AA TH56

Abstract

Aluminum electrical conductors today are being specified for nearly all new transmission lines and for most bare overhead distribution lines. Covered and insulated aluminum wire and cable have also been widely accepted; it is estimated that almost all new service drops and service entrance lines are of aluminum. Aluminum now also has a significant share of the insulated, interior wire market, particularly in the larger sizes where weight and ease of handling are important factors. <br>Designers of heavy-current installations, particularly among electric power utilities and industrial users, have realized substantial energy savings through the use of larger conductors to cut I&#178;R losses. Such savings are equally applicable to other conductor materials, but the time required to recover the extra conductor expense is an important consideration. <br>The Electrical Conductor Handbook presents information regarding various aluminum alloys when fabricated as electrical conductors - from standpoints of circuit design, installation, and maintenance. The major emphasis is on conductors for transmission, distribution, and utilization of electric power. Other important uses of aluminum by the electrical industry also are described. <br>The book is written from the viewpoint of the electrical application engineer, as distinct from that of an electrical engineer employed by a manufacturer to design wire and cable. Thus the description in Chapter 5 of the sag-tension chart tells principally how the application engineer prepares suitable charts for a proposed circuit. <br>Another important objective of the book is to present the text so it may be understood by student engineers and those in utility training classes. To this end, many numerical examples are included. <br>The numbering plan used in the book for pages, tables, equations, and illustrations mentioned in text comprises two numbers separated by a hyphen. The left-hand number is that of the chapter; the right-hand number is that of a table, equation, or illustration (Figure) in the chapter. Thus, Eq. 5-2 is the 2nd equation in Chapter 5. Similarly, Fig. 5-8 is the 8th mentioned illustration in Chapter 5. Appendices follow the chapter to which each applies. <br>Industry Standards (ASTM, NEMA, UL , ANSI, etc.) referred to herein are revised periodically; hence the latest edition of the Standard should be consulted. Standards listed herein that do not show year of issue are those applicable when this book was approved for publication. For a listing of Standards Organizations, including addresses, cited in this book, see next page.