Comment: Aluminum conductor power cable is quietly promoted and applied

In recent years, perhaps because of the interest relationship, the cable industry no longer dares to slog out the slogan of “aluminum substitute copper” as a national technology policy for wire and cable products, and instead uses the ambiguous term “aluminum section copper”. Almost the aluminum core power cable into the cold and then fast. However, no matter how it blocks, the development of science and technology is unstoppable. In China, aluminum and aluminum alloy conductor cables are being quietly promoted and applied.

In Europe, America and Japan, aluminum power cables have long been used extensively. Why is the same aluminum core power cable, so difficult to promote in China? In the 63-500kV grid system of the French Electric Power Company (EDF), 70% of the cross-linked polyethylene insulated cables of 95-2500mm2 are made of aluminum conductors, and they do not cry unsafe all day long.

In the era of severely fluctuating copper prices, the cable industry shouted that the price of copper was too expensive and cable products had no profit at the same time. On the other hand, in the heart, they were afraid of the decline in copper prices. This contradictory mood was only clear to the parties themselves.

In the era of severely fluctuating copper prices and affecting the profitability of cable products, it should be the best time to promote aluminum power cables. However, we are still insisting on the argument that there is no problem in the world, that is, 'aluminum-core cables can easily cause fire' It is not a strange thing. The international organizations that specialize in promoting copper applications internationally have not only failed to solve the problem of copper prices, but have also spared no effort in combating aluminum-core cables, which has seriously misled the implementation of the cable industry's technical policies.

In fact, in the various applications of wire and cable, the copper core cable or aluminum core cable, the design specification has express provisions, as cable manufacturers, it is important to work hard to develop and promote new products, do not need to use copper The core or the aluminum core is more brainier than it is to worry about others. Moreover, with the advancement of cable installation and installation technologies, the oxidation corrosion of aluminum conductors, connection problems, and transitional joints of copper-aluminum conductors have all been resolved, and there are no major technical obstacles.

Recently, it was reported on the Internet that aluminum alloy conductor power cables were favored by newly-built projects, and cable users voiced their opinions.

According to the report, since the aluminum alloy cable is provided with the same connection terminal as the copper cable, the connection with the original cable can be easily realized. Therefore, it can be installed in new projects such as industrial and mining, transportation, public facilities, and power supply projects throughout the country. See the figure of aluminum alloy cable. The resilience of aluminum alloy cable is lower than that of copper cable by 40%, which is more conducive to ensuring the tightness of the crimped terminal connection and the stability of the connection under long-term use. The high cost performance of aluminum alloy cables is the biggest reason to win the favor of new construction projects. A construction site construction staff said that the choice of aluminum alloy cable is to ensure safety while reducing procurement costs. Save 40% on purchased cables. The use of aluminum core power cables is also very quick to construct. The original plan was to use five bridges. Because the weight of aluminum alloy cables is light, only three bridges are sufficient. Some of the projects started with new types of aluminum alloy cables. The main building of the new office building of an administrative unit is still using copper cables, while the lighting and lighting outside the building are selected for corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy cables. Engineers responsible for the power supply said that there is no difference and they are stable, but aluminum alloy cable prices are lower.

From the above report, you can think of the following points:

First, the main resistance to promoting aluminum power cables is not entirely from users. In order to save engineering costs, users are still willing to use aluminum core cables under reasonable price/performance ratio.

The second reason is that cable manufacturers often choose copper and aluminum. Some cable manufacturers believe that the high price of copper materials, resulting in high prices of copper-core cables, makes it easier to improve the company's product sales. Some cable manufacturers also believe that compact aluminum conductors are not as good as compact copper conductors and do not want to undertake orders for aluminum core cross-linked cables. I have personally seen some manufacturers take the initiative to give up the aluminum core cross-linked cable orders.

Third, the copper industry outside the cable industry has over-exaggerated the advantages of copper-cored cables, ignoring the current status of copper and aluminum resources in China, thus misleading the manufacture, application and market of aluminum-core cables.

In recent years, copper-clad aluminum conductor power cables are also being used in power systems throughout the country. For this kind of cable, the cable industry has always had different opinions. So far, no national standards or industry standards have been formulated. Some people turned a blind eye to the popularization and application of copper-clad aluminum conductor power cables. They simply said that such power cables were 'fake inferior products' and even vowed to declare that the company would never make copper-clad aluminum conductor cables. Today, with the rapid advancement in product technology, it is very unobjective to insist on such an 'ostrich policy' and argument.

As a cable industry that specializes in the research and development of cable products, it should be a commando team that closely follows the trend of the world to develop new cable products, instead of setting up some rules and regulations to restrain themselves. Only by boldly carrying out technological innovation based on market demand can the product always maintain its advanced nature. The enterprise is the main body of product technology innovation. It should encourage and assist enterprises to achieve technological advancement and upgrading of products, instead of artificially restricting the hands and feet of enterprises.

There have been enough lessons in the past. For example, the carbon fiber composite overhead conductor is a product introduced by the United States CTC company technology, rather than independent research and development of products; independent development of steel-cored aluminum strand conductor aerial cable has been widely used in the country, and the national standard has not been included in the This product is also said to be 'indispensable', thus becoming a 'non-standard product'; parallel bundled overhead conductors that have been widely used in the construction and renovation of rural power grids are new types of cables developed by power companies. The product has nothing to do with the cable industry; the high-temperature superconducting cable is the scientific research achievement of the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and it is not the cable industry. What is more, it is to put ice and snow wires. To date, no cable company has planned to develop or manufacture such overhead conductors. The power sector has to adopt other methods to melt ice and resist snow, and so on. In recent years, the Shanghai Wire and Cable Quality Supervision and Inspection Center has issued several special cable product standards, including wind power cables, etc. This is a good start, at least enabling companies to follow regulations when developing new products. Say it's a 'all-in-one' product.

As for the aluminum-core power cable mentioned in this article, it would have been a good opportunity for promotion in the situation of severely fluctuating copper prices. However, we did not seize this opportunity, thus wasting a lot of copper resources and confusing the enterprise. . From the perspective of export orders for power cables, aluminum-core power cables of various voltage grades account for a large proportion. Exports to South Asia and the Middle East do not say that even the power cables exported to Europe and the Americas are also many aluminum cores. .

Now, power cable users are finally able to correctly understand the aluminum power cable. It is expected that aluminum core power cables will be actively promoted and applied in China, and will also reduce the pressure on the supply of copper resources and the plight of cable manufacturers. The transformation and upgrading of products does not necessarily mean the development of high-end products. If even the most common aluminum core power cables are not doing well, what are the high-end technological advances?

The manufacture of aluminum alloy conductor power cables requires aluminum alloy conductor manufacturing equipment and technology. Visionary companies should develop aluminum alloy conductor manufacturing technology, not only for power cables, but also for overhead cables and overhead conductors.