Technical Characteristics

ASTM B987 Compliance

TS Conductor complies with ASTM B987-20 where applicable, though the standard's section on galvanic barriers isn't relevant to their design due to their patented aluminum encapsulation layer, which completely blocks moisture and oxygen from reaching the core. While the company has been working to update ASTM B987 to reflect current technology, progress has been slowed by legacy manufacturers protecting their market positions.

TS Conductor fully complies with ASTM B987-20 where applicable to our technology. The standard’s section on galvanic barriers, however, was written specifically for older conductor configurations and isn’t relevant to our design.

Our patented aluminum encapsulation layer completely blocks moisture and oxygen from reaching the core, making galvanic corrosion physically impossible. This protection mechanism is well-proven in the industry – aluminum clad steel wire has effectively prevented galvanic corrosion in steel core conductors for decades.

The path to modernizing industry standards is slow, complex, and more political than it should be. Despite a seven-year effort to update ASTM B987 to better reflect current technology, progress has been impeded by legacy manufacturers protecting their market positions. We continue to work with ASTM to advance these standards while maintaining our focus on verifiable quality measures like continuous X-ray inspection during manufacturing.

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Technical Characteristics

Thermal Sag Behavior: Knee Points and Material Properties

Bi-component conductors, made with two different materials, exhibit a thermal "knee point" - a temperature at which the aluminum strands reach zero tension due to thermal expansion as the conductor heats up. Traditional ACSR exhibits a knee point around 125°C but can't operate there due to aluminum strand damage, while ACSS shows a lower knee point but experiences high sag above it due to steel's thermal expansion. TS AECC exhibits virtually no thermal sag above its knee point due to its carbon fiber core's extremely low thermal expansion coefficient.

Performance & Operation

Standard Installation and Maintenance

TS Conductor’s AECC is the only advanced conductor that is fully compatible with traditional ACSR/ACCC installation and maintenance practices, requiring no specialized training or equipment. The aluminum encapsulation layer acts as a protective cushion during compression fitting installation, achieving 100% compaction around the core and preventing moisture ingress. The pre-tensioned design allows for standard bending radius requirements (25 times the conductor's outer diameter), while the sealed nature eliminates special storage requirements, maintaining full mechanical and electrical properties even after extended storage.

Performance & Operation

Longevity by Design

TS Conductor ensures long-term reliability through multiple design features addressing potential degradation mechanisms. The aluminum encapsulation prevents galvanic corrosion by eliminating moisture and oxygen contact with the core, while also protecting against matrix degradation from environmental factors. The design's system-level performance benefits from annealed aluminum strands that redistribute stress through controlled creep, and trapezoidal strand configuration enabling optimal energy dissipation without fatigue, while compression fittings create a solid metal surround achieving 100% compaction around the composite core.

Fundamental Technology

Award-Winning Design: Aluminum Encapsulated Carbon Core (AECC)

TS Conductor's award-winning AECC technology represents the next generation of advanced conductors. The design optimizes three critical components: a pre-tensioned carbon core (without glass fibers) that delivers maximum strength and stiffness with near zero thermal expansion, a seamless aluminum encapsulation layer that preserves core pre-tensioning and provides multiple protective functions, and trapezoidal strands made from annealed aluminum that maximize conductivity. This integration achieves superior performance across all key metrics while maintaining the built-in safety and reliability of traditional options, earning recognition from organizations like the U.S. Department of Energy, Public Utilities Fortnightly, S&P Global Platts, and Bloomberg NEF.