Copper and aluminum are two metals that are commonly used around where you live in form of medium and low voltage cable; however, the aluminum wire or cable seems so powerless in technical terms against copper, aside from their ability to conduct electricity, the other technologically important properties of these two metals, such as their density, are so drastically different from one another that their fields of application have always been easily distinguishable from one another. In the same vein, not much has changed, nor is it expected to change in the near future. The introduction of cast copper rotor cages is the sole truly innovative advancement that has occurred in previous years. Aluminum and copper are basically only in competition with one another in the same market segments in the following three, and now four, areas in the field of electrical engineering: The question that needs to be answered is, which of these two undesirable aspects of the cable—a larger cable cross-section or a higher cable weight—is preferable? In most cases, the price of the cable made of aluminum will be significantly lower. However, it is important to keep in mind that copper cable is more ductile and less likely to experience problems with electrical contact. As a result, the copper cable provides a higher margin of safety than the same aluminum cable does. Because it has a smaller cross-section, the copper cable will also be easier to install. 
This is because the stiffness of the cable depends on the squared of the cross-sectional area, which in turn depends on the fourth power of the diameter. It is also feasible to get a very small stranded copper cable. Stranded aluminum cable, on the other hand, is only available at nominal cross-sectional areas of at least 10 mm2 and the single strands are still very thick in comparison to those in the equivalently sized copper cable. Copper is the only material that can be made into conductors that are described as being "finely stranded" or "extra finely stranded." This is due to the technical requirements involved. Because of this, the most refined aluminum conductors on the market are noticeably more rigid than the most refined copper conductors, and the disparity between the two has, on occasion, resulted in some quite expensive surprises. Although the price of the aluminum conductor might appear to be lower on paper, this does not take into consideration the additional time and money required to install the less flexible aluminum cables. Recently, as a compromise approach, a combination Cu-Al cable has emerged, and it is currently being used as an underground cable in low-voltage distributing networks at the Dietlikon power utility in Switzerland. After being invited to attend conferences of DKE Committee 712 titled "Safety of Information Technology Installations involving Equipotential Bonding and Earthing," a representative from the Swiss Dietlikon company offered a report on the product and the underlying concept. The electricity company that serves Dietlikon is the first known distribution network operator to systematically convert its distribution network to a five-wire TN-S system. This is work that the utility normally only does when making repairs, expanding the network, or installing new installations. In this new type of cable, the phase conductors and the neutral conductor both have the same cross-section, which contributes to the creation of a symmetrical cable structure. The phase conductors are made of aluminum, while the neutral conductor, which has the same diameter as the phase conductors, is made of copper. This allows the neutral conductor to carry a greater current, and as a result, the cable is better equipped to deal with the harmonic pollution issues that are so frequently discussed today. 
In this particular instance, the protecting earth conductor is organized as a copper-wire shield that surrounds the conductor. This configuration provides significantly improved symmetry and electromagnetic compatibility in comparison to a traditional I fifth conductor. Because the problem of winding space is not nearly as severe in converters as it is in electric motors, the utilization of aluminum is at the very least something that should be taken into consideration. In point of fact, the major leakage channel, also known as the gap between the HV and LV windings, needs to be a specific size for three distinct reasons: insulation, controlling the amount of current that flows via a short circuit, and ensuring adequate cooling. However, if power losses and all other important operational data, such as the short-circuit voltage, are to be kept at the same level as an equivalent transformer with copper windings, then a transformer with aluminum windings will be larger. This is because aluminum is a less dense material than copper. However, the overall weight of the slightly larger transformer that has windings made of aluminum will be slightly less than it would be otherwise. The disparities in the costs of production are pretty much canceled out by one another, and a number of highly regarded manufacturing enterprises are of the opinion that the selection of conductor material is essentially an issue of the philosophies held by the respective businesses. Busbars In this particular application, the requirements for available space have an even smaller impact on the decision-making process, but they are still a factor. 
Second, busbar applications are defined by a big quantity of conducting material and a small quantity of insulating material packed into a small space. This ratio of conducting material to insulating material makes up the bulk of the busbar. This emphasizes the various price variances for the materials. Thirdly, because of the enormous number of electrical connections that are packed into such a compact volume, the connectivity issues that are typically associated with aluminum are exacerbated in the context of applications like these. When all of these factors are taken into account, we are left with a deadlock and the question of which material to select approaches the realm of philosophy. Nevertheless, it is essential to make certain that pricing and costs are not being confused with one another. When cost is the primary factor being considered throughout the choosing process, aluminum is frequently the material of choice. But when all of the expenditures, including operational costs, are included in, it typically turns out that copper can teach aluminum a thing or two that aluminum can't teach itself. Copper appears to also have a nicer appearance, as some of the available aluminum busbars are copper-coated. This is not done to increase electrical contact (as drilling, pounding, and screwing will destroy the copper coat regardless), but rather for aesthetic reasons. Copper rotor cages are an example of a new field of application: Copper's higher electrical conductivity measured per unit volume is the primary consideration in this application because of its advantageous properties. Simply taking into account this aspect made it desirable to work through all of the technological challenges associated with the production of these gadgets. 
The reader should turn to the descriptions that are available in other places for additional information. The field in which aluminum is unrivaled is that of high-voltage cables suspended from the ceiling. In this application, the space requirements are not significant, but the weight does play a significant role. Because aluminum has a lower strength than steel, the conductor cables need to have a steel core in order to be strengthened. Despite this, the cables can still be manufactured at a low cost, and the two materials can be easily separated from one another using a magnetic field when they are scrapped. worries over the environment as well as the plating When left open to the air, aluminum and copper will both oxidize into an ugly brown color. Copper's conductivity is significantly enhanced as compared to that of aluminum when exposed to its oxides, chlorides, or sulfides. For an aluminum junction to have a low resistance, the aluminum bar conductors need to be plated to prevent oxidation as much as possible. The oxidation of aluminum that occurs away from the joint is not a cause for concern and will, in the vast majority of conditions, serve to protect the conductor against further corrosion. The plating protects the electrical connection made by aluminum bus conductors so that it can continue to function properly. Conductors made of aluminum and copper are commonly coated with either silver or tin. In most cases, it is not recommended to use a bolted connection when joining unplated aluminum to copper bus bars. The joint portions of either or both of the conductors are plated with silver or tin, depending on which method is used to make the connection, and the majority of Al to Cu connections are created using this method. The presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the environment is the primary cause for concern when it comes to the plating of silver and base metals like copper. Both corrode severely in environments containing only a little amount of hydrogen sulfide, but the latter corrodes more severely in settings that typically have higher temperatures when the equipment is being powered on. 
The general corrosion of the silver and the creep corrosion of the copper are both processes that are occurring at the same time. Because of its better conductivity, abrasion resistance, and endurance, silver plating is frequently used on contacts and other conductive parts in electrical equipment. Silver plating also has a long history of use. In most cases, hydrogen sulfide can be found in industrial settings such as chemical plants, oil refineries, steel mills, pulp and paper mills, and facilities that treat wastewater. In an atmosphere containing H2S, metal filaments, also known as whiskers, will begin to develop as soon as a coating of silver sulfide that is sufficiently thick has been created. This silver corrosion leads to a high resistance, which produces additional heat, which further drives the formation of whiskers and tarnishing. If this process is allowed to continue, it will eventually result in failure because of overheating or a short circuit. Tin plating is an effective means of environmental protection and offers a workable solution to the issue of H2S corrosion that affects copper and silver-plated copper.
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