TST CABLES aluminum alloy cable is a new material power cable. Aluminum alloy power cable is a new material power cable with AA8030 series aluminum alloy material as conductor, special roll-formed wire stranding production process and annealing treatment and other advanced technologies. Alloy power cable makes up for the shortcomings of pure aluminum cable in the past. Although the electrical conductivity of the cable has not been improved, the bending performance, creep resistance and corrosion resistance have been greatly improved, which can ensure that the cable can maintain continuous performance stability when overloaded and overheated for a long time. The use of AA-8030 series aluminum alloy conductor can greatly improve the conductivity and high temperature resistance of aluminum alloy cable, and solve the problems of pure aluminum conductor and creep.
The conductivity of aluminum alloy is 61.8% of the most commonly used reference material copper IACS, and the current carrying capacity is 79% of copper, which is better than the pure aluminum standard. However, under the same volume, the actual weight of aluminum alloy is about one-third of copper. Therefore, the weight of aluminum alloy cable is about half of that of copper cable at the same current carrying capacity. TST CABLES uses aluminum alloy cables to replace copper cables, which can reduce the weight of cables, reduce installation costs, reduce wear and tear on equipment and cables, and make installation easier.
Features of aluminum alloy cables
- From a professional perspective, aluminum alloy cables add alloy elements such as silicon, zinc, and boron to electrical aluminum, which is what we need. At the same time, through process adjustments, the mechanical properties of aluminum alloy conductors are greatly improved, avoiding the problems of low elongation, poor creep resistance, and poor flexibility of pure aluminum conductors, and increasing the connection reliability of cable systems.
- In addition, it is also a good quality to keep the electrical properties of aluminum alloys on par with electrical aluminum conductors. Above 61% IACS. The DC resistance assessment index of aluminum alloy conductors can refer to the DC resistance value of solid conductors or stranded conductors in GB/T3956-2008 “Conductors of Cables”, and GB/T3954-2014 “Electrical Aluminum Round Rods” already have AA8030 and other types of rods.
- When used, alloy power cables make up for the shortcomings of pure aluminum cables in the past. Although the electrical conductivity of the cable has not been improved, the bending performance, creep resistance and corrosion resistance have been greatly improved. It can ensure that the cable maintains continuous performance stability when overloaded and overheated for a long time, and can greatly improve the conductivity, high temperature resistance, creep and other problems of aluminum alloy cables.
Conductivity
The conductivity of aluminum alloy is 61.8% of the most commonly used benchmark material copper IACS, and the current carrying capacity is 79% of copper, which is better than the pure aluminum standard. However, at the same volume, the actual weight of aluminum alloy is about one-third of copper. Therefore, the weight of aluminum alloy cable is about half of that of copper cable at the same current carrying capacity. Using aluminum alloy cable instead of copper cable can reduce the weight of cable, reduce installation costs, reduce wear of equipment and cables, and make installation easier.
Weight
Under the premise of meeting the same electrical performance, the weight of aluminum alloy cable is half of that of copper core cable, its cross-section is 1.1~1.25 times that of traditional copper core cable, and the price is 15~30% lower than that of traditional copper core cable.
Related advantages of aluminum alloy cables
Anti-creep performance
The alloy material and annealing process of aluminum alloy conductors reduce the “creep” tendency of conductors under heat and pressure. Compared with pure aluminum, the anti-creep performance is improved by 300%, avoiding the relaxation problem caused by cold flow or creep.Tensile strength and elongation
Compared with pure aluminum conductors, aluminum alloy conductors have greatly improved tensile strength and elongation by adding special ingredients and using special processing technology. The flexibility is 33% higher than copper, and the elasticity is 40% lower, making it safer and more reliable to use.
Coefficient of thermal expansion
The coefficient of thermal expansion is used to calculate the dimensional change of materials when the temperature changes. The thermal expansion coefficient of aluminum alloy is equivalent to that of copper. Aluminum connectors have been reliably used for copper and aluminum conductors for many years, and most electrical connectors used today are made of aluminum, which is particularly suitable for aluminum alloys. Therefore, the expansion and contraction of aluminum alloy conductors and connectors are exactly the same.
Connection performance
Electrical connections made with aluminum alloys are as safe and stable as those made with copper conductors. The composition of aluminum alloys greatly improves its connection performance. When the conductor is annealed, the added iron produces high-strength creep resistance, which ensures stable connection even when overloaded and overheated for a long time.
Strong self-weight bearing capacity
Aluminum alloys improve the tensile strength of pure aluminum. Aluminum alloy cables can support 4,000 meters of self-weight, while copper cables can only support 2,750 meters. This advantage is particularly prominent when wiring large-span buildings (such as stadiums).
Anti-corrosion performance
Aluminum’s inherent anti-corrosion performance comes from the thin and strong oxide layer formed when the aluminum surface comes into contact with air. This oxide layer is particularly resistant to various forms of corrosion. The rare earth elements added to the alloy can further improve the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloys, especially electrochemical corrosion. The ability of aluminum to withstand harsh environments makes it widely used as conductors for cables in trays, as well as many industrial components and containers. The occurrence of corrosion is usually related to the connection of different metals in a humid environment. Appropriate protective measures can be used to prevent the occurrence of corrosion, such as the use of lubricants, antioxidants and protective coatings. Alkaline soil and some types of acidic soil environments are highly corrosive to aluminum, so aluminum conductors laid directly in the ground should be insulated or molded to prevent corrosion. In sulfur-containing environments, such as railway tunnels and other similar places, aluminum alloys have much better corrosion resistance than copper.
Flexibility
Aluminum alloys have good bending properties, and their unique alloy formula and processing technology greatly improve flexibility. Aluminum alloys are 30% more flexible than copper and 40% less resilient than copper. The bending radius of a general copper cable is 10 to 20 times the outer diameter, while the bending radius of an aluminum alloy cable is only 7 times the outer diameter, making it easier to connect terminals.
Armored characteristics
Most of the commonly used armored cables in China are steel belt armored, with a low safety level. When subjected to external destructive forces, their resistance is poor, which can easily lead to breakdown, and they are heavy, with a very high installation cost. In addition, they have poor corrosion resistance and a short service life. The metal interlocking armored cable we developed according to the US standard uses aluminum alloy interlocking armor. The interlocking structure between the layers ensures that the cable can withstand strong external destructive force. Even if the cable is subjected to greater pressure and impact, the cable is not easily punctured, which improves safety performance. At the same time, the armored structure isolates the cable from the outside world. Even in the event of a fire, the armor layer improves the flame retardant and fire resistance level of the cable and reduces the risk factor of fire. Compared with steel belt armor, the aluminum alloy belt armor structure is light in weight, convenient to lay, and can be installed without a bridge, which can reduce the installation cost by 20%~40%. Different outer sheath layers can be selected according to different places of use, making the armored cable more widely used.
Compression characteristics
From the perspective of volume conductivity alone, aluminum alloy is inferior to copper, but the conductors we developed have not only made improvements in material properties, but also made great breakthroughs in technology. We use unconventional compression technology to achieve a compression coefficient of 0.93, and the compression coefficient of special-shaped wires can reach 0.95, which is the first in China. Through the maximum compression, the deficiency of aluminum alloy in volume conductivity can be compensated, making the stranded conductor core like a solid conductor, significantly reducing the outer diameter of the core, improving the conductivity, and the outer diameter of the conductor is only 10% larger than that of copper cable under the same current carrying capacity.
Performance of aluminum alloy cable
- Corrosion resistance
Pure aluminum has better corrosion resistance than copper, but aluminum alloy has better corrosion resistance than pure aluminum, because the rare earth and other chemical elements added to aluminum alloy can increase the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy, especially the electrochemical corrosion resistance, which solves the problem of electrochemical corrosion of pure aluminum at the joints for a long time. - Mechanical properties
- Tensile strength and elongation. Compared with pure aluminum conductors, aluminum alloy conductors have greatly improved tensile strength and elongation by adding special ingredients and using special processing technology, making them safer and more reliable to use.
- Bending performance. The bending performance of aluminum core cable is very poor, and it is easy to break when bent. The bending radius of aluminum alloy power cable is 7 times the outer diameter of the cable, which is far better than the 10-20 times the outer diameter of the cable specified in the “minimum bending radius during cable installation” of GB/T12706.
Third. Flexibility. Pure aluminum cable will crack or break as long as it is twisted at a certain angle several times, which is easy to cause accidents. Aluminum alloy power cable can withstand dozens of bends, eliminating the hidden dangers of accidents in the installation and use of pure aluminum cables in the past, and greatly improving safety and reliability. - Conductivity
Aluminum alloy conductors are emerging conductor materials formed by adding rare earth, magnesium, copper, iron and other elements to pure aluminum through alloying technology. As we all know, after adding various other alloy elements to aluminum, the conductivity will decrease, and through process control, the conductivity can be restored to a level close to that of pure aluminum, making it have a similar current carrying capacity as pure aluminum. - Creep resistance
Pure aluminum has poor creep resistance. The thermal expansion and contraction caused by power on and off will cause large creep at the connection point. After a long time, it will relax, and the contact resistance will increase, causing overheating, which is easy to cause accidents. The creep resistance of AA8000 series aluminum alloy is 300% of that of pure aluminum conductors, which greatly reduces the possibility of cable joint relaxation and improves the connection condition of the conductor.
Application scope of aluminum alloy cable
The good mechanical and electrical properties of aluminum alloy power cable make it widely used in various fields of the national economy, such as ordinary houses, high-rise buildings, elevators, large and small supermarkets and shopping malls, subways, airports, stations, hospitals, banks, office buildings, hotels, postal and telecommunications buildings, exhibition halls, libraries, museums, ancient buildings, schools, power buildings, public entertainment venues, tunnels, underground buildings, warehouses, etc. It can also be used in metallurgy, steel, coke, coal mines, power plants, substations, shipbuilding, petroleum, chemicals, medicine, nuclear power plants, aerospace, military, papermaking and other industries, as well as home appliances, automobiles, public transportation facilities, etc.
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