WCA September 2019

Technology news

Better measurement of electrical conductors

After several years of research, AESA Cortaillod has developed a new method for current injection. Rather than injecting it transversely, current is injected axially. In this way, all conductors are in direct contact with the current source, minimising the contact resistance effect between wires. The reliability of the results is significantly improved. For insulated conductors, to reduce the skin effect, conductors with large cross sections are often insulated. Radial current injection does not allow this type of conductor to be measured. The same applies to waterproofing conductors. Therefore, axial injection opens up new possibilities for these types of conductors. Aesa-Cortaillod – France Website : www.aesa-cortaillod.com

THE new, patented method of measuring the linear resistance of electrical conductors by axial current injection provides cable manufacturers with an important advance in their measurement of metal conductors. It pushes back the limits of traditional methods while providing an improve- ment in measurement reliability. The measurement of the linear resistance of electrical conductors has always been problematic. The achievement of reliable results depends mainly on the conductor cross-section and the contact resistance between the different wires. The problem is even worse when using conductors such as aluminium because the seemingly instantaneous oxidation of the conductor significantly increases the contact resistance. To obtain a relatively homogeneous current distribution in the conductor, the injection points were moved away from the voltage knives, sometimes by

several metres. However, this solution has disadvantages both in the handling of samples and in the wasted material cost. ❍ A new, patented method of measuring the linear resistance of electrical conductors

39

www.read-wca.com

Wire & Cable ASIA – September/October 2019