of the outer resin layer toward the core centre without microcracking during thermal oxidation _________________________
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events. This is very different from laminate type of composite structures in aerospace applications where localized resin shrinkage is constrained by fibres, resulting in extensive microcracking and providing additional pathways for continued oxygen ingress from external surfaces and continued resin degradation. Reinforcement fibres in ACCC core are not directly exposed to air except at the cut ends, and these are protected from thermal degradation by lower temperatures of operation.

Figure 8: USC Tensile strength of ACCC Core exposed at 180 and 200 oC for 52 weeks. The composite core retained its full rated tensile strength during the long term exposure test. The red lines represented the Rated Tensile Strength (RTS) of the composite core. Figure 9 shows the change in tensile strength with temperature from -60 oC to 240 oC. At the emergency usage temperature of 200 oC, the tensile strength of ACCC core is higher than 90% RTS (and a higher margin of safety because of the reduced tension in the conductor at the high temperatures). It must be pointed out, that even though the high temperature tensile strength of the composite may fall slightly below the rated tensile strength of the core, when the composite is cooled back to room temperature, the tensile strength comes back to the value measured at room temperature. At 240 oC, the tensile strength of the composite is still above 80% RTS.
120 100 80 % RTS 60 40 20 0 -100 -50 0 50 100 150 200 250

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Figure 9: The tensile strength of ACCC core as a function of temperature. The black line represents the expected tensions in the conductor as a function of temperature.

Additional long term high temperature testing is continuing at CTC to understand the upper temperature limit for ACCC Core and Conductors. This includes thermal cycling testing at _________________________
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temperatures up to 215oC under 20% RTS tension, and each cycle includes 8 hours at the peak temperature. The ACCC Core is retaining 99% of its RTS after 30 cycles, and 98% RTS after 40 cycles, suggesting that ACCC core might be capable of short term operating temperatures of up to 215C. While this is outside the limits of the rated temperatures of 180C continuous, 200C emergency, it provides a useful indication of the measure of prudence used in fixing these temperature ratings.

ACCC Conductor System Temperature Capability

Thermal cycling experiments are also conducted on ACCC conductor systems to simulate inservice conditions and its effects on the conductor longevity. EPRI developed a high temperature test protocol for composite core conductor systems (conductor and associated hardware), which subjected the ACCC conductor system under tensile load for 500 thermal cycles at peak temperatures of 180 C [2]. After each 100 thermal cycles, the conductor system was also subjected to 70% of its RTS for 24 hours before resuming another 100 cycles at 20% RTS to the peak temperature of 180 oC. While this test was done to determine the effect of thermal and mechanical cycling on the conductor system, it does test the composite core to an extreme condition. The aluminium strands, being already plastically deformed during the first 70% RTS load, would not carry any load in subsequent thermal cycles when the conductor is subjected to 20% RTS load. This left the core at a higher tension load than during the first 100 thermal cycles. After testing was successfully completed, while the composite core had a slight change in colour due to the oxidation phenomenon, the conductor exhibited a tensile strength of over 100% RTS. It is important to note that both the flexural strength and the shear strength are also fully retained after the 500 cycles of thermal and mechanical loading, as shown in the following table.

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Figure 10: EPRI Test configuration where the dummy conductor was used as temperature control, and the tensioned conductor was tension cycled in addition to temperature [2]. Extensive additional testing on the ACCC conductor system was carried out. The following table summarizes some of the representative high temperature testing:

While the ACCC Conductor system is rated at 180C continuous, 200C short duration, the rating relies on certain parts of the system operating at lower temperature. In particular, the ends of the ACCC conductor core are never exposed to high temperatures as they are buried in a large mass of aluminium surrounding the accessories. This can be seen in the photos in _________________________
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Figure 11 below where (a) illustrates the mid span joint (connector) and (b) is the tension clamp (dead-end clamp). The temperature inside these accessories where the ends are exposed is approximately 50% lower than the body of the conductor when subjected to high temperature events.

(a) Figure 11: Illustration of the position of the ACCC core ends.

(b)

Testing of the product to verify the temperature in these systems has been carried out by Kinectrics Laboratory in Canada. Figure 12 illustrates the results of Kinectrics findings where the conductor temperature was 213 C. The temperature environment for these exposed areas is substantially colder than the conductor temperature.

Figure 12: Temperatures inside the dead end terminal (100 oC) is about 50% cooler than the conductor temperature (213 oC).

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Comments Regarding ACCC Conductor System Testing and Temperature Rating

Tests carried out to analyse products such as ACCC Conductors should be chosen to examine the key properties required of the conductor during its lifetime: to test its suitability for use. In this respect, therefore, the protocols of the tests must be designed to test actual operating conditions. They may examine its operation either side of the rated limits, but they must work to those limits. For a product design to be successful, it must exhibit qualities sufficient to enable it to operate in field conditions (both routine and extreme) throughout its life. Of critical importance, therefore, in designing tests for products is to have an understanding of the relevance of how the testing relates to products performance. This is expressed by ensuring the protocols of the tests imitate the realities of the performance required. Tests must be designed to evaluate realistic, prudent operational parameters. While it may be interesting to test a product in ways that it will never see in storage, installation or operation, it is not particularly helpful when considering its usefulness.

1) Exposing the Ends of ACCC Core to Extreme Temperature to Determine ACCC Temp Capability
This is a test developed by Prof Gorur [3,4] who has been studying the CTC R&D prototype core material (i.e., the original resin recipe, made in 2003) from 2004/5 to 2009. The test subjected the composite core to temperatures in excess of 180 oC, subsequently inferred the materials temperature capability from its propensity to microcracking at the exposed ends. This is an inappropriate test on ACCC composite for several reasons: a) The composite core ends are always trapped inside metal accessories, and there is no risk of the exposed ends to be experiencing temperatures above 120 oC or higher. Thermal oxidation at exposed ends is not relevant to ACCC conductor field experience. b) The end of the core cylinder exposes the fibres contained in the material to the air and to the oxidisation process. This in turn provides an accelerated pathway along the fibres for oxygen ingress into composite structure. No effective protective layer can be formed. The exposed ends are the weak point of the product, requiring a lower temperature of operation as designed in the ACCC conductor system. The microcracking observed is also very shallow (a couple of mm in depth), and has no practical impact to composite performance. c) The composite core away from the ends exhibits no microcracking in the glass or the carbon layers even after extensive thermal exposure (13,104 hrs at 200 oC). The cracking at the ends dont provide valuable insight to the materials high temp performance.

Figure 13: The middle graphs are exposed composite ends at 180 (Brown) and 200 oC (white) for 900 hours. The microcrack depth in the 200 oC specimen is on the right, and is measured at _________________________
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1.6 mm. On the left, the microstructure of a composite core aged for over 13,000 hours at 200 o C (away from exposed ends). There is no microcracking or other defects in the composite after such extreme thermal exposure.

2) Short Beam Shear Testing and Life Prediction of Unidirectional Composite at High Temperatures
EDF researchers have studied ACCC core made from pre-production resin formulation (early 2005). They have also proposed a lifing criteria at 20% loss in Short Beam Shear deflection (and equating it to sag loss), and concluded a 150 oC maximum continuous operating temperature limit for the CTC pre-production composite core [6]. This is unfortunately misleading for the following reasons: Composite core conductors use unidirectional fiber reinforced composite, where all design critical properties are fiber dominated (tensile strength, tensile modulus, CTE). Short beam shear testing is a good QC tool (simple and easy to implement) for matrix dominated shear strength, particularly in laminated composites where delamination is a principal failure mechanism. SBS test is not a good indicator on fiber dominated properties, and should not have been used as a lifing criteria because it could not be directly correlated to tensile strength, modulus or CTE in the composite core. The deflection in short beam shear was termed as sag, and it has no relevance to the sag in composite core or composite conductors where sag is purely related to conductor elongation from either thermal expansion or tension loads. The probability of a product to experience changes to its structure (e.g., creep and oxidation in metals) is relevant only when such changes do affect the performance required of the product. In the ACCC core installed on an overhead line, the product is required to maintain its longitudinal strength, however, it may lose some of its matrix strength without any affect on relevant performance, provided it shall have sufficient integrity for load transfer between matrix and fibers and to combat wind induced stresses such as turbulent buffeting and vibration related fatigues. Extensive testing of SBS and tensile properties clearly demonstrates that unidirectional composite such as ACCC Core can fully retain its tensile properties (axial direction) despite substantial loss in SBS strength. For example, after 36 weeks exposure at 220 oC, the ACCC core is still retaining its rated tensile strength (i.e., the red line) despite a drop in SBS by as much as 50%. CTC advocates the retention of 65% SBS strength as sufficient for the end of life criteria of the core.

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Figure 14: ACCC Core exposed to 220 oC for up to 36 weeks (without tension). Properties were measured at room temperature, where the RTS (i.e., red line) is still retained after 36 weeks at 220 oC while the short beam shear strength is only about half of its original value.

SBS and Tensile Strength after 215C Exposure

120 100 SBS (% Change) 80 60 40 20 0 0 50 100 150 200 Time (hours) 250 300 350 SBS (%) Tensile Strength (%) 120 Tensile Strength (% RTS) 100 80 60 40 20 0

Figure 14: The ACCC core retains its tensile property after thermal ageing to 215C (thermal cycling with more than 300 cumulative hours exposure at the peak temperature under 20% RTS load), despite significant loss in SBS strength.

3) Bamboo Effect Testing (no line tension)

Another test developed to assess temperature capability of ACCC conductor is the so called bamboo effect testing [7], where the composite core (or conductor) is subjected to a tight bending radius while exposed to very high temperatures. The fiber buckling failure observed during these tests at high temperature is related to the excessive axial compression to the composite core. Unfortunately, the test will inevitably lead to misguidance on the temperature rating of ACCC conductors for the following reasons: These laboratory testing is carried out without any tension on the ACCC conductor or ACCC core, and it does not relate to conductor field experience because ACCC overhead conductors are always subjected to significant line tension. This line tension completely negates the axial compressive stress that might be present on the composite core from catenary or potential bending from wind or galloping. Therefore, the ACCC conductor is never at the risk of excessive axial compression at high temperatures.

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The ACCC conductor or ACCC core on a reel during storage or transport do not involve the high temperatures involved in laboratory testing (e.g., above 100 o C). The laboratory testing involves much tighter radius at high temperatures that exceeds CTC recommendation for Jumper Cables where high temperature and radius might be present. This potential risk is completely eliminated when minimum radius is followed per CTC guidelines in combination with ACCC compatible dead end terminals.

3 UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF ACCC CONDUCTORS Creep in ACCC (vs. ACSR)

The stress-strain behaviors in ACCC conductors are quite different from that of ACSR conductors. The ACCC composite core is purely elastic and exhibits no yielding at all up to its breaking strain of about 2%. The fully annealed Al in ACCC conductor begins to yield at very low strains (0.3% or less). Beyond this low strain value, the soft fully annealed Al plastically deforms as the stress is increased and it can stretch without rupture to 20% elongation or more. In ACSR conductors, the fully hardened Al yields at much higher strain level, and it ruptures at about 1% strain. The steel core exhibits modest yielding above 0.2-.3% strain and ruptures in the 3-4% strain range. Creep in conventional conductor (w/ metal core) and associated sag is related to both creep in the Aluminum strands which gradually shed tensile load to the metal core, as well as the inherent creep in the metal core under load (i.e., accumulating conductor elongation). The plastic deformation associated with creep in both the aluminum strands and the metal core continues throughout the conductors life. The steel core typically loses about 7% in modulus from room temperature to high temperatures (250 oC), which will likely result in higher creep. Furthermore, the heavy ice or wind load could lead to permanently greater sag in the conventional conductor, which aggravates creep related sag under every day tension after the event. Sag associated with creep and permanent conductor elongation in metal core conductors tends to be underestimated because the creep in conventional conductor will continue beyond the 10 years where sag and creep are projected based on 1000 hours of laboratory creep testing (Figure 15).

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Figure 15: Creep testing of ACCC conductors, where the samples are subjected to 25% RTS for 1,000 hours (~42 days). ACCC conductor core is purely elastic, and there is substantially less creep in ACCC conductors than in a comparably sized steel core conductor. In ACCC conductor, the carbon composite core does not creep. The creep type of behavior in ACCC conductor is a result of the yield in Aluminum strands where the composite core will be gradually taking on more load in the conductor that was previously carried by the Aluminum strands. Unlike metal core conductors, there is no permanent elongation in the ACCC composite core after load events (i.e., heavy ice or wind). When subjected to load events such as extremely heavy ice and hurricane winds, or pre-tensioning, the aluminum strands in ACCC conductor could be permanently extensively stretched that it will no longer be supporting any tension loads, and the load in the ACCC conductor is completely burdened by the ACCC core. This not only eliminates creep in ACCC conductors, it also provides precise sag behavior/prediction as the tensile sag after load events is purely driven by the elastic response of the core (just as the thermal sag is controlled by the core above the knee point). Extrapolating creep and sag from everyday tension in ACCC conductor could be misleading, as the initial high creep rate measured in laboratory creep testing significantly overestimate the extent of creep in ACCC conductors. When the load in the ACCC conductor is entirely burdened by the ACCC core, creep from every day tension/load becomes irrelevant in ACCC conductor design and sag calculations.

Sag Design for ACCC Conductors

In line design, the sag under specified maximum weather loads can be calculated, together with the sag under the specified highest electrical load, and the sag from every day tension (creep). The line design is based on which is the dominant sag and the erection procedure is then determined accordingly. Due to the extremely low thermal expansion coefficient of ACCC Core (practically thermally inert whereas the steel core in ACSR and the hardened Al in AAAC are not) and elastic nature of the ACCC core (no creep from ACCC Core), the sag design limit with ACCC conductors is typically associated with specified maximum weather loads, not from its thermal load. Due to the soft fully annealed Al and the elastic core, it is likely that ACCC conductors are driven toward their final conditions with less load, this does not mean that the ACCC conductor is weak (it is actually about 20% stronger than comparably sized ACSR). The final sag in ACCC conductors may show up sooner than the other conductors. This is not a problem as all lines are designed to deal with the final sag and the associated tension.

4 APPLICATIONS OF ACCC CONDUCTOR SYSTEM IN INDIA TRANSMISSION GRID

ACSR Moose is a typical conductor deployed by Indias Power Grid. Circuits with ACSR Moose could not be up rated beyond their capacity of 3312 A due to clearance requirement. ACCC Budapest conductor is similar to ACSR Moose in weight and OD, but has 20% higher strength with 30% higher Aluminium content of better electrical conductivity. Reconductoring the ACSR Moose Circuit with ACCC Mumbai allows India Power Grid to increase its peak capacity to 240% of the current rating while fully leveraging all existing tower structures without compromising sag clearance. The higher efficiency from ACCC Mumbai conductor also reduces the line loss by about $1 million annually (50 km single circuit of 3 phase quad conductors). Furthermore, the line tension on the towers from ACCC conductor is lower than that from ACSR Moose, which is desirable for the operation of existing tower structures in reconductoring projects (i.e., providing greater safety margin). Pre-tensioning of _________________________
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ACCC Mumbai is not necessary to capture all the benefits, but it does offer additional sag improvement by as much as 1.3 meters if a moderate pre-tension at 266 KN is applied (still within the maximum tension load to the towers from ACSR Moose conductor), which might be permissible for towers in good condition and where additional sag improvement might be of value.
DC Al Cross Resistance Section Weight (ohm/km) (mm2) (kg/km) at 20C 528.5 2005 0.054 678.2 2015 0.0414 pre-tension (266.4 KN for 1hr) Average Tower Tension (kN) 128 111 130 Max Tension onto Tower Line loss Worst Sag (m) (kN) Reduction 11.45 (85C, Creep) 266.4 baseline 11.3 (150C, Load) 238 36% 9.67 (150C, Load) 266.4 36% Reduced Benefit from line loss reduced line in 1st loss in 30 yrs year (1 circuit)

Conductor Types ACSR Moose ACCC Mumbai ACCC Mumbai

OD (mm) 31.78 31.77

RTS (kN) 165 192

Max Temp Req for 2X Capacity 85C (3312 A) 150C (6624 A) 150C (6624 A)

Allowable Maximum Capacity 3312 A $981,000 $17,400,000 7996 A (@ 200C) $981,000 $17,400,000 7996 A (@ 200C)

As s umpti on: 350 m s pa n, 1000 m el eva ti on, 170 Km/hr wi nd; 2X ACSR Moos e Ca pa ci ty; Stri ng tens i on a t 32 C (22% RTS for ACSR; 18% RTS for ACCC); Ma x Tens i on to tower not exceed ACSR Moos e

For new line projects, several ACCC conductors are available for replacing ACSR Moose conductors to improve the reliability and stability of the transmission grid by reducing sag while providing significantly higher capacity (2X) when needed without compromising sag clearance (unanticipated emergency events requiring extra capacity or inherent grid capacity to accommodate the dynamic nature of alternative energy sources): ACCC Delhi offers the best option in reducing the tower height or reducing the number of towers (12.5%) by extending span distance from 350 m to 400 m. Reduction in transmission towers may also shorten the overall project schedule as it should involve less time in tower construction and obtaining permits. ACCC Rome offers the added benefit from improved line efficiency ($625K/yr for a 50 km 3 phase quad conductor project), in addition to reducing the number of towers by increasing the span to 370 m. ACCC Mumbai is the best option for reconductoring existing ACSR Moose transmission lines. It is also a very attractive option for new lines where substantial line loss reduction ($1 million/yr) could easily pay for the modest cost increase from this larger ACCC conductor. Increasing the stringing tension to 23% RTS or a simple pretension with the ACCC Mumbai would allow its span to increase from 350 m to 375 m. Since new lines have new towers with full design safety margin, it is advisable for the designer to consider a modest pre-tension on ACCC conductors without requiring additional tower reinforcement (i.e., the maximum tension from ACSR Moose during wind load to the tower). With the modest pre-tension of ACCC Delhi or Mumbai conductors, the designer can further increase span distance (to 430 m for ACCC Delhi; to 375 m for ACCC Mumbai) while retaining latent capacity from ACCC conductors for enhanced Grid reliability. ACCC conductors do offer superior vibration damping compared to ACSR and ACSS, especially after pre-tensioning. Testing at Kinectrics Lab confirmed ACCC conductor as having 30 times better vibration damping than ACSR; and AEP also evaluated ACCC conductor by subjecting the same conductor to 100 million cycles of vibration, followed by bending to simulate installation and field experience, and AEP concluded that the ACCC conductor was the best in the class of conductors compared (ACSR, round wire ACSS). While it is not a requirement for ACCC conductor to be pre-tensioned (as in ACSS) to manage Aeolian vibration, pre-tensioned ACCC conductors shift the load from Aluminium strands to the ACCC Core, eliminating the risk of fatigue failure in Aluminium strands in areas where Aeolian vibration is a design constraint. In the proposed modest pre-tension with ACCC Delhi or Mumbai conductors, there is a slight increase in line tension in these significantly stronger ACCC conductors; however, the Every Day Tension in these ACCC conductors are only about 16-17% RTS, significantly lower than the stress level in the ACSR Moose conductor while managing the Aeolian vibrations more effectively. _________________________
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Sag Benefit Max Reduction Reduced Al DC Average from Tension (or Tower line loss reduced line Cross Conductor Resistance Tower Temp Alternative way onto Height Types for New OD Section Weight (ohm/km) RTS Tension at to leverage in 1st loss in 30 yrs Tower Line loss Reduction) (mm) (mm 2 ) (kg/km) (m) (kN) Reduction Lines at 20C (kN) (kN) 3312 A improved sag year (1 circuit) ACSR Moose 31.8 528.5 2005 0.054 165 128 85 C 0
Ca pa bl e of onl y 3312 A a nd 350 m s pa n Capable of 6878 A (@200 C) and 400 m span (Eliminate 12.5% towers) Capable of 6878 A (@200 C) and 430 m span (Eliminate 18.6% towers) Capable of 7410 A (@200 C) and 370 m span (Eliminate 5.4% Towers) Capable of 7996 A (@ 200C) and 350 m span Capable of 7996 A (@ 200C) and 375 m span (eliminate 5.4% Towers) Capable of 7996 A (@ 200C) and 375 m span (eliminate 5.4% Towers)

266.4

baseline baseline

baseline

ACCC Delhi

28.6

534.5

1618

0.0525

192

114

85 C

2.82

232

0%

$0

$0

ACCC Delhi

pre-tension (266.4 KN for 1hr), which does not load the towers beyond the stress from ACSR Moose under wind

122

85 C

4.07

266.4

0%

$0

$0

ACCC Rome

29.9

599.4 678.2

1795 2015

0.0468 0.0414

188 192

118 120

81 C 78C

1.31 0.3

234 238

20% 36%

$624,400 $9,374,000 $981,000 $17,400,000

ACCC Mumbai 31.8

ACCC Mumbai 31.8

678.2

2015

0.0414

192

145

78C

1.93

266.4

36%

$981,000 $17,400,000

ACCC Mumbai

pre-tension (266.4 KN for 1hr), which does not load the towers beyond the stress from ACSR Moose under wind

130

78C

1.93

266.4

36%

$981,000 $17,400,000

As s umption: 350 m s pa n, 1000 m el eva tion, 170 Km/hr wi nd; Stri ng tens i on a t 32 C (22% RTS for ACSR; ~18% RTS for ACCC); Ma x Tens i on to tower not exceed ACSR Moos e

CONCLUSION

ACCC conductor is fully capable of continuous operation at temperatures up to 180 oC; and supports emergency condition requiring temperatures up to 200 oC. ACCC Budapest and ACCC Delhi conductors are well suited to substitute ACSR Moose conductors for Indias Power Grid for cost effective increase in line capacity, for reducing tower structures required, and for significantly reducing line losses. ACCC Conductor is the only new technology conductor that has been fully tested in laboratory, and field proven with about 10,000 km of conductor and 20,000 ACCC hardware devices successfully deployed in electric grids worldwide. Deployment of ACCC conductors could substantially improve the capacity, stability and reliability of Indias electricity grid.

REFERENCE
1. "Thermal aging of fibreglass/carbon-fibre hybrid composites" by E. Barjasteh, E.J. Bosze, Y.I. Tsai, S.R. Nutt in 'Composites': Part A 40 (2009) 20382045 2. Specification for a Testing Procedure to Qualify Organic Matrix Core HTLS Conductors, EPRI Report Product ID 1017785. 3. Experiments to Compare Performance of Composite Conductor Cores by Ravi Gorur and A. Hundiwale, Arizona State University, February 2005. 4. Characterization of Composite Cores for High Temperature Low Sag (HTLS) Conductors, by Ravi Gorur, Barzin Mobasher and Robert Olsen, Final Project Report, PSERC Publication 09-05, July 2009. 5. EPRI Report Aging Assessment of a Composite Core High-Temperature Low-Sag (HTLS) Conductor (Product ID: 1018553), 6. Analysis of Bamboo Effects in ACCC Conductors at High Temperatures by Rui Li, etc, in Electric Power Construction, Vol. 29, No. 6 (2008) 22 25.

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