What Are the Advantages of Cu Cables over Aluminum Cables?

Ⅰ. Advantages of Cu cables over aluminum cables

1. Low resistivity

The resistivity of aluminum core cable is about 1.68 times higher than that of copper core cable.

2. Good ductility

The ductility of copper alloy is 20-40%, the ductility of electrical copper is more than 30%, while the ductility of aluminum alloy is only 18%.

3. High strength

As for allowable stress at room temperature, copper is 7~28% higher than aluminum. Especially the stress at high temperature, the difference between the two is even greater.

4. Anti-fatigue

Aluminum is easy to crack after repeated bending, while copper is not easy. In terms of flexibility targets, copper is also about 1.7 to 1.8 times higher than aluminum.

5. Good stability and corrosion resistance

The copper core is resistant to oxidation and corrosion, while the aluminum core is simply oxidized and corroded.

6. Large current carrying capacity

Because of the low resistivity, the Cu cable of the same cross-section is about 30% higher than the allowable current carrying capacity (the maximum current that can pass through) of the aluminum core cable.

7. Low voltage loss

Because the resistivity of the copper core cable is low, the same current flows in the same section. The voltage drop of the copper core cable is small. The same transmission interval can ensure higher voltage quality; under the agreed voltage drop condition, the copper core cable transmission power reaches a longer interval, that is, the power supply coverage area is large, which is conducive to network planning and reduces the number of power supply points.

8. Low heating temperature

Under the same current, the copper core cable with the same cross-section has much smaller heat than the aluminum core cable, which makes the operation safer.

9. Low energy consumption

Because of the low electrical resistivity of copper, it is clear that copper cables have low power loss compared to aluminum cables. This is conducive to improving the utilization rate of power generation and protecting the environment.

10. Anti-oxidation and corrosion resistance

The performance of the connector of the copper core cable is stable, and there will be no accidents due to oxidation. The unstable joints of aluminum core cables often lead to increased contact resistance due to oxidation and heat generation, leading to accidents. Therefore, the accident rate is much greater than that of copper core cables.

Ⅱ. The advantages of aluminum cables over Cu cables

1. The price of aluminum cables is cheap

Copper rods are more than 3 times the price of aluminum rods, and the proportion of copper is 3.3 times that of aluminum. Therefore, aluminum core cables are much cheaper than copper core cables and are suitable for low-cost projects or temporary electricity use.

2. The cable is very light

The weight of the aluminum core cable is 40% of the copper core cable, and the construction and transportation costs are low.

3. Anti-oxidation

Aluminum quickly reacts with oxygen in the air to form an oxide film, which can prevent further oxidation. Therefore, aluminum wire is a necessary material for high-voltage, large-section, and large-span overhead power transmission.

Although aluminum core cables are relatively cheap, copper cables have outstanding advantages in cable power supply, especially in the field of underground cable power supply. The use of copper core cables for power supply underground has the characteristics of low accident rate, corrosion resistance, high reliability, and convenient construction and maintenance. This is also the reason why Cu cables are mainly used in underground power supply.