Factors Affecting Selection of Conductor Material – Powerplant Electrical Systems

Although silver is the best conductor, its cost limits its use to special circuits where a substance with high conductivity is needed. The two most generally used conductors are copper and aluminum. Each has characteristics that make its use advantageous under certain circumstances; also, each has certain disadvantages.

Copper has a higher conductivity; it is more ductile, can be drawn out, has relatively high tensile strength, and can be easily soldered. It is more expensive and heavier than aluminum.

Although aluminum has only about 60 percent of the conductivity of copper, it is used extensively. Its light weight makes possible long spans, and its relatively large diameter for a given conductivity reduces corona, the discharge of electricity from the wire when it has a high potential. The discharge is greater when smaller diameter wire is used than when larger diameter wire is used. Some bus bars are made of aluminum which has a greater radiating surface than copper for the same conductance. The characteristics of copper and aluminum are compared in Figure 4-77.

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