ALUMINIUM

v COPPER
The electrical equipment industry is
witnessing first-hand how a customer’s
purchase decision is being heavily
influenced, by the finest of margins,
when it comes to the two very similar
performing metals of aluminium and
copper.
Over the years, there has been plenty documented
about the performance of these two metals, especially
when it comes to their suitability, reliability and
performance as conductors.

Now, as more factual information comes to the

fore, (aligning the misconceptions from the past),

Areas of Discussion
there are lots of arguments to consider for both the
manufacturers and consumers.

/Contents In turn, this paper aims to provide an informative

comparison regarding the mechanical and electrical
properties of aluminium (AI) compared to copper (Cu),
and their abilities when applied to electrical distribution
02 A Brief History products. Hopefully, the information provided will give
readers a greater insight to the argument, before having
03 The Arguments for Cu over Al to make a decision of their own.
in transformer windings
04 Interesting Facts about AI
05 AI Practicality & Reliability
06 AI v Cu Environmental Impact
07 AI v Cu Properties & Performance
10 AI v Cu Costs
11 Advantages/Disadvantages of Al & Cu
12 Wilson Power Solutions Experience
12 Distribution Transformer Windings
13 Conclusion

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01
 A BRIEF HISTORY
Due to the fact that AI and Cu are the two most
commonly used materials for conductors in
transformers, (amongst other electrical equipment),
there has always been comparisons made.
The competition between these two metals really began to heat up during
World War II. Copper became scarce because it was being used for shells
and bullet casing. This meant that, due to their similarities, several industries
opted for aluminium as the nearest alternative.

Aluminium, at the time, was in good supply and mostly cheaper than
copper. Therefore, it quickly became the preferred metal for high-
power transmission power lines. Today, almost all major manufacturers’
transmission lines are made with aluminium.

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02
THE ARGUMENTS FOR COPPER OVER ALUMINIUM
IN TRANSFORMER WINDINGS
Traditionally, Cu has been the preferred metal, when
it comes to windings in distribution transformers.
There are a lot of scientific and practical reasons for
this, below.

Lower Levels of Creep Size & Weight

The standout factor supporting Cu over AI in power Despite aluminium being lighter than copper (of an
transformers is that Cu displays lower levels of creep. equal volume), when it comes to wound distribution
Creep (or cold flow) is the tendency of a solid material transformers, this fact is irrelevant. The reasons being
to move or deform under the influence of extreme that the resistivity of Cu is 0.6 times that of AI. This
loading or varying temperature conditions. Aluminium means that the cross-section of an AI conductor needs
has near 25 times higher creep rates, in comparison to to be 1.8x the size of a Cu conductor of the same
copper. Adding alloys to Al helps protect the aluminium resistance. A larger core volume for the AI transformer
wound distribution transformers. This is a common results in a larger volume, enforcing a larger tank and
practice to improve the reliability of the transformers. more oil, making Cu distribution transformers slightly
smaller in size.
Oxides
With regards to wire terminations and oxides, both
Costs
metals are prone to oxidation. Aluminium oxide Transformers with copper windings were for many
attaches itself firmly making it slightly hard to dislodge years less expensive to manufacture. This is not
and difficult to work with. When creating mechanical the case anymore. Despite requiring less materials
connections additional layers of tin or nickel are added compared to aluminium wound transformers; its
when soldering to make it compliant. Moreover, it is conductor, magnetic steel, tank and oil requirements
electrically insulating, meaning all electrons are stuck used to concur less cost than its aluminium equivalent.
in one place, unlike copper. Copper oxide is softer This made the industry favour it for decades but this is
and breaks down easier, so it can be fixed or improved changing with the higher demand on Cu.
quicker. However, 30 years of using aluminium wound
transformers have proven their durability.
Fatigue
The lifespan of distribution transformers with HV (High
Galvanic Action Voltage) windings made of copper are less susceptible
Galvanic action occurs when electrochemically to metal fatigue. Some studies suggest that aluminium
dissimilar metals are in contact with one another, HV winding conductors would fail earlier than copper
creating a conductive path. Copper wires have no ones, in similar stress conditions. However, after Europe
galvanic action because they are the same element has installed aluminium wound transformers for over
as the connectors. This can be more problematic 30 years, this theory was debunked.
for aluminium if the conditions are favourable. Oil
immersed transformers stop galvanic corrosion of
aluminium. Additionally, copper is naturally harder,
stronger and more ductile than aluminium. Cu also
expands less and does not flow at terminations.

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03
 INTERESTING FACTS
ABOUT ALUMINIUM
As aluminium is the most abundantly
available of the two metals, (and because
of its soft, lightweight, non-magnetic,
corrosion resistant ductility), its uses go
far beyond electrical equipment alone.

Did you know?

Aluminium is the third most abundant element of
the Earth’s crust

Rubies, emeralds and sapphires consist mainly

of crystalline aluminium oxide.

More than 60 tonnes of aluminium cans are used

in Britain each year.

Britain use over 1 tonne of aluminium foil each year.

The energy saved from just one recycled aluminium

can is enough to run your TV for three hours.

Making cans from recycled aluminium causes 95%

less air pollution than making cans from raw material.

Recycled aluminium foil can be used to make vehicle

parts.

Recycled aluminium cans are back on the shelves

as new cans in just 60 days.

Today, aluminium and aluminium alloys are used

in a wide variety of products from kitchen utensils
to rockets. They also prove popular in the electro-
technical industry through transmission lines, cables
and windings in power distribution transformers.

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ALUMINIUM PRACTACALITY & RELIABILITY
Aluminium is both practical and reliable,
in an abundance of situations and scenarios,
mainly for the following reasons:

Strength Joining
Aluminium has low density. This means that it is light- Aluminium is a reliable metal and extremely easy to
weight, but it does not impact its strength. Even at work with when joining it to other materials or metals.
low temperatures, it does not become brittle, unlike Popular for welding, bonding and taping, it’s a facilitator
some other metals. Although at higher temperatures of most mechanical engineering joints.
(continuously above 100°c, aluminium does falter, and
must be taken into consideration.
Reflectivity
Aluminium is a natural reflector of both visible light and
Machining radiated heat, making it a practical solution, or material,
In the modern era, it’s important for a metal to be for many manufacturing processes and products.
easily worked. Be it milling, punching, cutting or
drilling, aluminium doesn’t require much energy input
to manipulate it. This makes it very adaptable which is Radiation Screening
quick and easy to work with.
Secured aluminium boxes have the ability to exclude
electromagnetic radiation, largely due to aluminium’s
superior conductive ability. The more conductive a
Formability material, the better it performs, or acts, as a shield.
Similar to the above, due to aluminium’s superior
malleability, it can be exploited into a variety of sizes
and shapes. From strips to rolls, foils and sheets - the Anti-Corrosive
bending and forming of this metal is simply done,
Because aluminium reacts with oxygen in the air, it
whether it’s hot or cold.
forms its own protective layer of oxide. Despite it being
one thousandth of a millimeter thick, it is dense and
proves to be an ingenious method of protecting against
Conductivity corrosion.
Unsurprisingly, aluminium makes a fantastic conductor
for both electricity and heat. Aluminium weighs 30
percent lighter than copper and is 61 percent less
Non-Magnetic
conductive. Which means aluminium with half the By being non-magnetic, aluminium avoids interference
weight of copper has he same conductivity and with any magnetic fields, which could prove
electrical resistance. problematic for some technologies, in some industries.

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 Aluminium V Copper Environmental Impact
As with anything in the modern era, its impact upon our environment
must be considered and taken seriously. Even the most minute of
differences can potentially save energy, reduce emissions and
prolong the future of our planet, so it’s always important to identify
potential issues.

Expense
Reusability
Copper represents one of the most expensive materials
used in transformers. Copper is a finite resource, Again, both copper and aluminium are highly
making its cost unstable. Yet, due to an increase in recyclable. In fact, recycling these metals is a more
demand, it is becoming costlier. eco-friendly method than mining them. Recycling
scrap aluminium requires only 5% of the energy used
In comparison, the cost of aluminium is lower than that to make new aluminium, for example. Moreover, due
of copper and it doesn’t fluctuate as much either. to the increasing value of copper, it has become more
recyclable, and, in turn, more susceptible to theft.

Reserves
Many of Earth’s materials and products are under threat.
Environmental Impact
The same can be said for the world copper reserves. To summarise, the environmental impact of each,
They are limited and are expected to be depleted at comes down to the ‘Eco-indicator’ method which
some point. This being the reason why prices are high quantifies environmental impact in terms of ‘points’.
and volatile. Its future is uncertain. 1000 points roughly corresponds to the annual impact
of an average European. Millipoints (mpt) are often the
On the other hand, aluminium is in plentiful supply. appropriate units for evaluating practical decisions in
There are copious amounts in the Earth’s core and we design work.
now produce almost twice as much AI, compared to
The values given for primary costs of Cu and Al are
Cu, annually. Therefore, aluminium has a more stable
1400 mpt/kg and 780 mpt/kg respectively. AI is clearly
platform, when it comes to supply and demand.
cheaper, but costs based on volume may be more
helpful: per volume, the values can be expressed as
12.5 mpt/cm3 for Cu and 2.1 mpt/cm3 for Al.
Extraction
Both copper and aluminium require complex Even when considering the 62% additional Al needed
operations to mine and extract the metals from the for equal resistivity, Al has much less environmental
earth. Huge mining operations are present in both impact than Cu needed for the same winding by this
camps. Each operation has been developed over the measure.
years to become more environmentally friendly. For
instance, many of the byproducts are reclaimed. Sulfur
dioxide, produced when extracting copper, is captured
and turned into sulfuric acid which is then used in
fertiliser. Aluminium requires a lot of electricity in its
extraction process.

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ALUMINIUM V COPPER PROPERTIES & PERFORMANCE
The informed choice of Al and Cu windings and
conductors used in power and distribution transformers
will be based on technical, commercial, economic and
environmental reasons such as discussed above.
However, a more detailed look at some of the metals properties, and a
closer assessment of their performance, may influence a decision further.

Current Density Temperature

To make comparisons between aluminium and copper, The resistance of pure metals, like copper and
it is important to understand that each material’s aluminium, increases as the temperature increases.
electrical and mechanical properties are dependent on Heat, generated by the busbar, is dispersed in
its alloy. Pure aluminium cannot be used as an electrical all directions through radiation, convection and
conductor, as it is too soft for mechanical assemblies. conduction. So, in order to determine the reliability and
As a result, AI is alloyed with other materials, forming performance of a conductor, temperature rise is the
new compounds. For example, the AI alloy 1350, used preferred measuring tool. The resistances of both Cu
prior to 1975, was designated as an electrical conductor and AI, to make a comparison, must be measured at
and was made up of 99.5% aluminium content. Despite the same temperature. Therefore, industry standards
it having 61% of the conductivity of Cu, it is a reliable impose regulations on manufacturers, no matter which
conductor when more Al material is added. The alloy: material is used as the conductor. The conductors
AI 6101 is what is currently being used for busbars, and must stay within the size allowance and other design
even though it’s been hardened, it only has 56% of the requirements, so that the equipment will perform in
conductivity of Cu. However, this doesn’t mean that the situations where the temperature may rise of fluctuate.
AI conductor will run hotter than the Cu conductor. It
just means the AI conductor must have a larger cross- For instance, electrical equipment (such as switch
sectional area. boards and panel boards) must conform to industry
standards. These standards permit a 55°C temperature
To successfully measure the current carrying capacity, rise for switchboards and a 50°C rise for panel boards.
the temperature rise of the conductor within the To achieve this, AI conductors require the cross-
equipment and the density of the cross sectional area section area to be increased inversely. Meaning, to
must be analysed. accommodate the rise in temperature, additional AI is
required.

Despite this, when comparing the density of Cu (559

lb/ft^3) to AI (169 lb/ft^3), alongside the conductivity
ratio of AI to Cu at 56%, AI, on a pound for pound basis,
has an amperage capability some 1.85 times that of Cu.
To summarise, one pound of AI has the same electrical
capability as 1.85 pounds of Cu. But Cu has a greater
conductivity, based on an equal volume, cross sectional
area.

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 Material properties of pure Copper and Aluminium

MATERIAL PROPerty dimension copper ALUMINIUM

Density (@20°C) g·cm-3 8.94 2.70

Electrical resistivity (@20°C) nΩ·m 16.78 28.2

Thermal expansion (@25°C) µm·m−1·K−1 16.5 23.1

Ultimate tensile strength MPa 380 200

This table gives some of the material properties for both Aluminium and Copper.
Please note that the material properties in this table refer to the pure elements and can differ per alloy.

Conductors Connections
Good conductors consist of materials which conduct The type of connections can vary from AI to AI, AI
electric current or allow the flow of electrons; these are to Cu and CU to CU. Be aware that when it comes
often non-magnetic like AI and Cu. to connections, if standard nut and bolt connection
materials are used, the thermal expansion between the
metals can lead to problems.
Copper Conductors
One solution is using a plated AI. Plating the AI
Copper has a rich history. Used by experimental
conductors guarantees there is no direct, physical
inventors, it eventually became the conductor for
contact between the two metals, especially if Cu is
inventions like the telegraph and telephone.
used for the bus bar.
Cu is the most common conductive metal, and
To prevent maintenance, whether or not the bus bar is
over time, it became the international standard.
AI or Cu based, the use of disk spring washers (Belleville
Commercially pure annealed Cu has a conductivity of
washers) for all combination of connections, is
100%.
recommended. When installing, the bolted connections
are set a specific amount of torque to compress the
washer. When it’s compressed, the washer acts a s a
Aluminium Conductors spring, compensating expansion and contraction whilst
Although Cu has been the material of choice for maintaining the correct contact pressure. Additionally,
conducting electricity, for many years, AI has its by using spring washers it eliminates any temperature
advantages, making it an attractive alternative. expansion effects. Therefore, thermal cycling will not
occur. This form of fatigue only occurs when plastics
Carrying 61% of the conductivity of Cu at 30% the deforms, as a result of the ratio of thermal expansion of
weight, AI weighs half as much but has the same the conductor material and the connector material.
electrical resistance. Nowadays, AI is often made up of
different alloys to recreate similar levels of creep and
elongation properties, similar to Cu.

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Construction
Like most technologies and inventions, the
construction of them is constantly monitored and
revised, to improve its performance and success.

It’s no different for the construction of AI and Cu wire

and terminals. At one point, the conductor was pretty
much pure aluminium, whereas now, they’re much
stronger alloys with similar characteristics to that of
copper.

The testing of wire terminations is also a lot more

severe, nowadays. This is to ensure the reliability of
connections lasting long-term.

A common misconception is that, due to the softer

aluminium conductors of old, only compression
connectors are suitable. However, modern designs
benefit from using plated mechanical pressure
connectors, resulting in compression connectors
becoming surplus to requirements.

Another way to alleviate the need for more expensive

compression connectors and eradicate the laborious
installations in doing so, is to to ensure the terminals
on moulded case circuit breakers are plated aluminium
alloy with mechanical set screws, which are listed for
use with either AI or Cu conductors. Any lugs marked
ALCU are adaptable for both metals.

Substituting aluminium wire for copper wire will impact

on size and quantity. The overall size increase is by
one or two wire sizes. Despite being physically larger,
the aluminium wire is somewhat lighter and easier
to maneuver than an equivalent copper conductor.
However, the use of aluminium conductors will result
in either a larger conductor size or more conductors.
This directly impacts on the size and space needed
for the structures housing the components; causing
implications towards design trends staying in line with
having smaller footprints.

Naturally, the increased size and space needed

impacts upon the costs and manufacturing process.
Although aluminium transformers may require
additional space compared to copper, the actual costs
of the metals can play a crucial factor in the final
decision for the size of the conduits and terminals.

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 Aluminium V Copper Costs
Like most commodities, it has come to light that the deciphering factor
when a customer is choosing their products and equipment is cost.

The costs of copper and aluminium does fluctuate, in Again, referring to components which possess the
the commodities market. Therefore, a truly accurate metals in the overall build like panelboards, can see
representation is not always feasible. Regardless of huge variations in costs. The same can be said for
that, the references made in this report are based switchboards which can often see a 25-30% premium
on the components used surrounding distribution added for Cu over AI.
transformers and electrical equipment.
It’s within the transformers themselves where we
As previously mentioned, the percentage of each see the greatest variations. To have a copper version
metal used in the construction and containment of of a dry type transformer, you can expect to pay
distribution transformers will have a direct impact upon an additional 45-100% more than for an aluminium
the costs. For instance, a 1200A distribution panel with version.
zero breakers installed would be some 25-50% less than
one loaded with breakers, so an instant saving could Liquid filled transformers again show price differences
be made here. However, the percentage of the price of of around 10-15% for Cu-Cu v AL-AL. However, this
the bus bars is somewhat lower than the overall price percentage drops again when comparing a Cu-Cu to a
of the panels. Add to that the cost difference between Cu-AI wound transformer.
AI and Cu bussed panels and even greater savings of
around 7-8% can be seen. As is stands, all electrical equipment with aluminium
conductors (designed and tested to perform to the
In contrast to this, if the conductor is a large same level of copper), prove to be a more cost-
percentage of the overall assembly with a busway, effective option to the end user.
the greater the amperage of the busway, the larger
the base conductor is to the percentage of the overall
equipment.
Price (£)

Price (£)

Date Date

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Advantages & Disadvantages
of ALuminium & Copper
There are plenty of positives about the usefulness
of aluminium and copper, but here are a few when
it comes to our industry, when considering the
components as windings:

Advantages of AI Windings Advantages of Cu Windings

• Aluminium costs a lot less than copper and thus • Copper is stronger than aluminium. It expands
brings commercial advantages. less but both materials have similar maintenance
schedule.
• Aluminium has a very thin layer of oxides on the
surface, which stops air and water getting to the • Copper can carry almost twice the current capacity
metal, resisting corrosion. of aluminium, which makes them slightly smaller in
size than aluminium wound transformers.
• Although the conductivity of copper is stronger,
pound for pound aluminium proves to be almost • In rare cases, transformers with copper winding can
double as effective a conductor. be less expensive to manufacture because they are
smaller. But this is open to the fluctuating copper
• Aluminium is more flexible than copper making it
prices.
easier to wind in production processes.
• The smaller size of copper transformers reduce the
• The higher resistivity of aluminium gives inherently
cost of the magnetic steel, tank and oil used but this
lower eddy losses in the windings. This mitigates the
does not make them more competitive than their
risk for hot spots.
aluminium wound counterparts.

Disadvantages of AI Windings Disadvantages of Cu Windings

• Aluminium connections can be susceptible to • Copper is significantly more expensive than
oxidation in cast resin transformers. Connections aluminium.
must pierce the aluminium oxide layer so that it
remains gas tight [LG2] [j3]. • Copper is more difficult to wind into a core than
the more flexible aluminium.
• Aluminium wound coils are larger than an equivalent
copper coil, meaning it requires approximately 1.8 • Copper is becoming more scarce and most of the
times as much cross section as copper to carry an supply is going to China.
equivalent amount of current.

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 WILSON POWER SOLUTIONS Distribution Transformer
EXPERIENCE Windings
After over 70 years’ experience in When considering distribution transformer windings in
particular, historically speaking, most were made from
the industry, Wilson Power Solutions copper, for commercial reasons, as copper prices were
have seen a lot of advancements and low, and the conductivity of the material made it a
changes. This is what has spearheaded logical choice.
the company’s product innovation, However, around 10 years ago, copper prices rose
engineering excellence and dedicated significantly on the back of China buying most of
customer service today. the world’s copper supply for their own internal
consumption, meaning that transformer manufacturers
were forced to look at alternatives for winding
The transitions have embedded a strong sense of social materials.
and environmental responsibility within the business,
and perhaps have made the company a valued and From the mid 1970’s manufacturers had experimented
trusted power solutions partner for some of the UK’s with aluminium as a winding material, but, at that
biggest companies. time, there wasn’t a significant price difference
between that and copper. Additionally, in this era,
welding technology made it difficult to weld a busbar
onto the end of the winding for the LV connection.
Since that time, there have been significant advances
in welding technology, such that with robot welding
the performance is much more consistent and
therefore the connection between the busbar and the
winding itself is as robust as with a copper winding.

Now that the technological issues with welding

have been resolved, the decision on which winding
material to use is a purely commercial one as the
performance and reliability of the two options are
equivalent.

As such we have decided to change the specification

of our standard distribution transformers from copper
to aluminium.

Wilson Power Solutions have installed thousands of

aluminium wound transformers and there was no
winding related failures.

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CONCLUSION
Having analysed many aspects surrounding the AI v Cu debate, the final
thoughts have to be surrounding personal experience, preference and
understanding. Whilst the majority of people grasp the concept of costs,
and are heavily influenced by it, there are other aspects to consider.

Tradition is often hard to interrupt. In certain parts of the Asides form design and costs decisions, the prominent
UK, manufacturers may not have had the experience factor has to be environmental. Each metal is sourced,
of working with aluminium before, and therefore stick recycled and dependent on numerous factors.
to what they know. Hesitancy to change habits of a Selecting the right one, at the right time, for the
lifetime could be a reason as to why copper remains right product can be crucial to the impact upon our
a popular choice, despite the similar advantages of environment.
aluminium.
All of the points in this paper need to be considered by
On the other hand, the equipment manufacturers will all parties, when making a decision between the use
make what they customer requests. If said customer of AI or Cu in distribution transformer windings. Both
has limited knowledge of the benefits of aluminium materials will meet customer expectations, if designed
versus copper, they too will side with what they’re to industry standards and installed correctly.
used to. Perhaps this is because many consultant, and
end user, specifications state the use of copper only
conductors throughout their projects. The chances are
that these specifications have not been updated for
decades, so people are not being educated or informed
about other possibilities and solutions.

As we’ve seen there are lots of similarities between

aluminium and copper, and when the equipment is
designed to new industry standards, the performance is
near identical. This is a key reason as to why a designer
should be aware of both metals and their performance
capabilities. Having the knowledge that aluminium
components will weigh less than copper, for the same
levels of performance, may be a crucial factor in the
overall design process, for instance. On top of that,
they should also be aware that, if choosing aluminium,
there will be a physical size difference.

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