Renewable Energy
tested ACCR extensively and found that it retains its integrity after exposure to temperatures higher than the rated continuous operating temperature of 210°C and the emergency operating temperature of 240°C. Given that manufacturers have been experimenting with aluminium for decades, what’s the big difference this time? Te breakthrough is in the aluminium’s structure: the outer wires are hardened aluminium zirconium, stranded in either round or trapezoidal wire (which is similar to existing conductors). Te aluminium zirconium enables operation at higher temperatures without any impairment to performance, plus its resistance to corrosion makes it ideal for the salt-laden air of the UK’s shorelines. Te core is a multi-strand design of 7, 19 or more
wires, each of which is composed of tens of thousands of very fine alumina fibres, infused with additional high purity aluminium. Te combination of the core and the outer wires provides the strength-to-weight ratio required to ensure that high ampacity levels can be achieved without causing significant sagging. As a result, operators can maintain mechanical load, tension and clearances, even over wide distances or high wind conditions. For example, ACCR has been used to span wide river crossings. Of course, operators need to consider investment costs. As customers’ own business models have shown, ACCR offers a viable alternative to building new structures, both in terms of speed and financial cost. In
fact, customers’ studies have demonstrated that ACCR can actually lead to overall cost savings. ACCR is not just being used to connect remote
power sites; indeed, it is often installed in dense urban areas where major construction projects are not viable. Companies who have adopted ACCR so far include Tata Power Company in India, Shanghai Electric in China, CPFL Energia in Brazil, and Xcel Energy in the US. More recently, European operators have started to install or trial ACCR, including Réseau de transport d’électricité (RTE), which operates one of the largest networks in Europe. RTE has installed ACCR to give it the flexibility to increase overhead line transmission capacity in the case of any short term emergencies. Using ACCR has made this possible without needing to create a new transmission infrastructure. While ACCR is of course specific to 3M, it is part of a worldwide movement towards finding new ways to improve ampacity while limiting the impact on existing power network infrastructures. Te industry has no choice: we need to increase power, but there will a need to minimise disruption to the surrounding environment. Tis isn’t a problem that is going to go away, so the more we can look at ‘non-invasive’ techniques to meet the world’s energy shortage, the better. Technologies such as ACCR could play a pivotal role in meeting the UK’s wind energy ambitions. ●
Mark Gledhill and Allan Russell are with 3M.
www.3M.co.uk/accr
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The Group
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