EE 333

POWER SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Lecture 9
Transmission Line Parameters

Reading: 4.1 – 4.6 ; 4.8 – 4.10

Homework 3 – will be posted on the course website

Dr. Lei Wu
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Outline
Develop simple model for transmission lines
Line resistance
Line conductance
Line inductance
Line capacitance
Analyze how the geometry of the transmission lines will affect
the model parameters

2
Primary Methods for Power Transfer
The most common methods for transfer of electric power are
Overhead ac
Underground ac
Overhead dc
Underground dc
Others

3
Transmission line voltage structure
Extra-high-voltage lines
Voltage: 345 kV, 500 kV, 765 kV
Interconnection between systems
High-voltage lines
Voltage: 115 kV, 230 kV
Interconnection between substations, power plants
Sub-transmission lines
Voltage: 46 kV, 69 kV
Interconnection between substations and large industrial customers
Distribution lines
Voltage: 2.4 kV to 46 kV, with 15 kV being the most commonly used
Supplies residential and commercial customers
High-voltage DC lines
Voltage: ±120 kV to ±600 kV
Interconnection between regions (e.g., Oregon-California)

4
Transmission line
Three-phase conductors,
which carry the electric
current
Insulators, which support and
electrically isolate the
conductors
Tower, which holds the
insulators and conductors
Foundation and grounding
Optional shield conductors,
which protect against
lightning

5
 Transmission line
S hield conductor S hield
co nductor

Insulator
Ph ase
C om posite conductor
insulator
S teel tow er

Tow er

69kV
Line

C om posite
C rossarm Insulator
Two
conductor
bundle

6
Distribution line

Shield
conductor

Double circuit
69 kV line
Insulator

Distribution line
12.47kV Surge arrester

Fuse cutout

Transform ers

Wooden tower

240V/120V
insulated line

7
Transmission line parameter calculation
Characteristics parameters (per unit length)
Series resistance (R)
Shunt conductance (G)
Series inductance (L)
Shunt capacitance (C)

R L

G C

8
Transmission line parameter calculation
Data needed for calculation
Conductor type
Conductor diameter and GMR
Number of conductors per bundle
Bundle spacing
Distance between phases

9
Line resistance
The resistance of the conductor is very important in
transmission efficiency evaluation and economic analysis.
The dc resistance of a solid round conductor per unit length (a
m or a mile) at a specific temperature is
Rdc ,T = ρ T il / A Ω

ρ: conductor resistivity
A: conductor cross-sectional area
L :conductor length

10
Line resistance Example
What is the dc resistance (in Ω/mile) of a 1’’ diameter solid
aluminum wire? ρ alu min um = 2.65i10 −8 Ω m

1’’=2.54cm=0.0254meter
1 mile = 1609.344 meter

ρ alu min um i1 2.65i10 −8 Ω m i1609.344 m / mile

Rdc ,T = = 2
= 0.084 Ω / mile
A  0.0254  2
π i  m
 2 

11
Line resistance
Stranded conductors are longer than corresponding
transmission line, thus higher resistance
Because ac current tends to flow towards the surface of a
conductor (skin effect), the ac resistance of a line is slightly
higher than the dc resistance.
Resistivity and hence line resistance increase as conductor
temperature increases.
T2 + T
ρT 2 = ρT 1
T1 + T

12
Line conductance
Conductance accounts for real power loss between
conductors or between conductors and ground.
For overhead lines, this power loss is due to leakage currents at
insulators and to corona.
Conductance is usually neglected in power system studies.
Losses due to insulator leakage and corona are usually small
compared to conductor I2R loss.
It is a very small component of the shunt admittance.

13
Line inductance
A conductor carrying current produces a magnetic field around
the conductor.
The relationship between current I and magnetic flux linkage λ
is represented by the inductance
λ
L=
I

14
Line inductance
For a solid cylindrical conductor

µ0 D µ0 D
λ = IL = I ln −0.25 = I ln
2π e r 2π r'

where µ 0 = 4π *10 −7 H/m:permeability of free space

λµ0 D
L= = ln
I 2π r'

15
Line inductance
For an array of M solid cylindrical conductor M
Assume that the sum of the conductor currents is zero ∑I
i
i =0
The flux linking conductor k to P
due to current Ik
µ0 D Pk
λkPk = I k ln
2π r 'k
The flux linking conductor k to P
due to current Im
µ0 D Pm
λkPm = I m ln
2π Dkm

The total flux linking conductor k in an array of M conductors

M
µ M
1
λk = ∑
i =1, P → ∞
λkPi = 0
2π
∑ I i ln
i =1 Dik
where Dkk = r '
16
Line inductance
Single-phase two-wire line

λx λx µ0 D
Lx = = = ln
Ix I 2π r 'x

λy λy µ0 D
Ly = = = ln
Iy −I 2π r 'y

µ0 D µ0 D µ0 D2 µ D
L = Lx + L y = ln + ln = ln = 0 ln
2π r ' x 2π r 'y 2π r 'x r ' y π r 'x r ' y

17
Line inductance
Three-phase three-wire line
µ  1 1 1 
λa = 0  I a ln + I b ln + I c ln 
2π  r 'a D D
µ0  1 1 
=  I a ln + ( I b + I c ) ln 
2π  r 'a D
µ0  1 1  µ0 D
=  a
I ln − I ln  = I ln
2π 2π
a a
 r ' a D  r 'a

µ0 D
La = ln
2π r 'a

18
Line inductance
General formula for calculating inductance

µ 0 GMD
L= ln
2π GMR
where GMD: geometric mean distance
GMR: geometric mean radius

19
Line inductance
General formula for calculating inductance
µ 0 GMD xy
Lx = ln
2π GMRxx

µ 0 GMD yx
Ly = ln
2π GMR yy

L = Lx + L y

20
Line inductance
GMR

GMR = n2
( D11 D12 ⋯ D1n )( D21 D22 ⋯ D2 n )⋯ ( Dn1 Dn 2 ⋯ Dnn )
where D ii = r 'i = 0.7788 ri
D ij =distance between conductors i and j

21
Line inductance
For symmetrical configurations

GMR = n D11 D12 ⋯ D1n

GMR3 = 3 D11 D12 D13 = 3

( 0.7788r )( 2 r )( 2 r ) = 1.4605r

GMR4 = 4 D11 D12 D13 D14 = 4 ( 0.7788r )( 2 r )( 2 r ) ( 2 2r )

= 2.0654 r

22