Evaluation of Carbon Fiber Cables in Transmission Lines

Abstract

This article aims to present a technical alternative to improve the electrical conductivity in Transmission Lines (TL) and provide greater energy efficiency by using an Aluminum Conductor Composite Core (ACCC) instead of the most common conductor, the Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced (ACSR RAIL). Designated as a simulation line in this article, an existing TL with 500 kV and 181 km in length was considered, in order to study the exchange of four ACSR RAIL conductors per phase. Initially, the physical characteristics of these two types of conductors were compared, and the advantages of the other types of ACCC cables were considered. The technical analyses carried out were the corona effect, electrical parameters, losses by the Joule effect, the increasing of ampacity and reduction in the tower weight. The main contribution of the present manuscript is to perform this study considering all the previously mentioned parameters simultaneously. In general, conductors with a carbon fiber core presented a great potential for energy efficiency; indeed, considering some specific parameters analyzed in this research, the conductor ACCC PRAGUE could achieve an energy efficiency of 48.5%.

Keywords::

• transmission line
• electric power system
• energy saving
• power cables

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tarcisio Silva Lessa

Tarcisio Silva Lessa received the B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Veiga de Almeida University, in 2011 (UVA-2011). He is currently pursuing a M.Sc. degree in Electrical and Telecommunication Engineering at Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, Brazil.

Daniel Souto Lopes

Daniel Souto Lopes received the B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering and M.Sc degree in Electrical and Telecommunication Engineering from Fluminense Federal University (UFF-2013 and 2016), Niterói, Brazil. His professional experience includes power system design and simulations.

Paulo Sérgio Fonseca Antunes

Paulo Sérgio Fonseca Antunes received the B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from Veiga de Almeida University, in 2011 (UVA-1990). His professional experience includes the electrician and electrical technician training. He has been working for more than 20 years in electrical distribution companies.

Sergio M. D. Rocha Filho

Sergio M. D. Rocha Filho received the B.Sc. degree in Engineering from CENSA in 2012. His professional experience includes Oil & Gas Companies and maintenance activities.

Marcio Zamboti Fortes

Marcio Zamboti Fortes received the MSc at Energy Engineering at Itajubá Federal University de (UNIFEI-2000) and Dr. in Electric Engineering at São Paulo University (USP-2007). His professional experience included: management and industrial tests, maintenance and projects. He is currently a professor of Fluminense Federal University.

Vitor Hugo Ferreira

Vitor Hugo Ferreira received the MSc and Dr. degree in Electrical Engineering at Rio de Janeiro Federal University (UFRJ- 2005/2008). He is the Dean of Electrical Engineering Department at Fluminense Federal University (UFF). His research interest is computational intelligence and machine learning.

Guilherme Gonçalves Sotelo

Guilherme Gonçalves Sotelo is Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (2007). He was a Postdoctoral Fellow at LASUP (MagLev-Cobra project) between 2007 and 2009. He has been an Associate Professor with the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Fluminense Federal University. His research interest has been in the application of superconductors to develop electrical power engineering devices, energy storage and superconducting levitation.