Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced (ACSR/TW)

ACSR/TW conductors are the enhanced type of ACSR conductors. Conventional aluminium wires are typically characterized by a circular cross-section. However, an innovative alternative involves employing trapezoidal-shaped aluminium wires (TW) in lieu of circular wires, while maintaining the same aluminium content. By adopting this approach, the strength-to-weight ratio remains constant, but the integration of trapezoidal aluminium wires results in a more condensed overall conductor configuration. As a result, the overall diameter experiences a reduction of approximately 10% to 15%.

The adoption of smaller conductor diameters carries several advantages. Firstly, it diminishes both the drag force and the accumulation of ice weight on the conductor. Consequently, these reductions translate into benefits such as lower sag, extended span lengths, and economies in the overall costs of the transmission line.

The utilization of compact trapezoidal strands introduces a significant increase of approximately 20% in the aluminium part's cross-sectional area of the conductor. This, in turn, leads to a reduction in electrical resistance and energy loss. Notably, this augmentation of the aluminium part's cross-sectional area by about 20% under identical line loss conditions has the potential to amplify the maximum allowable current flow through the conductor by up to 10%. However, it's important to acknowledge that this comes at the cost of a decreased strength-to-weight ratio, subsequently resulting in an increase in conductor sag.

ACSR/TW conductors present the option of utilizing Galfan-Coated or aluminium-clad steel cores instead of traditional galvanized cores. This modification extends the conductor's lifespan and concurrently diminishes electrical resistance.