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In a transmission line, voltage is stepped up to a very high value. This is so as to take advantage of lower line current and smaller conductor size. At these potentials1, however, like charges repel, so most of the current flow is along the skin of the conductor. Stranded conductors, even wound wire over insulating rope, is more efficient, and more cost effective, than solid conductors.

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1 Actually, this effect occurs at any voltage, but it is most notable at the very high voltages used in power line transmission systems.

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Stranded conductors are used because of their flexibility compared with solid conductors. Normally, transmission lines consist of a steel-wire core (which provides strength) around which are wound stranded aluminium conductors.

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Q: What are the advantage of stranded conductor over solid conductors in a transmission line?
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What are the Advantages of bundle conductors over solid conductor?

By bundle conductors, I am assuming that you mean stranded conductors. If you actually mean bundles of wires, then the bundles could be either stranded or solid and your question does not make sense. Stranded conductors have two main advantages over solid conductors. The first is flexibility. Stranded conductors are much more flexible than their solid counterparts. The second main advantage is skin surface area. Alternating current tends to travel towards the outer skin of a conductor. This is known as the skin affect. Stranded wire has a lot more skin surface area than solid wire does. There may be more advantages, but these are the two I could think of off the top of my head.


Hollow conductors in transmission line used to?

To reduce skin effect.CommentHollow conductors are not used on electricity transmission lines. Transmission-line conductors are normally manufactured of stranded aluminium conductors, wound around a steel-wire core. The steel core improves the conductor's tensile strength.Hollow conductors are, though, used as 'wave guides' in radio-frequency circuits. However, their purpose is not to reduce skin effect (in which most of the current flows close to the surface of the conductor), but to save copper -if most of the current flows close to the surface, then there's little point in using solid copper!AnswerHollow conductors are used on very high voltage underground cables, which are cooled by passing oil or gas through the conductors.


What is the advantage of stranded wires?

Flexibility is the main advantage of stranded wires; however for high frequency AC (i.e. radio frequencies), stranded wires increase the surface area, minimizing the skin effect (i.e. high frequency current avoiding the core of a wire, increasing its resistance at that frequency). This is not an issue at typical power frequencies (e.g. 60Hz) as the skin effect is still insignificant at those frequencies.


True or false stranded wire has a slightly smaller diameter than solid wire?

They should be the same but have different purposes. Stranded wire will flex easier than solid wire. And if one strand breaks there are sufficient numbers of other strands to continue the electrical current. When a solid wire breaks all connection is lost.


Why is stranded wire used?

Multiple stranded cable is used in transmission lines because the high voltage potential of each line causes the electrons to tend to run only on the surface of the line due to repulsion. You want to maximize the surface area of the line, hence the multiple stranded lines, so that you maximize the efficiency of the line. In fact, some transmission lines have a non-conductive core, adding strength while maintaining low weight.

Related questions

Difference between solid and stranded conductors?

In a solid conductor there will be only one conductor ,but in stranded conductors there are several conductors twisted together to make a whole conductor ,this is mainly done to increase flexibility of the Conductor .


What are the Advantages of bundle conductors over solid conductor?

By bundle conductors, I am assuming that you mean stranded conductors. If you actually mean bundles of wires, then the bundles could be either stranded or solid and your question does not make sense. Stranded conductors have two main advantages over solid conductors. The first is flexibility. Stranded conductors are much more flexible than their solid counterparts. The second main advantage is skin surface area. Alternating current tends to travel towards the outer skin of a conductor. This is known as the skin affect. Stranded wire has a lot more skin surface area than solid wire does. There may be more advantages, but these are the two I could think of off the top of my head.


Hollow conductors in transmission line used to?

To reduce skin effect.CommentHollow conductors are not used on electricity transmission lines. Transmission-line conductors are normally manufactured of stranded aluminium conductors, wound around a steel-wire core. The steel core improves the conductor's tensile strength.Hollow conductors are, though, used as 'wave guides' in radio-frequency circuits. However, their purpose is not to reduce skin effect (in which most of the current flows close to the surface of the conductor), but to save copper -if most of the current flows close to the surface, then there's little point in using solid copper!AnswerHollow conductors are used on very high voltage underground cables, which are cooled by passing oil or gas through the conductors.


What is the advantage of using a stranded copper conductor over a solid copper conductor?

It would of course depend on the specific application. Current tends to travel on the surface of a conductor and a stranded conductor has more surface area and thus offers less resistance to the current. Stranded wire also bends a bit easier than the corresponding size solid wire.


WHY STRANDED CONDUCTERS ARE USED IN POWER CABLES?

Stranded conductors are more flexible than solid conductors.


What lines send the electricity over nationwide network?

If you mean conductors instead of lines the wire is ACSR. Aluminium Conductors Steel Reinforced.ACSR is a concentric-lay-stranded conductor consisting of a single core wire or a stranded steel central core with one or more layers of stranded aluminium wires.


Why transmission line is in spiral shape?

For strength. It is made of a number of conductors and reinforcements, each stranded. These are twisted together in the same way as a rope.


What is the difference between bundled conductors and composite conductors?

Bundled conductors are used to reduce the effect of corona. As in place of a single conductor. two conductors are used in parallel the voltage gradient build up is less and thus the ionisation of the surrounding air is decreased. Therefore the effect of corona is reduced.


What are the different types of conductors used in transmission?

Overhead transmission lines use steel-cored stranded aluminium conductors. The steel supplies the necessary tensile strength, as aluminium is relatively weak. Copper is not generally used as it is significantly more expensive than aluminium.


Why the cable size is expressed in Sqmm not in diameter regardless of single or stranded conductor?

The cross-sectional area is one of the factors that determines how much current a conductor can carry -this is regardless of the shape of that conductor's cross section (many conductors are not circular). So the diameter is of not much interest.


Why stranded wires are twisted?

Stranded conductors are made up of many smaller solid conductors. In order to bunch the solid conductors to make the stranded wire they have to be held together. The simplest way of doing this is to twist them together. Once the solid wires are twisted together they are drawn through a machine that applies the insulation coating which holds the solid wires together. The final result is a insulated stranded conductor that has good flexibility. With this flexibility multiple stranded conductors can be easily be drawn through conduit systems that incorporate up to four 90 degree bends between junction boxes.


Is a conducting material used within flexible wires metal?

yes it is Conductors for flexible wires are normally made of stranded copper. Stranded conductors are composed of uninsulated "strands" of wire twisted together. The advantages of stranded conductor over a single strand of equal cross-section are increased flexibility and flex-fatigue life. The more strands of fine wire, the more flexible the wire will be. Other conductor materials include:aluminum and stainless steel. For more unusual applications, conductors are fabricated from pure nickel, pure silver, copper-covered aluminum, and a host of metals, metal alloys, and metal combinations. Metalized fibers such as Aracon can also be used for conductor material. Insulation also plays a role in a wire's flexibility.