A segmental conductor is a large conductor, of one million circular mils or more, divided into three or four segments insulated from each other to reduce AC resistance.
A segmental conductor is a very large single conductor, typically one million circular mils or more, that is divided into three or four wedge-shaped segments insulated from one another. This division is used to reduce the alternating current resistance of the conductor by mitigating the skin effect, the tendency of high-frequency or large-conductor AC current to crowd toward the surface. By breaking the conductor into insulated segments, the current is distributed more evenly across the cross section.
Reducing AC resistance through segmental construction improves the efficiency of very large power conductors carrying alternating current, where the skin effect would otherwise waste energy and reduce capacity. The segments are insulated from each other but connected at the ends.
In commercial and industrial power transmission, segmental conductors serve very large cables where minimizing AC resistance is important. Recognizing the construction helps in understanding how large conductors are optimized.
Because the skin effect would otherwise crowd current toward the surface and waste energy in a very large conductor, dividing it into insulated segments distributes the alternating current more evenly across the cross section, improving the efficiency of high-capacity power conductors.
Recognizing how segmenting reduces AC resistance helps illustrate how very large conductors are made to perform efficiently in high-capacity power transmission.
At Windy City Wire, an understanding of conductor constructions, including segmental designs, reflects a focus on the engineering behind efficient cable. Recognizing how segmenting reduces AC resistance helps illustrate how very large conductors are made to perform efficiently.