High temperature strength and creep of an Al conductor with a hybrid composite core

Steel reinforced overhead conductors undergo severe sag at high temperatures, limiting both the service temperature and the ampacity. To limit sag, an alternative core material has been developed that consist of a polymer matrix/hybrid composite. The aluminum conductor-composite core (ACCC) consists of annealed aluminum trapezoidal wire (TW) strands, much like ACSS. The ACCC/TW, though, offers reduced sag and improved creep resistance. In this work, the high temperature strength and creep of the ACCC/TW is assessed. The strength of the composite core at 100° to 180°C decreased only 10% from the room temperature strength. Furthermore, under constant loads at temperatures up to 180°C, creep was insignificant, and was determined to only induce a change in sag for a typical span and load of less than 0.35 mm at 150°C. The superior mechanical properties of the composite core highlight the potential for use of composite materials to produce overhead conductors with low sag at high temperatures.