Types Of Conductors Used In Overhead Power Lines

A conductor is one of the most important components of overhead lines. Selecting a

proper type of conductor for overhead lines is as important as selecting economic
conductor size and economic transmission voltage. A good conductor should have the
following properties:
•high electrical conductivity
•high tensile strength in order to withstand mechanical stresses
•relatively lower cost without compromising much of other properties
•lower weight per unit volume

Conductor Materials
Copper was the preferred material for overhead conductors in earlier days, but,
aluminium has replaced copper because of the much lower cost and lighter weight of the
aluminium conductor compared with a copper conductor of the same resistance.
Following are some materials that are considered to be good conductors.
•Copper: Copper has a high conductivity and greater tensile strength. So, copper in
hard drawn stranded form is a great option for overhead lines. Copper has a high
current density which means more current carrying capacity per unit cross-sectional
area. Therefore, copper conductors have relatively smaller cross-sectional area.
Also, copper is durable and has high scrap value. However, due to its higher cost
and non-availability, copper is rarely used for overhead power lines.
•Aluminium: Aluminium has about 60% of the conductivity of copper; that means,
for the same resistance, the diameter of an aluminium conductor is about 1.26
times than that of a copper conductor. However, an aluminium conductor has
almost half the weight of an equivalent copper conductor. Also, tensile strength of
aluminium is less than that of copper. Considering combined factors of cost,
conductivity, tensile strength, weight etc., aluminium has an edge over copper.
Therefore, aluminium is being widely used for overhead conductors.
•Cadmium-copper: Cadmium-copper alloys contain approximately 98 to 99% of
copper and up to 1.5% of cadmium. Addition of about 1% of cadmium to copper
increases the tensile strength by up to 50% and the conductivity is reduced only by
about 15%. Therefore, cadmium-copper conductors can be useful for exceptionally
long spans. However, due to high cost of cadmium, such conductors may be
uneconomical in many cases.
•Other materials: There are many other metals and alloys that conduct electricity.
Silver is more conductive than copper, but due to its high cost, it is not practical in
 most of the cases. Galvanised steel may also be used as a conductor. Although steel
has very high tensile strength, steel conductors are not suitable for transmitting
power efficiently due to the poor conductivity and high resistance of steel. High
strength alloys such as phosphor-bronze may also be used sometimes at extreme
conditions.

Types Of Conductors
As it is already mentioned above, aluminium conductors have an edge over copper
conductors considering combined factors of cost, conductivity, tensile strength, weight
etc. Aluminium conductors have completely replaced copper conductors in overhead
power lines because of their lower cost and lower weight. Though an aluminium
conductor has larger diameter than that of a copper conductor of same resistance, this is
actually an advantage when 'Corona' is taken into consideration. Corona reduces
considerably with increase in the conductor diameter. Following are four common types
of overhead conductors used for overhead transmission and distribution to carry
generated power from generating stations to the end users.
Generally, all types of conductors are in stranded form in order to increase the flexibility.
Solid wires, except for very small cross sectional area, are very difficult to handle and,
also, they tend to crystallize at the point of support because of swinging in winds.
1.AAC : All Aluminium Conductor
2.AAAC : All Aluminium Alloy Conductor
3.ACSR : Aluminium Conductor, Steel Reinforced
4.ACAR : Aluminium Conductor, Alloy Reinforced

AAC : All Aluminium Conductor

This type is sometimes also referred as ASC (Aluminium Stranded Conductor). It is made
up of strands of EC grade or Electrical Conductor grade aluminium. AAC conductor has
conductivity about 61% IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard). Despite having a
good conductivity, because of its relatively poor strength, AAC has limited use in
transmission and rural distribution lines. However, AAC can be seen in urban areas for
distribution where spans are usually short but higher conductivity is required.

AAAC : All Aluminium Alloy Conductor

These conductors are made from aluminium alloy 6201 which is a high strength
Aluminium-Magnesium-Silicon alloy. This alloy conductor offers good electrical
conductivity (about 52.5% IACS) with better mechanical strength. Because of AAAC's
lighter weight as compared to ACSR of equal strength and current capacity, AAAC may be
used for distribution purposes. However, it is not usually preferred for transmission.
Also, AAAC conductors can be employed in coastal areas because of their excellent
corrosion resistance.

ACSR : Aluminium Conductor, Steel Reinforced

ACSR consists of a solid or stranded steel core with one or more layers of high purity
aluminium (aluminium 1350) wires wrapped in spiral. The core wires may be zinc coated
(galvanized) steel or aluminium coated (aluminized) steel. Galvanization or aluminization
coatings are thin and are applied to protect the steel from corrosion. The central steel
core provides additional mechanical strength and, hence, sag is significantly less than all
other aluminium conductors. ACSR conductors are available in a wide range of steel
content - from 6% to 40%. ACSR with higher steel content is selected where higher
mechanical strength is required, such as river crossing. ASCR conductors are very widely
used for all transmission and distribution purposes.

Aluminium Conductor, Alloy Reinforced

ACAR conductor is formed by wrapping strands of high purity aluminium (aluminium
1350) on high strength Aluminum-Magnesium-Silicon alloy (6201 aluminium alloy) core.
ACAR has better electrical as well as mechanical properties than equivalent ACSR
conductors. ACAR conductors may be used in overhead transmission as well as
distribution lines.

Bundled Conductors

Transmission at extra high voltages (say above 220 kV) poses some problems such as
significant corona loss and excessive interference with nearby communication lines when
only one conductor per phase is used. This is because, at EHV level, the electric field
gradient at the surface of a single conductor is high enough to ionize the surrounding air
which causes corona loss and interference problems. The electric field gradient can be
reduced significantly by employing two or more conductors per phase in close proximity.
Two or more conductors per phase are connected at intervals by spacers and are called
as bundled conductors. The image at right shows two conductors in bundled form per
phase. Number of conductors in a bundled conductor is greater for higher voltages.
TYPES OF CONDUCTOR

1. Copper

Copper is an ideal material for overhead lines owing to its high electrical conductivity and greater
tensile strength. It is always used in the hard drawn form as stranded conductor. Although hard drawing
decreases the electrical conductivity slightly yet it increases the tensile strength considerably. Copper
has high current density i.e., the current carrying capacity of copper per unit of Xsectional area is quite
large. This leads to two advantages. Firstly, smaller X- sectional area of conductor is required and
secondly, the area offered by the conductor to wind loads is reduced. Moreover, this metal is quite
homogeneous, durable and has high scrap value. There is hardly any doubt that copper is an ideal
material for transmission and distribution of electric power. However, due to its higher cost and non-
availability, it is rarely used for these purposes. Now a days the trend is to use aluminium in place of
copper.

2. Aluminium

Aluminium is cheap and light as compared to copper but it has much smaller conductivity and tensile
strength. The relative comparison of the two materials is briefed below:

(i) The conductivity of aluminium is 60% that of copper. The smaller conductivity of aluminium means
that for any particular transmission efficiency, the X-sectional area of conductor must be larger in
aluminium than in copper. For the same resistance, the diameter of aluminium conductor is about 1·26
times the diameter of copper conductor. The increased X-section of aluminium exposes a greater
surface to wind pressure and, therefore, supporting towers must be designed for greater transverse
strength. This often requires the use of higher towers with consequence of greater sag.

(ii) The specific gravity of aluminium (2·71 gm/cc) is lower than that of copper (8·9 gm/cc).Therefore,
an aluminium conductor has almost one-half the weight of equivalent copper conductor. For this
reason, the supporting structures for aluminium need not be made so strong as that of copper conductor.

(iii) Aluminium conductor being light, is liable to greater swings and hence larger crossarms are
required.

(iv) Due to lower tensile strength and higher co-efficient of linear expansion of aluminium, the sag is
greater in aluminium conductors. Considering the combined properties of cost, conductivity, tensile
strength, weight etc., aluminium has an edge over copper. Therefore, it is being widely used as a
conductor material. It is particularly profitable to use aluminium for heavy-current transmission where
the conductor size is large and its cost forms a major proportion of the total cost of complete
installation.

3. Steel cored aluminium

Due to low tensile strength, aluminium conductors produce greater sag. This prohibits their use for
larger spans and makes them unsuitable for long distance transmission. In order to increase the tensile
strength, the aluminium conductor is reinforced with a core of galvanised steel wires. The composite
conductor thus obtained is known as steel cored aluminium and is abbreviated as A.C.S.R. (aluminium
conductor steel reinforced).

Steel-cored aluminium conductor consists of central core of galvanized steel wires surrounded by a
number of aluminium strands. Usually, diameter of both steel and aluminium wires is the same. The X-
section of the two metals are generally in the ratio of 1 : 6 but can be modified to 1 : 4 in order to get
more tensile strength for the conductor. Fig. shows steel cored aluminium conductor having one steel
wire surrounded by six wires of aluminium. The result of this composite conductor is that steel core
takes greater percentage of mechanical strength while aluminium strands carry the bulk of current. The
steel cored aluminium conductors have the following Advantages:

(i) The reinforcement with steel increases the tensile strength but at the same time keeps the composite
conductor light. Therefore, steel cored aluminium conductors will produce smaller sag and hence
longer spans can be used.

(ii) Due to smaller sag with steel cored aluminium conductors, towers of smaller heights can be used.
4. Galvanised steel

Steel has very high tensile strength. Therefore, galvanised steel conductors can be used for extremely
long spans or for short line sections exposed to abnormally high stresses due to climatic conditions.
They have been found very suitable in rural areas where cheapness is the main consideration. Due to
poor conductivity and high resistance of steel, such conductors are not suitable for transmitting large
power over a long distance. However, they can be used to advantage for transmitting a small power
over a small distance where the size of the copper conductor desirable from economic considerations
would be too small and thus unsuitable for use because of poor mechanical strength.

5. Cadmium copper

The conductor material now being employed in certain cases is copper alloyed with cadmium. An
addition of 1% or 2% cadmium to copper increases the tensile strength by about 50% and the
conductivity is only reduced by 15% below that of pure copper. Therefore, cadmium copper conductor
can be useful for exceptionally long spans. However, due to high cost of cadmium, such conductors
will be economical only for lines of small X-section i.e., where the cost of conductor material is
comparatively small compared with the cost of supports.

Each material is different and has its characteristics and properties. Some materials have electrically
charged particles which are free to move inside them, known as free electrons. When such materials are
connected to a battery or a cell, the free electrons start to move and allow electricity to pass through them.
The ability of the materials to pass electricity through them is known as conductivity. Depending on the
conductivity, materials are classified as conductors, insulators and superconductors.
Materials with good mobility of electrons are known as conductors and materials with less mobility of
electrons are referred to as insulators. The conductor with the comparatively easy flow of electrons is
classified as a good conductor of electricity. In this article, let us know the best conductor of electricity and
its properties.

Table of Contents:

• What is an Electrical Conductor

• Types of Conductors
• Properties of Electrical Conductor
• Superconductors
• Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What is an Electrical Conductor?

If you have to define the meaning of electrical conductors in the simplest way, they are materials that allow
electricity to flow through them easily. If we compare two types of material and the first one allows a better
flow of electricity through it, then that material is said to be a good conductor of electricity.

Some examples of conductors of electricity are

• Copper
• Aluminium
• Silver
• Gold
• Graphite
• Platinum
• Water
• Human Body
An electrical conductor allows the electric charges to flow through them easily. The property of conductors
to “conduct” electricity is called conductivity. Such materials offer less opposition or “resistance” to the
flow of charges. Conducting materials allows easy charge transfer because of the free movement of
electrons through them.

For Better Understanding

Conductors and Insulators Continuous Charge Distribution

Electric Field Lines Electric Potential

Types of Conductors
• Metals
Most conducting materials used for practical applications are metals. For example, the wire around your
house probably uses copper as conducting materials or alloys. The electric plugs have metal in them, and
the internal mechanism of your electric irons also uses metals as their conducting material. This is
because metals have lots of free electrons and promote mobility. Some of the best metal conductors are
Silver (Ag), Copper (Cu) and Gold (Au).

The more free electrons present in a metal, the greater its conductivity. Comparatively, silver has better
electrical conductivity than copper and gold. Since silver is far more expensive than copper, copper finds its
application in all household appliances and circuits. 

Aluminium is also one of the best conductor of electricity which has a conductivity slightly lesser than
copper. It is used in the home’s internal wiring, and most commonly, it is used in combination with copper.

Silver oxide batteries are widely used in watches and hearing aids since it is light-weight and durable.

• Non – Metals
There are some non-metals which are excellent conductors of electricity. For example, carbon in the form
of graphite is an excellent conductor of electricity. If you see the structure of graphite, only three of the four
carbon atoms are used for bonding. This leaves one electron free for bonding. However, most non-metals
are not good conductors of electricity.

• Ionic Conductors
Conductors in their solution form are called ionic conductors. For example, saltwater is an ionic solution
and is a good conductor of electricity.

• Semiconductors
Although semiconductors are not as good at conducting electricity as conductors, they still have their
uses. Examples of semiconductors are Germanium (Ge) and Silicon (Si).

Properties of Electrical Conductor

A conductor exhibits the following properties in equilibrium conditions:

• A conductor always allows the movement of electrons and ions through them.
• The electric field inside a conductor is zero allowing electrons to flow within them.
• The charge density inside a conductor is zero.
• Only on the surface of the conductor do free charges exist.
• All points of a conductor are at the same potential.
Many metals are good conductors of electricity. This is the reason why parts of appliances that need to
pass electricity are made of metals. The plastic covering that surrounds an electrical conductor is known
as an insulator. It prevents us from getting an electric shock.

Superconductors
The superconductor is a material that offers no resistance to the flow of electrons and conducts electricity.
The superconductivity phenomenon was discovered by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes, the Dutch Physicist in
1911. Superconductors are elements or metallic alloy, when cooled below a certain threshold temperature,
lose electrical resistance property and become superconductors.

Some of the best superconductors are niobium, cuprate, magnesium and diboride.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What is the inverse of conductance called?

The inverse of conductance is called resistance.

State True or False: Since metals are good conductors of electricity, electric wires are
made of copper wires.
True. Electric wires are made of metal wires because they are good conductors of electricity.

List some common insulators.

Glass, Plastic and Air are some common examples of insulators.

Among the following, which is the best conductor of electricity?

• Aluminium

• Iron

• Copper
Among the these, copper is the best conductor of electricity.
Is wood a good conductor of electricity or a bad conductor of electricity?
Wood is a bad conductor of electricity.

Electric Current: The Flow Of Charge

Our ancestors relied on fire for light, warmth and cooking. Today at the flick of a switch, turn of a knob
or the push of a button, we have instant power. This is possible because of the electric current. Do you
know what is current? In this article, let us learn and find how electric current has revolutionised
modern-day living. It is one of the important discoveries that helped us transform our way of living.
From the time we wake up till the time we sleep at night, our life is dependent on electricity. From the
basic bread toaster and baking oven to the commonly used television all require electric current to
operate. The most common device, mobile phones, uses the electric current to charge the battery for
operation. Besides playing a major part at home, electricity also plays an important role in industries,
transportation and communication. In this article, let us learn to define electric current as an important
resource that we are highly dependent on.
Table of Contents:

• Electric Current Definition

• Prerequisites for the Current to Flow in a Conductor
• What is an Electromotive Force
• Unit of Electric Current
• Visualising Electric Current
• Conventional Current flow Vs Electron Flow
• Properties of Electric Current
• Effects of Electric Current
• Heating Effect of Electric Current
• Magnetic Effect of Electric Current
• Chemical Effect of Electric Current
• Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Electric Current Definition

Let us now define electric current and also know about conductors and insulators.
Electric Current is the rate of flow of electrons in a conductor. The SI Unit of electric current is the Ampere.
Electrons are minute particles that exist within the molecular structure of a substance. Sometimes, these
electrons are tightly held, and other times they are loosely held. When electrons are loosely held by the
nucleus, they are able to travel freely within the limits of the body. Electrons are negatively charged
particles hence when they move, a number of charges moves, and we call this movement of electrons
as electric current. It should be noted that the number of electrons that are able to move governs the ability
of a particular substance to conduct electricity. Some materials allow the current to move better than
others. Based on the ability of the material to conduct electricity, materials are classified into conductors
and insulators.

Conductors: these materials allow the free flow of electrons from one particle to another. Conductors allow
for charge transfer through the free movement of electrons. The flow of electrons inside the conducting
material or conductor generates an electric current. The force that is required to drive the current flow
through the conductor is known as voltage.

Examples of conductors: Human body, aqueous solutions of salts and metals like iron, silver and gold.

Did You Know?

Silver is the best conductor of electricity.
Insulators: Insulators are materials that restrict the free flow of electrons from one particle to another.
The particles of the insulator do not allow the free flow of electrons; subsequently, the charge is seldom
distributed evenly across the surface of an insulator.
Examples of Insulators: Plastic, Wood and Glass
Prerequisites for the Current to Flow in a Conductor
Some of the prerequisites for the electric current to flow in a conductor are discussed here. The circuit
includes an energy source (a battery, for instance) that produces voltage. Without voltage, electrons
move randomly and are undirected; hence current cannot flow. Voltage creates pressure on the
electrons, which channelises them to flow in a single direction.
The circuit forms a closed conducting loop through which electrons can flow. A circuit is said to be
closed or complete when a switch is turned ON.

What is an Electromotive Force?

The motion of free electrons is normally haphazard. If a force acts on electrons to make them move in a
particular direction, then up to some extent random motion of the electrons will be eliminated. An
overall movement in one direction is achieved. The force that acts on the electrons to make them move
in a certain direction is known as electromotive force, and its quantity is known as voltage and is
measured in volts.
Read More: Electromotive Force

Unit of Electric Current

Let us know what is current and the unit to measure it.
The magnitude of electric current is measured in coulombs per second. The SI unit of electric current is
Ampere and is denoted by the letter A. Ampere is defined as one coulomb of charge moving past a
point in one second. If there are 6.241 x 1018 electrons flowing through our frame in one second, then
the electrical current flowing through it is ‘One Ampere.’
The unit Ampere is widely used within electrical and electronic technology along with the multipliers
like milliamp (0.001A), microamp (0.000001A), and so forth.
Read More: Ampere

Visualising Electric Current

To gain a deeper understanding of what an electric current is and how it behaves in a conductor, we can
use the water pipe analogy of electricity. Certainly, there are some limitations but they serve as a very basic
illustration of
current and
current flow.
We can compare the electric current to the water flowing through the pipe. When pressure is applied to one
end of the pipe, the water is forced to flow through the pipe in one direction. The amount of water flow is
proportional to the pressure placed on the end. This pressure can be compared to the electromotive force.

Conventional Current flow Vs Electron Flow

There is a lot of confusion around conventional current flow and electron flow. In this section, let us
understand their differences

Conventional Current Flow 

The conventional current flow is from the positive to the negative terminal and indicates the direction in
which positive charges would flow.

Electron Flow
The electron flow is from negative to positive terminal. Electrons are negatively charged and are therefore
attracted to the positive terminal as unlike charges attract.

Properties of Electric Current

After we define electric current, let us learn the properties of electric current. Electric current is an
important quantity in electronic circuits. We have adapted electricity in our lives so much that it becomes
impossible to imagine life without it. Therefore, it is important to know what is current and the properties of
the electric current.

• We know that electric current is the result of the flow of electrons. The work done in moving the
electron stream is known as electrical energy. Electrical energy can be converted into other forms
of energy such as heat energy, light energy, etc. For example, in an iron box, electric energy is
converted to heat energy. Likewise, the electric energy in a bulb is converted into light energy.
• There are two types of electric current known as alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC).
The direct current can flow only in one direction, whereas the alternating direction flows in two
directions. Direct current is seldom used as a primary energy source in industries. It is mostly used
in low voltage applications such as charging batteries, aircraft applications, etc. Alternating current
is used to operate appliances for both household and industrial and commercial use.
• The electric current is measured in ampere. One ampere of current represents one coulomb of
electric charge moving past a specific point in one second.
1 ampere = 1 coulomb / 1 second
• The conventional direction of an electric current is the direction in which a positive charge would
move. Henceforth, the current flowing in the external circuit is directed away from the positive
terminal and toward the negative terminal of the battery.

Effects of Electric Current

After defining electric current, let us learn various effects of electric current. When a current flows through
a conductor, there are a number of signs which tell if a current is flowing or not. Following are the most
prominent signs:

Heating Effect of Electric Current

When our clothes are crumpled, we use the iron box to make our clothes crisp and neat. Iron box works on
the principle of heating effect of current. There are many such devices that work on the heating effect.

When an electric current flows through a conductor, heat is generated in

the conductor.
The heating effect is given by the following equation

H=I2RT
The heating effect depends on the following factor:

• The time ‘t‘ for which the current flows. The longer the current flows in a conductor more heat is
generated.
• The electrical resistance of the conductor. Higher the resistance, the higher the heat produced.
• The amount of current. The larger the amount of current higher the heat produced.
If the current is small then the amount of heat generated is likely to be very small and may not be noticed.
However, if the current is larger then it is possible that a noticeable amount of heat is generated.
Read More: Heating Effect of Electric Current

Magnetic Effect of Electric Current

Another prominent effect that is noticeable when an electric current flows through the conductor is the
build-up of the magnetic field. We can observe this when we place a compass close to a wire carrying a
reasonably large direct current, and the compass needle deflects. The magnetic field generated by a
current is put to good use in a number of areas. By winding a wire into a coil, the effect can be increased,
and an electromagnet can be made.

Read More: Magnetic Effect of Electric Current

Chemical Effect of Electric Current

When an electric current passes through a solution, the solution ionizes and breaks down into ions. This is
because a chemical reaction takes place when an electric current passes through the solution. Depending
on the nature of the solution and the electrodes used, the following effects can be observed in the solution:

• change in the colour of the solution

• metallic deposits on the electrodes
• a release of gas or production of bubbles in the solution
Electroplating and electrolysis are the applications of the chemical effect of electric current.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Why are copper wires used as connecting wires?

Because they offer low resistivity for the flow of electrons.

What is the reciprocal of conductance?

Resistance is the reciprocal of conductance.

What happens to the resistance of pure metals and semiconductors with an increase in
temperature?
The resistance of pure metals increases with the increase in temperature, and the resistance of
semiconductors decreases with an increase in temperature.
What is the unit of electric conductivity?
mho/metre or Siemens/metre.

Which method is used for the absolute measurement of resistance?

The Wheatstone bridge method is used for the absolute measurement of resistance.

What are insulators?

Insulators are materials that restrict the free flow of electrons from one particle to another. The particles of
the insulator do not allow the free flow of electrons.

Define ampere.
Ampere is defined as the unit of electric current that is equal to the flow of one Coulomb per second.

What is electromotive force?

Electromotive force is defined as the electric potential produced by either an electrochemical cell or by
changing the magnetic field. EMF is the commonly used acronym for electromotive force.

What is an electric charge?

Electric Charge is the property of subatomic particles that causes it to experience a force when placed in
an electric and magnetic field.

State Coulomb’s law.

The magnitude of the electrostatic force of attraction or repulsion between two point charges is directly
proportional to the product of the magnitudes of charges and inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between them.

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