Buggsy GC said:Hi there everyone, I'm doing some study on electronics and the section on the advantages of A/C over DC mentioned that AC has less copper loss (I^2 x R), But to me this seems contradictory to the skin effect. Could someone please tell me why AC has less copper loss.
This is probably in reference to the development of the area-wide power distribution system, in an era when the choice was basically between DC all-the-way or AC all-the-way. Transformers enabled the efficient transmission of AC at high tension followed by a step-down to consumer voltages, whereas there was no equivalent available for efficiently stepping down DC at the power levels involved.Buggsy GC said:Hi there everyone, I'm doing some study on electronics and the section on the advantages of A/C over DC mentioned that AC has less copper loss (I^2 x R), But to me this seems contradictory to the skin effect. Could someone please tell me why AC has less copper loss.
Copper loss is the energy lost in the form of heat when an electric current flows through a conductor, such as a copper wire.
AC (alternating current) has less copper loss than DC (direct current) because the direction of the current in AC power systems alternates, resulting in a back-and-forth movement of the electrons. This movement reduces the buildup of heat in the conductor, thereby reducing copper loss.
The higher the frequency of the current, the higher the copper loss. This is because with a higher frequency, the electrons are moving back and forth at a faster rate, causing more collisions with the atoms in the conductor and resulting in more heat generated and therefore more copper loss.
Yes, the type of conductor material can also affect copper loss. Copper is a good conductor of electricity and has a lower resistance compared to other materials, which results in lower copper loss. Other materials such as aluminum have a higher resistance and therefore higher copper loss.
Yes, the length and thickness of the conductor can also affect copper loss. Longer and thinner conductors have a higher resistance, which results in higher copper loss. This is why power transmission lines use thicker and shorter conductors to reduce copper loss.