A l c a n

Its All In The Shape

C o m p a c t / T W

C o n d u c t o r
tends to flow in a straight line rather than following the spiraling of the stranded wires. This reduces unbalanced magnetizing forces which are always present in threelayer ACSR designs. Improved Corrosion Resistance Because of the close fit of Compact ACSR/TW strands, penetration into the cable core by salt laden air and other pollutants is reduced. As a result, corrosion of the galvanized steel core is virtually eliminated.

Alcan Cable is always working to find new ways to help electric utilities transfer more revenueproducing energy to the consumer by reducing line losses. As part of this effort, Alcan has developed Compact/TW Conductor. Recent economic evaluations* have indicated that Alcan Compact/TW can deliver annual savings as high as $4,000 per conductor mile (dependent upon application). Because of its higher efficiency, over 2,700 conductor miles of Alcan Compact/TW are already in service in North America.

transmission line. Because the outside diameter of Alcan Compact/ TW will always be smaller than that of its round-wire conductor equivalent, wind loading may be substantially reduced. This becomes particularly important in reconductoring projects where the advantage of reduced wind loading helps minimize the high cost of modifying existing structures.

The Shapes The Key To Improved Performance

*See chart

The Shapes The Key To Greater Efficiency

Lower Radial Temperature Gradient Because of maximum surface contact between TW wires and layers, Alcan Compact/TW offers a definite improvement in temperature gradient when compared to round-wire conductors. This added metal-tometal contact produces improved thermal conductivity, approaching that of solid conductors, and results in lower operating temperatures. Lower AC-DC Resistance Ratio Alcan Compact/TW wire strands are larger, often making it possible to produce a two-layer construction rather than three layers as in a conventional round-wire ACSR. The two-layer design reduces resistance by eliminating the magnetic effect of the steel core. Additionally, the use of larger TW wires produces higher conductivity because of reduced ''cold work'' in the wire drawing process during fabrication. Improved Cur rent Distribution Increased interwire contact in Alcan Compact/TW also improves current distribution, circumferentially and between layers. More of the current

The Shapes The Key To Long-Term Savings

Alcan Compact/TW conductors are a remarkable advance in electrical transmission, offering significant advantages over conventional round-wire conductors. Compact/TW conductors are fabricated with trapezoidally-shaped aluminum wires (TW), a shape proven through long experience and widespread application in Alcan Self-Damping Conductor (SDC). Increased Ampacity Alcan Compact/TW packs more conductor into the same diameter. Compared to round-wire conductors, Compact/TW provides a 20% increase in aluminum area and a 17% reduction in resistance within a given diameter. Conversely, Compact/TW can be designed for equivalent aluminum area, but with a diameter 10% smaller than its round-wire counterpart. Reduced Wind Loading Wind loading is an important consideration in the design of any

Of all the advantages of Alcan Compact/TW, the most important is the long-term savings which may be achieved through reduction of line losses. Ask Alcan Cable To Prove It Given the particular design criteria for an electric utilitys proposed transmission line project, Alcan Cable can develop a customized economic analysis, using the present value method of evaluation. This analysis will compare the various conductors proposed for the projectboth conventional and Compact/TWand identify the conductor displaying the greatest potential for long-term savings and value. As examples of the savings to be achieved, consider the following actual results obtained through economic evaluations prepared for several electric utilities by Alcan Cable. In these cases, as in most of our studies, Alcan Compact/TW exhibited a clear advantage over conventional round-wire conductors.

Economic Evaluations
Utility A: Utility B: Utility C: Utility D: Utilitv E:

Conventional Conductor Proposed

954 kcmil 45/7 ACSR 1113 kcmil 45/7 ACSR 954 kcmil 54/7 ACSR 954 kcmil 37 W AAC 795 kcmil 26/7 ACSR

1158 kcmil Type 7 ACSR /TW 1359.7 kcmil Type 7 ACSR/TW 1158.4 kcmil Type 13 ACSR/TW 1108.6 kcmil ACAR/TW 959.6 kcmil Type 16 ACSR/TW

Alcan Compact/TW Alternate

Annual Savings Per Conductor Mile With Compact/TW

$3,318 1,910 4,325 2,098 3,215

The Shapes The Key To Versatility

A Design For All Conductors The Alcan Compact/TW design is not limited to ACSR (Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced). It can also easily be applied to AAC (All Aluminum Conductor), AAAC (All Aluminum Alloy Conductor), and ACAR (Aluminum Conductor Alloy Reinforced). Longer Reel Lengths Because of its reduced diameter, Alcan Compact/TW may be packaged in longer lengths on the reel, making lower cost installations possible.

No Special Tools, Equipment or Handling Required Alcan Compact/TW can be field installed with the same tools, equipment and procedures currently being used for conventional round-wire transmission conductors. Compression fittings of the conventional design concept are suitable for use with Compact/TW conductors. If your company is planning a transmission line project, new or upgrade, and you are concerned with selecting the most efficient conductor for long-term value and reliability, serious consideration should be given to Alcan Compact/TW.
Compact Aluminum Conductor, Trapezoid Wire Steel Reinforced ACSR/TW

For more information, please contact your Alcan Cable Sales Representative.

Comparison Of Conventional ACSR Conductors To Alcan Compact ACSR/TW Conductors With Equivalent Diameters
795 KCM 26/7 ACSR O.D. = 1.108 CONVENTIONAL ACSR CONDUCTORS(3) Stranding Weight AC Resis.1 (AL/ST) (PER/MFT) (OHMS/MI)
24/7 26/7 26/7 45/7 54/7 26/7 45/7 54/7 45/7 54/7 45/7 54/19 45/7 54/19 45/7 54/19 45/7 54/19 45/7 54/19 45/7 54/19 84/19 84/19 716 765 874 895 1022 1093 1074 1227 1163 1329 1254 1430 1342 1531 1432 1634 1521 1735 1611 1838 1790 2042 2072 2508 0.199 0.198 0.173 0.141 0.140 0.139 0.118 0.117 0.110 0.108 0.102 0.101 0.0954 0.0947 0.0898 0.0890 0.0848 0.0840 0.0804 0.0796 0.0729 0.0721 0.0658 0.0555

959.6 KCM Compact ACSR/TW O.D. = 1.108 Common Diameter (IN.)

.914 .927 .990 1.063 1.092 1.108 1.165 1.196 1.212 1.245 1.259 1.293 1.302 1.338 1.345 1.382 1.386 1.424 1.427 1.465 1.504 1.545 1.602 1.762

556.5 556.5 636.0 795.0 795.0 795.0 954.0 954.0 1033.5 1033.5 1113.0 1113.0 1192.5 1192.5 1272.0 1272.0 1351.5 1351.5 1431.0 1431.0 1590.0 1590.0 1780.0 2156.0 (1) (2) (3) (4)

Size (kcmil)

Ampacity (AMPS)
660 665 725 820 820 840 920 925 970 975 1015 1020 1060 1065 1105 1110 1145 1150 1190 1195 1270 1275 1365 1530

Ampacity (AMPS)
730 735 800 905 925 930 1025 1040 1075 1080 1130 1135 1180 1185 1230 1235 1275 1285 1325 1330 1410 1425 1505 1685

ALCAN COMPACT ACSR/TW CONDUCTORS(4) AC Resis.1 Weight Type2 (OHMS/MI) (PER/MFT) (NO.)
0.1638 0.1644 0.1428 0.1165 0.1136 0.1139 0.0969 0.0948 0.0895 0.0903 0.0829 0.0837 0.0775 0.0782 0.0731 0.0734 0.0690 0.0694 0.0653 0.0655 0.0595 0.0592 0.0543 0.0459 856 913 1047 1079 1241 1318 1308 1489 1417 1586 1530 1713 1640 1840 1755 1968 1868 2107 1982 2221 2199 2471 2498 3048 13 16 16 7 13 16 7 13 7 13 7 13 7 13 7 13 7 13 7 13 7 13 8 8

Size (kcmil)
666.6 664.8 762 8 957.2 966.2 959.6 1158.0 1158.4 1257.1 1233.6 1359.7 1334.6 1455.3 1433.6 1557.4 1533.3 1657.4 1622.0 1758.6 1730.6 1949.6 1926.9 2153.8 2627.3

At 75 C Conductor Temperature, 40 C Ambient, 2 Ft./Sec. Wind, No Sun, 0.50 Emissivity. Alcan Compact ACSR/TW Type No. is the ratio of steel to aluminum area in the conductor, expresssed as a percentage. Specification: ASTM Standard B 779: Shaped wire compact, concentric-lay, stranded aluminum conductors, steel reinforced (ACSR/TW). Specification: ASTM Standard B 232: Concentric-lay stranded aluminum conductors, coated-steel reinforced (ACSR).

NOTE: Other sizes (kcmil) and constructions (AAC,AAAC,ACAAR) are available on request. This information is presented in good faith, but no warranty, express or implied, is given nor is freedom from any patent owned by Alcan or by others to be inferred. While reference is made to procedures and practices of certain specifying agencies, the appropriate local codes must be reviewed prior to any electrical conductor installation. Data are approximate and subject to normal manufacturing tolerances.