Circulating sheath currents in flat formation underground power lines

J.R. Riba Ruiz1, Antoni Garcia2, X. Alabern Morera3

1
Department d'Enginyeria Elctrica, UPC
EUETII-"L'Escola d'Adoberia"
Plaa del Rei 15, 08700 Igualada (Spain)
phone:+34 938 035300, fax:+34 938 031589, e-mail: [email protected]
2
Department d'Enginyeria Elctrica, UPC
C./ Colom 11, 08222 Terrassa (Spain)
phone: +34 937 398155, [email protected]
3
Department d'Enginyeria Elctrica, UPC
C./ Colom 11, 08222 Terrassa (Spain)
phone: +34 937 398155, [email protected]

Abstract In this paper the influence of the metallic sheath in the

magnetic field generated by underground single core
Three-phase underground power lines can induce voltages and power cables is studied. When dealing with underground
currents in their recover sheaths. The sheath induced currents power cables, sheath circulating currents can be induced.
are undesirable and generate power losses and reduce the cable These currents produce power losses in the sheaths and
ampacity whereas the induced voltages can generate electric decrease the ampacity (capacity of carrying current) of
shocks to the workers that keep the power line. This means that
the cables. The circulating sheath currents generate a
when dealing with three-phase underground power lines, it is
very important to know the sheath currents (called circulating
magnetic field that adds to the cable magnetic field. In
currents) that can circulate throughout the sheath of the cables. this paper the modification of the total magnetic field is
It is very useful to know their values. The values of the studied.
circulating currents depend on different parameters, such as the
sheath grounding system, the geometry of the cables, the gap 2. Electric characteristics of the
between them, etc. In this work, different geometries of flat analyzed cables
configuration underground three-phase power lines have been
studied. For each geometry it has been computed the sheath The high voltage cable studied in this work has the
circulating currents in each cable of the power line. components shown in figure 1.

Key words Copper conductor

Semiconductor interior
Sheath currents, cable ampacity, power cables, and exterior
underground power lines. XLPE insulation
Aluminium sheath
Polyethylene sheath
1. Introduction

The raising environmental pressure is creating new Figure 1. Diagram of a single core cable
markets for the power transmission systems based on
very high voltage XLPE-isolated cables. Nowadays
XLPE-cables are being applied up to 500 kV. In many In this section, it has been dealt with cables that have the
countries high voltage overhead power lines are not features shown in table I.
allowed in large cities which are densely populated. TABLE I. Main characteristics of the single core 110 kV cable
These mentioned countries dont authorize overhead under study
power lines in populated areas and promote the
progressive burying of the existent overhead power lines Conductors material: copper
in such areas. Catalunya is an example of this situation, Diameter of the conductor: 32.8 mm
and its government wants that in few years almost all the Resistivity of the conductor (20 C): 28,3 /m
high voltage power lines in populated areas will be Resistivity of the conductor (70 C): 33,86 /m
buried. Number of strings of the conductor: 127
Therefore, it is not desirable an indiscriminate burying of Coefficient of the cable: 127 = 0.776
the high voltage power lines. The burying of the power Sheaths material: aluminium
lines should be carried out mainly in populated and in Diameter of the sheath: 48 mm
ecological areas, whereas in rural areas the electric power Resistivity of the conductor (20 C): 0,18 m/m
lines should be overhead. Resistivity of the conductor (60 C): 0,209 m/m

61 RE&PQJ, Vol. 1, No.5, March 2007

 3. Sheath bonding methods - Circulating sheath currents reduce the cables ampacity
(current flow capacity) due to thermal effects.
When the sheaths of single-conductor cables are bonded - Circulating sheath currents generate a magnetic field
to each other, as is common practice for multiconductor that adds to the cable magnetic field. In this paper the
cables, the induced voltage causes current to flow in the modification of the total magnetic field is studied.
completed circuit. This current generates losses in the
sheaths. Various methods of bonding may be used for the 3.3 Crossbonding
purpose of minimizing sheath losses. Formerly, where
special bonding was employed for the prevention of The crossbonding consists on dividing the length of the
sheath losses on lead-sheathed cables without an cable in two groups of three equal sections (called minor
insulating jacket, the sheaths were subjected to ac sections). It breaks the electric continuity of each sheath.
voltages, and the bonding was designed to keep the Three minor sections make up a major section, where the
magnitude of the induced voltages within small limits so sheaths are interconnected between them and also are
as to prevent the possibility of sheath corrosion due to ac bonded to earth. The length of each section must be a
electrolysis. third part of the total length of the distance between two
earth-connections of the cable.
3.1 Single-point bounding The crossbonding system allows to eliminate or at least
to reduce the sheath currents.
It is the simplest system of bonding and it is shown in
figure 6. The metallic sheaths are grounded at only one Figure 4 shows a flat formation power line with
point along their length. At all other points, a voltage will crossbonding.
appear from sheath to ground that will be a maximum at
the farthest point from the ground bond. Since there is no
closed sheath circuit current no sheath circulating current
loss occurs, but sheath eddy loss will still be present.

Figure 4. Crossbonding
When dealing with triangular formation power cables,
crossbonding eliminates totally the sheath currents.
When dealing with flat formation power cables, the
crossbonding system doesnt eliminate totally the sheath
currents due to the lack of symmetry of the three cables,
Figure 2. Single-point bonding but crossbonding reduces outstandingly the sheath
currents.
3.2 Multiple-point bonding 3.4 Crossbonding with transposition
When dealing with a multiple-point bonding scheme, as If the crossbonding scheme doesnt allow to reduce
shown in figure 7, the metallic sheaths are grounded at totally the sheath currents, the crossbonding with
least at the two extremes of the cable. This system transposition allows to reduce even more the sheath
doesnt allow high values of the induced voltages in the currents. It consists on transposing cyclically the three
metallic sheaths. In this situation, appear sheath main conductors in each minor section. This is the more
circulating currents because of there is a closed circuit suitable disposition in order to reduce the sheath currents.
between the sheath and the return path through the
ground. This is the scheme studied in this paper. Figure 5 shows a flat formation power line with
crossbonding with transposition.

Minor section
Major section
Figure 3. Multiple-point bonding
Figure 5. Crossbonding with transposition
The circulating currents produce different effects:
- Circulating sheath currents generate power losses by
heating.

62 RE&PQJ, Vol. 1, No.5, March 2007

 4. Calculations 4.4 Example 4
In this section the conductor and sheath currents of In this example, it has been considered a three-phase flat
several formations of three-phase power lines are line with two conductors in each phase (p = 2), with
calculated. In all the cases it has been assumed that the configuration R1S1T1R2S2T2 and an intensity of 100 A per
sheaths of the cables are grounded in the two extremes. phase. The results of the simulations are shown in tables
V and VI.
The calculations have been carried out by following the
formulation explained in reference [1]. TABLE V. Conductors currents computed form example 4
Conductor currents sR1S1 = 0.1 m sR1S1 = 0.2 m
4.1 Example 1
IR,1 (A) 46.578.15 48.516.40
In this example, it has been considered a three-phase flat IR,2 (A) 54.30-6.98 52.07-5.96
line with a single conductor in each phase (p = 1), with IS,1 (A) 48.09-122.11 48.21-122.07
configuration RST and an intensity of 100 A. IS,2 (A) 51.97-118.05 51.85-118.08
IT,1 (A) 57.39121.57 55.59119.99
Table II shows the sheath currents computed by applying
IT,2 (A) 42.66117.89 44.41120.01
the method explained in reference [1]. It has been
considered two situations, s = 0,1 m and s = 0,2 m, being
s the distance between the centre of two adjacent cables. TABLE VI. Sheath currents induced in example 4

TABLE II. Sheath currents induced in example 1 Sheath currrents sR1S1 = 0.1 m sR1S1 = 0.2 m
Sheath currents s = 0.1 m s = 0.2 m IR,1 (A) 20.51-126.24 27.07-130.71
IR,2 (A) 19.11-115.88 26.29-124.81
IR (A) 45.89-131.44 56.82-134.94 IS,1 (A) 17.75130.73 25.40120.94
IS (A) 33.84130.22 49.39120.41 IS,2 (A) 16.54129.08 24.35119.35
IT (A) 52.929.32 65.17-2.09 IT,1 (A) 19.6910.73 27.45-0.41
IT,2 (A) 23.439.28 30.21-1.34
From table II it can be deduced that by increasing the
distance between the conductors, the mutual inductance 4.5 Example 5
between the conductors also increases (due to an increase
of the sheath induced voltage) and it induces an increase In this example, it has been considered a three-phase flat
of the sheath currents. line with two conductors in each phase (p = 2), with
configuration R1S1T1T2S2R2 and an intensity of 100 A per
4.2 Example 2 phase. The results of the simulations are shown in tables
VII and VIII.
In this example, it has been considered a three-phase flat
line with a single conductor in each phase (p = 1), with TABLE VII. Conductors currents computed from example 5
configuration SRT and an intensity of 100 A. The results Conductor currents sR1S1 = 0.1 m sR1S1 = 0.2 m
of the simulations are shown in table III.
IR,1 (A) 50.000 50.000
TABLE III. Sheath currents induced in example 2 IR,2 (A) 50.000 50.000
Sheath currents s = 0.1 m s = 0.2 m IS,1 (A) 50.00-120.00 50.00-120.00
IS,2 (A) 50.00-120.00 50.00-120.00
IR (A) 33.84-109.78 49.39-119.59 IT,1 (A) 50.00120.00 50.00120.00
IS (A) 52.92129.32 65.17117.91 IT,2 (A) 50.00120.00 50.00120.00
IT (A) 45.89-11.44 56.82-14.94
TABLE VIII. Sheath currents induced in example 5
4.3 Example 3
Sheath currents sR1S1 = 0.1 m sR1S1 = 0.2 m
In this example, it has been considered a three-phase flat IR,1 (A) 23.82-136.93 28.72-138.79
line with a single conductor in each phase (p = 1), with IR,2 (A) 23.82-136.93 28.72-138.79
configuration STR and an intensity of 100 A. The results IS,1 (A) 17.59131.84 25.30121.16
of the simulations are shown in table IV. IS,2 (A) 17.59131.84 25.30121.16
TABLE IV. Sheath currents induced in example 3 IT,1 (A) 42.9847.32 34.80-4.50
IT,2 (A) 42.9847.32 34.80-4.50
Sheath voltages s = 0.1 m s = 0.2 m
-110.68
IR (A) 52.92 65.17-122.09
4.6 Example 6
IS (A) 45.89108.56 56.82105.06
In this example, it has been considered a three-phase flat
IT (A) 33.8410.22 49.390.41 line with two conductors in each phase (p = 2), with
configuration R1R2S1S2T1T2 and an intensity of 100 A per
phase. The results of the simulations are shown in tables
IX and X.

63 RE&PQJ, Vol. 1, No.5, March 2007

 TABLE IX. Conductors currents computed form example 6 TABLE XIII. Conductors currents computed form example 8
Conductor currents sR1S1 = 0.1 m sR1S1 = 0.2 m Conductor currents sR1S1 = sR1T2 sR1S1 = sR1T2
IR,1 (A) 42.15-0.71 44.750.73 = 0.1 m = 0.2 m
IR,2 (A) 57.860.51 55.26-0.59 IR,1 (A) 50.000 50.000
IS,1 (A) 42.30-134.49 43.26-127.74 IR,2 (A) 50.000 50.000
IS,2 (A) 59.99-109.84 57.43-114.17 IS,1 (A) 50.00-120.00 50.00-120.00
IT,1 (A) 55.37111.62 52.15113.47 IS,2 (A) 50.00-120.00 50.00-120.00
IT,2 (A) 45.94130.12 48.56127.02 IT,1 (A) 50.00120.00 50.00120.00
IT,2 (A) 50.00120.00 50.00120.00
TABLE X. Sheath currents induced in example 6
TABLE XIV. Sheath currents induced in example 8
Sheath currents sR1S1 = 0.1 m sR1S1 = 0.2 m
IR,1 (A) 32.81-144.77 35.89-147.39 Sheath currents sR1S1 = 0.1 m sR1S1 = 0.2 m
IR,2 (A) 29.10-147.19 33.29-148.25 IR,1 (A) 18.77-110.69 26.21-120.71
IS,1 (A) 28.81122.23 33.76112.39 IR,2 (A) 18.77-110.69 26.21-120.71
IS,2 (A) 23.61112.02 30.18107.18 IS,1 (A) 19.28127.32 26.54117.94
IT,1 (A) 37.10-5.54 41.22-14.12 IS,2 (A) 19.28127.32 26.54117.94
IT,2 (A) 39.37-11.70 42.42-18.04 IT,1 (A) 18.466.94 25.84-2.03
IT,2 (A) 18.466.94 25.84-2.03
4.7 Example 7
Graphical summary of the results obtained
In this example, it has been considered a three-phase
double-row line with two conductors in each phase (p = In this section, it is shown a graphical summary of the
2), with configuration R1S1T1 results obtained in this work.
R2S2T2
Figure 4 shows a comparative graph showing the
and a phase current of 100 A.
conductors currents for the five examples explained
The results of the simulations are shown in tables XI and above. The calculations of this example have been
XII. carried out by assuming a distance between the centre of
TABLE XI. Conductors currents computed form example 7
adjacent conductors of s = 0,1 m.

Conductor currents sR1S1 = sR1R2 = sR1S1 = sR1R2 = R1S1T1R2S2T2 R1S1T1

R2S2T2
0.1 m 0.2 m R1S1T1T2S2R2
R1S1T1
IR,1 (A) 50.000 50.000 R1R2S1S2T1T2
T2S2R2

IR,2 (A) 50.000 50.000 70

IS,1 (A) 50.00-120.00 50.00-120.00

60
IS,2 (A) 50.00-120.00 50.00-120.00
IT,1 (A) 50.00120.00 50.00120.00
Conductor currents (A)

50
IT,2 (A) 50.00120.00 50.00120.00
40

TABLE XII. Sheath currents induced in example 7

30
Sheath currents sR1S1 = sR1R2 = sR1S1 = sR1R2 =
0.1 m 0.2 m 20

IR,1 (A) 27.10-141.63 31.12-143.13 10

IR,2 (A) 27.10-141.63 31.12-143.13
IS,1 (A) 19.28127.32 26.54117.94 0
R1 S1 T1 R 2 S 2 T 2
IS,2 (A) 19.28127.32 26.54117.94 Conductors
IT,1 (A) 32.972.59 37.63-7.28 Figure 4. Comparative graph of the conductors currents
IT,2 (A) 32.972.59 37.63-7.28 for the different examples analyzed (s = 0,1 m).

4.8 Example 8 From figure 4 it can be deduced that configurations that

allow to balance perfectly the conductors currents are the
In this example, it has been considered a three-phase
shown below:
double-row line with two conductors in each phase (p =
R1S1T1T2S2R2 R1S1T1 R1S1T1
2), with configuration R1S1T1
R2S2T2 T2S1R2
T2S2R2
and a phase current of 100 A. Figure 5 shows a comparative plot of the induced sheath
currents for the five examples explained above. The
The results of the simulations are shown in tables XIII
calculation of this example have been carried out by
and XIV.
assuming a distance between the centre of adjacent
conductors of s = 0,1 m.

64 RE&PQJ, Vol. 1, No.5, March 2007

 R1S1T1R2S2T2 R1S1T1 Figure 6 shows a comparative graph showing the
R1S1T1T2S2R2
R2S2T2 conductors currents for the five examples explained
R1S1T1
R1R2S1S2T1T2
T2S2R2 above. The calculations of this example have been
50 carried out by assuming a distance between the centre of
adjacent conductors of s = 0,2 m.
Figure 7 shows a comparative plot of the induced sheath
40
currents for the five examples explained above. The
Sheath currents (A)

calculation of this example have been carried out by

30 assuming a distance between the centre of adjacent
conductors of s = 0,1 m.
20
Conclusions
10 Once the study has been realized, the following
conclusions can be deduced:
It has been shown that the geometry of the line, the
0
R1 S1 T1 R 2 S 2 T 2
gap between conductors and the electric and geometric
Phase Sheaths parameters of the conductors have an important effect
on the circulating sheath currents values.
Figure 5. Comparative plot of the sheath induced currents
The circulating currents create a magnetic field
for the different examples analyzed (s = 0,1 m).
which adds to the magnetic field generated by the
R1S1T1R2S2T2 R1S1T1 central conductor. The resultant magnetic field usually
R1S1T1T2S2R2 R2S2T2 is lower than the magnetic field generated by the
R1R2S1S2T1T2 R1S1T1
central conductor.
T2S2R2
70
The reduction factor of the magnetic field depends
on the geometry of the power line and the electric
60 parameters of the cable.
When the gap between the axes increases, also
Conductor current (A)

50 increase the sheath circulating currents. This fact

produces a higher reduction of the total magnetic field
40
generated by the power line.
30
References
20 [1] IEC 287-1-1: Electric cables-calculation of the
current rating, part 1: current rating equations
10
(100% load factor) and calculation of losses, section
0
1: general. IEC publication 287, 1994.
R1 S1 T1 R 2 S 2 T 2 [2] ANSI/IEEE Std 575-1 988, IEEE Guide for the
Conductors Application of Sheath-Bonding Methods for Single-
Conductor Cables and the Calculation of Induced
Figure 6. Comparative graph of the conductors currents Voltages and Currents in Cable Sheaths.
for the different examples analyzed (s = 0,2 m). [3] J.S. Barrett, G.J.Anders. Circulating current and
hysteresis losses in screens, sheaths and armour of
R1S1T1R2S2T2 R1S1T1 electric power cables-mathematical models and
R2S2T2
R1S1T1T2S2R2
R1S1T1
comparison with IEC Standard 287. IEE Proc.-Sei.
R1R2S1S2T1T2
T2S2R2 Meas. Technol., Vol. 144, No. 3, pp. 101-110, May
50
1997
[4] Peter Graneau. Underground power transmission.
40 The science, technology & economics of high voltage
cables. Ed. John Wiley & Sons, 1979.
Sheath currents (A)

[5] Manuel Llorente Antn. Cables elctricos aislados.

30
Descripcin y aplicaciones practices. Ed. Paraninfo,
1994..
20 [6] Vctor Sierra Madrigal, Alfonso Sansores Escalante.
Manual tcnico de cables de energa. Ed. Mc Graw
Hill, 2 Edicin, 1984
10
[7] Enrique Ras. Teora de lneas elctricas. Ed.
Marcombo 1986
0 [8] Jordi-Roger Riba Ruiz, Xavier Alabern Morera.
R1 S 1 T 1 R 2 S 2 T 2
Effects of the circulating sheath currents in the
Phase Sheaths
magnetic field generated by an underground power
Figure 7. Comparative plot of the sheath induced currents line. ICREPQ'06. Palma de Mallorca, 2006.
for the different examples analyzed (s = 0,2 m).

65 RE&PQJ, Vol. 1, No.5, March 2007