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DC Transmission Over AC

The document compares AC and DC transmission methods for tethered drones, highlighting the advantages of DC transmission in terms of efficiency and reduced weight. AC transmission suffers from skin effect and electromagnetic interference, leading to increased weight and potential communication issues. In contrast, DC transmission minimizes these problems, allowing for lighter components and improved communication effectiveness.

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moazzamzubair70
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25 views3 pages

DC Transmission Over AC

The document compares AC and DC transmission methods for tethered drones, highlighting the advantages of DC transmission in terms of efficiency and reduced weight. AC transmission suffers from skin effect and electromagnetic interference, leading to increased weight and potential communication issues. In contrast, DC transmission minimizes these problems, allowing for lighter components and improved communication effectiveness.

Uploaded by

moazzamzubair70
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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AC And DC Transmission Comparison for Tethered Drone

Introduction
Tethered drone is emerging and innovative concept of supplying the uninterrupted power supply
to the drone to nullify power outage effect. Although changing batteries and charging in air are
also research valuable concepts, but due to simple structure and high efficiency, tethered drones
are becoming more common for surveillance purposes and many other specific areas.
As tethered drones consumes powers directly from the ground base station, selection of mode
power transmission is important. Power can be transmitted via both AC and DC. It is required to
find optimal mode to transmit power from base station to drone. Here is brief details of both
topologies to transmit power from base station.

Topology 1 (AC Transmission)


In this topology, single phase voltages are isolated and stepped up through transformer up to
245V. A rectifier unit to convert AC into DC and buck converter is placed on drone to regulate
and step down DC voltages at required level. Figure given below shows simple schematics of the
described topology.

Here is brief analysis of this topology.

a) Skin affect
When AC current flows in the circuit, current density in not uniform over the whole cross
section of conductor. Current density is higher on the surface of conductor and lower
inside conductor which reduces the affective area of conductor to pass the current. This
effect occurs due to iterative change in polarity of the AC waveform (frequency). So,
total opposition to the flow of current is mainly due to 2 reasons.
 DC resistance
DC resistance R can be calculated easily with the following formula
ρL
R=
A
Where ρ is specific resistance of material (cupper in proposed case) while L and A are
length and cross-sectional area of wire respectively.
 Skin affect (AC resistance)
AC resistance can be calculated by using simple formula.
r =R (δ)
where δ is skin depth and depends on frequency of system and nature of wire material.
Although this value is negligible for small cross-sectional areas but cannot be ignored in
proposed case as we are highly concerned with the gauge of wire.
It is clear from the above equations that Ac resistance will increase the overall resistance
of the wire which will reduce current ampacity of wire. It will result in increasing the
diameter as well as cross sectional area of wire, hence leading to increase the weight of
wire that will be lifted by drone. Higher the weight drone will carry, lower will be its
efficiency.

b) EM Interference
Electromagnetic interference is another important factor in selection of transmission
mode. When changing electric and magnetic field passes through communication
devices or waves, it causes attenuation and distortion in signal. It is the main reason that
even in distribution panels, power cables and communications wires (CCTV, LAN) are
not passed in single trench. As drone communicates with RF station through radio
frequency, there are chances of EM interference in communication may leads to
disturbance of system.

c) Weight on Drone
In this topology, Buck converter and rectifiers will be placed on the drone. An effective
2500W AC-DC rectifier HBC2K5 weighs more than 5kg (it uses 3-4 kg transformer
which is not in our scope), and Buck Converter weighs less than 1kg. so, total weighs on
the drone will be around 2-3kg without using transformer.

Topology 2
In this topology, single phase voltages are isolated and stepped up through transformer at 900v.
A rectifier unit is placed on ground base station to convert AC into DC. Then, DC is transmitted
through tethered wire and buck converter is placed on drone to regulate and step down DC
voltages at required level. Figure given below shows simple schematics of the described
topology.
Here is brief analysis of this topology.

a) Skin affect
Skin effect is only dependent on frequency of the circuit. As DC has no frequency, 100%
of the provided cross sectional area will be used to pass the current. So, this circuit will
possess only DC resistance and same diameter wire that was used in Topology 1 will
provide higher ampacity. In other words, higher gauge wire can be used to transmit same
level of DC current as compared to AC current. It will result in lowering the diameter as
well as cross sectional area of wire, hence leading to reduce the weight of wire that will
be lifted by drone. Lower the weight drone will carry, higher will be its efficiency.

b) EM Interference
Electromagnetic interference depends on rate of change of electric and magnetic fields.
DC possess static magnetic field will yield low EMI as compared to AC transmission.
Lower interference will allow efficient communication between drone and RF station.

c) Weight on Drone
In this topology, only Buck converter will be placed on the drone. An effective 1700W
market available buck converter BCM6123xD1E5135 weighs only 279 grams. So, we
can conclude that proposed 2500W converter will weigh less than 500 grams which is
loadable weight for drone.

Conclusion
It is clear from above discussion that DC transmission is suitable for the proposed scenario. DC
transmission will reduce the EMI to make the communication effective. Furthermore, drone will
have to carry less weight of power electronics components as well as tethered wire.

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