3M High Capacity Conductor: ProgramThe conductorhas met all performance and

Tag : Heat Resistant Wire
In late 2007, Shanghai Electric became the first utility outside ofthe United States to install the 3M ACCR. Since then, utilities inCanada and Brazil also have chosen 3M's breakthrough conductor toenlarge capacity on lines where new construction would poseeconomic or environmental problems. Fourteen utilities in the U.S.so far have deployed 3M ACCR, which can carry more than twice thepower of conventional steel conductors of the same diameter.
Using existing towers, Chongqing Electric has installed atwo-circuit line of approximately 3.4 miles (5.5 km), linking theShuinian and Shuangshan substations. Chongqing is in a subtropicalregion with high humidity and frequently extreme summer heat, and3M ACCR was chosen in part because of its proven reliability indifficult climates.
"This is one of the hottest cities of China, with monsoonalweather, and we required a conductor that could be relied upon tocarry more current under those conditions, and could be installedquickly and reliably within the existing infrastructure," explainsWang Xinkuan, chief design engineer for Chongqing Electric PowerCorporation. Installation required only two weeks, he adds.
"3M ACCR has been in use, both in continuous field tests andcommercial operation, for several years and around the world, undera wide range of harsh climate conditions," says Tim Koenig,director of the 3M High Capacity Conductor Program. "The conductorhas met all performance and reliability expectations with nofailures in the field, in either installation or operation."
Koenig says the advantages that the 3M ACCR offers utilities areattracting attention around the world. "It's a proven,high-performance conductor that can match the sag and tension ofthe existing conductor with less weight while doubling capacity onthe line," he says. "And because it's installed on existing towers,utilities can reduce the costs and risks associated withtransmission construction projects, without adding any risk to theexisting system."
3M ACCR's low sag, strength and durability result from its core,which is composed of aluminum oxide (alumina) fibers embedded inhigh-purity aluminum. The constituent materials are chemicallycompatible with each other and can withstand high temperatureswithout adverse chemical reactions or any appreciable loss instrength. The conductor also is highly resistant to corrosion andhas the durability typically associated with all-aluminumconductors.
3M ACCR was developed with the support of the U.S. Department ofEnergy, which tested the conductor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory(ORNL) in Tennessee, and with early contributions by the DefenseAdvanced Research Projects Agency. The ORNL tests demonstrated theconductor's integrity after exposure to temperatures even higherthan the rated continuous operating temperature of 210 degreesCelsius. 3M holds at least 18 patents on this new technology. 3MACCR has been recognized by R&D Magazine with an R&D 100 Award asone of the most technologically significant products introducedinto the marketplace, and by the Minnesota High Tech Associationwith a Tekne Award for innovative development.
3M ACCR is offered by 3M's Electrical Markets Division (EMD), whichdesigns, manufactures and markets products for electricalutilities, electrical construction and maintenance, andelectrical/electronic device manufacturers. EMD has more than 60years of experience serving utility customers with highly reliableproducts, including high capacity transmission conductors; powercable splices and terminations; electrical wire connectors,terminals and tools; wire marking products; cable ties; electricalinsulating tapes; electromagnetic shielding and absorbingmaterials; heat shrinkable tubing and molded shapes for electricalinsulation; and cold shrink sealing and insulating tubes.
More information about the 3M high capacity conductor is availableat www.3M.com/accr.
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