What is the alternative to OPGW?

OPGW vs ADSS &#; Which is suitable for Overhead Transmission Lines?

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During the transmission line installation, choosing cables that can withstand environmental hazards such as storms, rain, etc., is imperative. Moreover, they should be strong enough to support the installation length.

Along with that, as a precautionary measure, you must check the product quality and tensility. Keeping all these factors in mind, the most used are OPGW cables. And, if someone looks for an alternative, then ADSS cables would be a suitable choice.

But, here, the query arises &#; which is better? OPGW or ADSS?

OPGW and ADSS cables &#; Supporting electrical distribution system

The electric utility industry primarily relies on OPGW cables, also known as Optical Ground Wire. And, it is one of the most recommended cables for a secured top position transmission line. There is also an alternative to OPGW available in the market named the ADSS cable, also known as the All-Dielectric Self-Supporting cable.

How do they differ!!!

OPGW Cable &#; Optical Ground Wire

The manufacturing of these cables is based on two functions: an aerial conductor and an integrated fiber-optic unit. Here lies the difference &#; the aerial conductor protects the conductors from lighting.

Other than that, OPGW&#;s integrated fiber optics provide a telecommunication path for third-party communication, including internal ones. It is a dual-functioning cable and is a popular replacement for earth wires or traditional static wires. The OPGW hardware fittings are readily available and easy to install.

If we go by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) standard, it is also known as the optical fiber composite overhead ground wire. It is meant to combine the functions of grounding and communications. You can also use these cables when there is a dire need to change the existing ground wire that requires immediate replacement.

ADSS Cable &#; All-Dielectric Self-Supporting

These optical cables are strong enough to support the structure of transmission lines and are ideal for distribution. Moreover, it can withstand natural calamities and environmental hazards. This makes it a much better choice in comparison with other cables.

This is a non-metallic cable, and there is no requirement of lashing wires to support it externally. The major benefit is that you can place these cables in a conduit. The installation of the ADSS cables on the existing transmission line makes it cost-effective. Moreover, it is also independent of power lines and provides support through maintenance.

OPGW vs ADSS &#; Which is the difference?

Structural Difference

ADSS cables &#;

• In the case of ADSS cables, the casing that is present within the optical fiber has loose sleeves.
• The core of the cable has a design that looks like stranded layers.
• Moreover, the stranding formed in ADSS is SZ. The outer sheet bestows the strength, which aims to protect the cable against electric corrosion.
• Here aramid yarn is the main force-bearing component.

OPGW cables &#;

• If you look closely at the OPGW cable unit, it is made of a stainless steel tube and aluminum-clad stainless steel tube.
• Further, its metal mono-filaments are made of aluminum clad steel and aluminum alloy, providing peripheral strengthening.

Characteristics Difference

ADSS cables &#;

• ADSS cables have excellent elasticity; even if the fiber is shot for about 10 m in the distance you won&#;t notice any glitch.
• There is no metal unit, and it has a strong electromagnetic field resistance.
• Further, ADSS cables have lightning protection features and anti-electromagnetic interference designs, making them a worthy choice for overhead wires.
• Besides this, ADSS cables have been shown to resist environmental hazards due to their stability and mechanical support.
• ADSS cables are light in weight, and the construction is quite convenient.
• ADSS cables can assist in reducing the line construction cost as you can install them through the existing poles and towers. There is no expenditure nor the requirement for constructing new overhead supporters.
• These cables also have the capability to reduce power outages.
• Interestingly, these are independent of the power lines and convenient for maintenance.
• Further, there is no requirement for auxiliary hanging cables, as ADSS is quite popular as a self-supporting optical cable.

OPGW cables &#;

• OPGW is quite similar to ADSS cables, except that it is all metals.
• It has proven to show excellent mechanical support and environmental hazard resistance.
• In comparison to ground wiring, OPWG is quite similar and has similar mechanical and electrical properties.
• These cables also have the capability to shunt short circuit current to make a direction for lightning current.

Why do you need OPGW or ADSS cables for overhead electricity distribution lines?

Quick Installation &#;

Be it OPGW or ADSS; these cables provide a quick installation process. And, being fiber optic cables, these are not even there is no involvement of electromagnetic effects. All you need to do is attach them to the poles or dig trenches to bury them deep underground. If the circumstances remain favorable, then you can install about 1 km &#; 5 km of fiber cables within a day.

Ensures security &#;

These cables were developed to ensure security; since , the installation has been in demand. At the same time, they are reliable, and power utilities can depend on these cables to transmit critical communication by controlling the electricity network. Moreover, to shield it against theft and vandalism, these cables are protected by the proximity effects of power conductors.

A profitable choice &#;

Usually, overhead fiber cables help in cost-cutting as they are safe to use and do not require additional aid to secure them. Even though it costs much more than the underground cables, it doesn&#;t need additional support. Thus, making it a feasible choice and increasing the installation rate.

This also gives an advantage over the quick build of the network and provides early service. If we sum up, OPGW and ADSS cables offer a high investment return and reduce the initial cost.

Conclusion

Choosing the perfect cables for overhead transmission lines might get confusing. Thus, you need to stick to the key aspects such as cabling designs, environment and installation cost. If you are dealing with new cables and have to construct the entire transmission system from scratch, then OPGW would be suitable.

However, if you are dealing with pre-existing cabling poles, ADSS would work best as outdoor cabling. So, grab the best quality cables and wire from IAC Electricals, a trusted name in supplying ADSS and OPGW fittings for years.

All-dielectric self-supporting (ADSS) cable is a type of optical fiber cable that is strong enough to support itself between structures without using conductive metal elements. It is used by electrical utility companies as a communications medium, installed along existing overhead transmission lines and often sharing the same support structures as the electrical conductors.[1][2]

ADSS is an alternative to OPGW and OPAC with lower installation cost. The cables are designed to be strong enough to allow lengths of up to 700 metres to be installed between support towers. ADSS cable is designed to be lightweight and small in diameter to reduce the load on tower structures due to cable weight, wind, and ice.[3]

In the design of the cable, the internal glass optical fibers are supported with little or no strain, to maintain low optical loss throughout the life of the cable. The cable is jacketed to prevent moisture from degrading the fibers. The jacket also protects the polymer strength elements from the effect of solar ultraviolet light.

Using single-mode fibers and light wavelengths of either or nanometres, circuits up to 100 km long are possible without repeaters. A single cable can carry as many as 864 fibers.[4]

Construction details

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No metal wires are used in an ADSS cable. Optical fibers are either supported in loose buffer tubes, or arranged in a ribbon configuration. To prevent strain on the fibers, most types provide the fibres with excess slack length compared to the length of the supporting member.[3]

For longer spans, the most common design gets its strength from aramid fiber yarns, which are coated to prevent water wicking. The aramid yarn strength member surrounds a core made up of multiple buffer tubes, each containing multiple fibers, all surrounding a plastic core.[4][5][6][7] The outer sheath provides protection from water and sunlight. Another version consists of a large central tube containing multiple flat, thin structures called fiber ribbons; these consists of 6 or 12 fibers laminated between layers of a tape-like material.[4]

Another type of design uses four glass-reinforced plastic strength member strands, and loose buffer tubes cabled into an assembly and protected by a jacket.

Accessories and installation

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Fittings used with ADSS cable may be tension type, used at dead-ends where the cable terminates or changes direction, or may be suspension type, only holding the weight of a span with tension transmitted through the next span of cable. Reinforcing rods are used at dead-ends and may sometimes be used on either side of a suspension support. Wind-induced aeolian vibration may be a factor on longer spans since ADSS cables have light weight, relatively high tension, and little self-damping. Anti-vibration dampers may be installed on each span near the support points if needed. Accessories must not be clamped directly to the cable but instead over reinforcing rods, to protect the cable from electrical and mechanical damage. Termination boxes are used to enclose and protect splices between the ADSS cable and "inside plant" cable runs.[3]

ADSS cable can be installed using live-line methods on an energized transmission line. Fiber cables are generally supported on the lower cross-arms of the tower, which provides good clearance to the ground. When the fibers are installed in the middle of a tower, the fiber cable is unlikely to hit energized conductors. Lower weights and forces are used for installation, compared with metallic cables, so lighter equipment can be used.

Installation technique is similar to installing overhead conductors, with care taken to prevent excessively tight bending of the cable, and adjustment of the sag of individual spans as for metallic cables.

Application issues

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Cables must be designed for the worst-case combinations of temperature, ice load, and wind. An installed cable must not sag so low that it can be damaged by traffic under the line. On long spans where utilities already experience conductor galloping caused by sustained high wind, dampers may need to be installed on ADSS cable also. The cable specifications should allow for operation at the lowest expected temperature.

Transmission lines are sometimes exposed to damage by gunfire, especially in rural areas. Shotgun pellets may occasionally sever fibers or damage the sheath, allowing water into the cable. This is usually in areas where ADSS cables are strung low over known hunting areas.

Glass under tension and exposed to acid environments loses strength; this applies to both the optical fibers and the glass reinforcement of polymers. The cable jacket and gel coating of fibres provides protection from chemical attack.

The ADSS cable is suspended in the electrical field due to the phase conductors; this varies from a maximum at mid-span to zero at the grounded metal supports of the cable. In dry conditions, no current flows on the jacket of the cable, but moisture reduces the jacket insulation. Uneven distribution of moisture can result in formation of high-resistance "dry bands" which have a relatively high voltage across them. Dry bands tend to form at the supports. Voltage across the dry band can cause carbon tracks to form and erosion of the jacket material. If the voltage across the dry band is high enough, an arc may form which can damage the jacket. Dry-band arcing is more likely for cables installed under higher transmission voltage lines (220 kV and above). Even a few incidents of arcing along a dry band can cause severe permanent damage to the jacket, leading to subsequent failure of the cable. Relatively low sustained arc currents of a few milliamperes can cause eventual aging degradation of the cable. The magnitude of current available in an arc (and probability of damage) depends on the geometry of the installation and is not simply correlated with the voltage of the transmission line. Wetting conditions near industrial plants or saltwater will have more severe effect on the jacket resistance than in freshwater rain or fog. The two usual means of protecting cables from dry-banding damage in very high voltage environments involve using a tracking-resistant cable jacket material and relocating the cable to more favorable locations on the structure.

References

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