UP-RATING OF OVERHEAD

LINES

Presented by : Graeme Louw

 The Basics

• Only applicable to short

lines (< 100km)

• Typical deterministic transfer

limits in RSA:

• Max continuous
temperature = 75oC

• Max emergency
temperature = 90oC

• Average conductor temp

(= losses) - much lower

• Losses not usually a major

factor, but should be
quantified

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 Uprating Options

• “Free” Options

• Lidar Survey – ID critical spans

• Apply probabilistic rating

• Low Cost Options

• Nip , Tuck & Lift

• Tighten spans (conductor fully crept)

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 Uprating Options
• Moderate Cost Options

• Real- Time Monitoring (if practical)

• Re-conductoring with larger ASCR, TACSR, ACSS, etc

• High Cost Options

• Voltage upgrade (if possible)

• Re-conductoring with high capacity HTLS conductors

(ACCR, ACCC, C7, etc)
• Hybrid strategy

• Selective use of High Cost options (in critical spans)

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 Thermal Rating vs. Conductor Temperature
• The hotter you run ,the less you get

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Annealing of Aluminium
Strength reduces with improvement in ductility and
conductivity

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Deterministic Conductor Ratings

Conductor level
determined by
Templating Temperature
= function of
conductor characteristics - given
ambient T0C
ASSUME
wind speed & direction
“Worst case” scenario
solar radiation
power transfer determines
Probabilistic Conductor Ratings

Conductor level
determined by
Templating Temperature
= function of
conductor characteristics - given
ambient T0C
Apply Monte Carlo
wind speed & direction
simulation to get distribution
solar radiation
power transfer determines
Based on acceptable risk (eg 1.10-6)
 Real-Time Monitoring System

•Maximising Available Control

Transfer Capacity Centre

• •Variable Rating

• Clearance in critical span

monitored
Sag in ACSR conductor
• Exp coefficient of Al = 2 x Steel

• As temperature increases, the steel carries more of the stress

• At the “knee-point” the steel carries all the stress

• Conductor then expands at the expansion rate of the core

• With ACSR, the knee point is around 100oC

• Most HTLS conductors aim to shift the knee – point to lower

temperatures

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 Conductor Technology
• Aluminium Types:

• Hard drawn (99.7 EC) – ASCR & AAC (90-100oC)

• Al Alloy (6101 or 6201) – AAAC (90-100oC)

• TAI Heat Resistant Al Alloy (150oC)

• ZTAl and XTAI offer higher thermal limits

• (210oC) and (230oC)

• Fully Annealed Al – very soft but capable of high temperature (up to

300oC)

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 Conductor Technology
• Core Types:

• S1, S2, S3 galvanised wire (1100, 1400 ,1550 MPa Strength)

• Galvanised coatings deteriorate rapidly above 200oC

• Mischmetal (Zn-Al Alloy) coatings make operation at 250oC

possible

• INVAR (Fe – Ni Alloy)

• (Exp coefficient of INVAR – 1/3 of steel)

• Carbon composites (180oC) but no thermal expansion

• Metal Composite Ceramic Fibre Reinforced (250oC) with ½ exp

coeff. of steel

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 Conductor Technology
• HTLS Types:

• Invar can be used in core – TACIR

• ZTACIR (210oC) and XTACIR (230oC)

• Gap –type conductor eg GZTACSR

• Core pre-strained and decoupled from Al

layers

• ACSS or ACSS – TW (250oC)

• Fully annealed Al (round or trapezoidal)

• Trapezoidal construction enables up to 20% more Al in

same area

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 Conductor Technology
• Latest generation HTLS Types:

• ACCR (Aluminium Conductor

Composite Reinforced)

• ZTAL over composite ceramic-

aluminum core)

• 210C continuous, 240C emergency

• ACCC (Aluminium Conductor Carbon

Resin Composite Core
• Annealed aluminium strands

• Carbon fibre reinforced epoxy resin composite

solid core

• Thermal elongation of core is zero

• Elastic modulus of core is 2/3 steel

• Not suitable for high ice load

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 Conclusions

• Upgrades with latest generation HTLS will me more expensive than

a new line, but can be installed with min. disruption

• Understand your future needs well

• All options should be carefully evaluated

• When re-conductoring, balance to maximise:

• structure strength

• available clearance

• practical strengthening

Slide 15 of 16
Thank you

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