Chapter 3; Transmission Line Parameters

Introduction
 The power transmission line is one of the major components of an

electric power system.

 Its main function is to transport electric energy, with minimal losses,

from the power sources to the load centers

 The design of a transmission line depends on four electrical

parameters: 1. Series resistance

2. Series inductance

3. Shunt capacitance

4. Shunt conductance
 Introduction(cont…)
The series resistance relies basically on the physical composition of
the conductor at a given temperature.
The series inductance and shunt capacitance are produced by the
presence of magnetic and electric fields around the conductors, and
depend on their geometrical arrangement.
The shunt conductance is due to leakage currents flowing across
insulators and air. As leakage current is considerably small compared to
nominal current, it is usually neglected, and therefore, shunt
conductance is normally not considered
 1.Resistance
 The AC resistance of a conductor in a transmission line is based on
the calculation of its DC resistance.
If DC current is flowing along a round cylindrical conductor, the
current is uniformly distributed over its cross-section area and its DC
L
resistance is evaluated by; RDC  ()
A
Where;  -is conductor resistivity at a given temperature (V-m)
L- conductor length (m)
A- conductor cross-section area (m2)
If AC current is flowing, rather than DC current, the conductor
effective resistance is higher due to frequency or skin effect
 Resistance(cont…)
1.Frequency Effect
 The frequency of AC voltage produces a second effect on the
conductor resistance due to the non-uniform distribution of current.
This phenomenon is known as skin effect.
 As frequency increases, the current tends to go toward the surface of
the conductor and the current density decreases at the center.
 Skin effect reduces the effective cross-section area used by the
current, and thus, the effective resistance increases.
 Also, in small amount, a further resistance increase occurs when
other current-carrying conductors are present in the immediate
vicinity.
 Resistance(cont…)
Other variations in resistance are caused by
 Temperature

 strengthening of stranded conductors

 Bundle conductors arrangement

Temperature Effect
 The resistivity of any conductive material varies linearly over an operating temperature, and
therefore, the resistance of any conductor suffers the same variations. As temperature rises, the
conductor resistance increases linearly, over normal operating temperatures, thus :
 T+ t 2 
R2  R 1  
 T + t1 
Where; R2- resistance at second temperature t2

R1 - resistance at initial temperature t1

T - temperature coefficient for the particular material

Resistivity (ρ) and temperature coefficient (T) constants depend upon the particular conductor material
 Resistance(cont…)
Strengthening of Bundle Conductor Effect
 There are two types of transmission line conductors: overhead and
underground. Overhead conductors, made of bare metal and
suspended on insulators, are preferred over underground conductors
because of the lower cost and easy maintenance.
 Also, overhead transmission lines use aluminum conductors, because
of the lower cost and lighter weight compared to copper conductors.
 There are different types of commercially available aluminum
conductors: aluminum-conductor-steel-reinforced (ACSR),
aluminum-conductor-alloy-reinforced (ACAR), all-aluminum-
conductor (AAC), and all-aluminum alloy- conductor (AAAC).
Resistance(cont…)
 Resistance(cont…)
 ACSR is one of the most used conductors in transmission lines.
 The purpose of introducing a steel core inside the stranded aluminum
conductors is to obtain strength
 A stranded conductor offers more flexibility and easier to
manufacture than a solid large conductor high strength-to-weight ratio
 The resistance of each wound conductor at any layer, per unit length,
2
  1
is based on its total length as follows:RCOND  1    / M
A  P
 Resistance(cont…)
The parallel combination of n conductors, with same diameter per
layer, gives the resistance per layer
1
as follows:
RLyr  /M
n
 1 
  
i=1  R i 

Similarly, the total resistance of the stranded conductor is evaluated by

the parallel combination of resistances per layer.
In high-voltage transmission lines, there may be more than one
conductor per phase (bundle configuration) to increase the current
capability and to reduce corona effect discharge
Corona effect occurs when the surface potential gradient of a
conductor exceeds the dielectric strength of the surrounding air,
producing ionization in the area close to the conductor, with consequent
corona losses, audible noise, and radio interference
 Cont….
 By increasing the number of conductors per phase, the total cross-section area
increases, the current capacity increases, and the total AC resistance decreases
proportionally to the number of conductors per bundle
 Conductor bundles may be applied to any voltage but are commonly used at 345
kV and above to limit corona
 Current-Carrying Capacity (Ampacity )
In overhead transmission lines, the current-carrying capacity is determined mostly
by the conductor resistance and the heat dissipated from its surface
The heat generated in a conductor (Joule’s effect) is dissipated from its surface area
by convection and radiation given by;
I 2 R  S(WC + Wr )(w)
Where; R -conductor resistance (V)
I - conductor current-carrying (A)
S -conductor surface area (sq. in.)
Wc-convection heat loss (W=sq. in.)
Wr-radiation heat loss (W=sq. in.)
Heat dissipation by convection is defined as;
where p -atmospheric pressure (atm)
v - wind velocity (ft/s), d-conductor diameter (in.), Tair – air temperature
(kelvin)
 Current-Carrying Capacity (Ampacity)
 Heat dissipation by radiation is obtained from Stefan–Boltzmann law and is
defined as

by substitution;
 2. Inductance and Inductive Reactance
A current-carrying conductor produces concentric magnetic flux lines
around the conductor. If the current varies with the time, the magnetic
flux changes and a voltage is induced
 Therefore, an inductance is present, defined as the ratio of the
magnetic flux linkage and the current
The magnetic flux produced by the current in transmission line
conductors produces a total inductance whose magnitude depends on the
line configuration
 Inductance and Inductive Reactance(cont…)
 For the calculation of transmission line inductance knowing the
following parameters must be needed:

1. Magnetic field intensity H

2. Magnetic field density B

3. Flux linkage λ
 Inductance of a Solid, Round, Infinitely Long
Conductor
 Consider an infinitely long, solid cylindrical conductor with radius
r, carrying current I as shown in fig below
 If the conductor is made of a non-magnetic material, and the
current is assumed uniformly distributed (no skin effect), then the
generated internal and external magnetic field lines are given as
 Cont…
 To obtain the internal inductance, a magnetic field with radius x
inside the conductor of length l is chosen, as shown in Fig. 2.

 The fraction of the current Ix enclosed in the area of the circle

 x2
chosen is determined by Ix  I ( A)
 r2
 Cont…
 Ampere’s law determines the magnetic field intensity H x , constant
at any point along the circle contour as
Ix I
Hx   x( A / M )
2 x 2 r 2

 0 Ix
Bx   H x  ( )(T )
2 r2
 And
where   0  4 X 107 H / M
, for non magnetic materials
 The differential flux ԁϕ enclosed in a ring of thickness dx for a 1-m
length of conductor and the differential flux linkage dλ in the
0 Ix
  Bx x 
( 2 )x ( wb / m)
respective area are 2 r
 x2 0 Ix 3
    ( 4 )x ( wb / m)
r 2
2 r
 Cont…
 The internal flux linkage is obtained by integrating the differential
flux linkage from x = 0 to x = r
r
0 I
int     ( wb / m)
x 0
8
int 0
then Lint   (H/M)
I 8
 External Inductance
The external inductance is evaluated assuming that the total current I is
concentrated at the conductor surface (maximum skin effect). At any
point on an external magnetic field circle of radius y the magnetic field
intensity Hy and the magnetic field density By , per unit length, are
Iy
Hy  (A/ M )
2 y
0 I
BY   H Y  (T )
2 y

The differential flux dϕ enclosed in a ring of

thickness dy, from point D1 to point D2, for
A 1-m length of conductor is
0 I
  BY y  y ( wb / m)
2 y
 External Inductance(cont…)
 As the total current I flows in the surface conductor, then the
differential flux linkage dλ has the same magnitude as the
0 I
differential flux dϕ.     BY y  2 y ( wb / m)
 By integrating the flux linkage from D1 to D2
D2
0 I D 2  0 I  D2 
12       ln   ( wb / m)
D1
2 D1 y 2  D1 

 In general, the total external flux linkage from the surface of the
conductor to any point D, per unit length, is
D
0 I D  0 I  D 
ext       ln   ( wb / m)
r
2 r y 2  r 
 Cont…
 The summation of the internal and external flux linkage at any
point D permits evaluation of the total inductance of the conductor
Ltot, per unit length, as follows:

0 1  D 
 D  0
int  ext  I (  ln  )  I (ln  1 ) wb / m
2 4  r  2  4 
e r
int  ext 0  D 
Ltot   (ln  ) wb / m
I 2  GMR 

 where GMR (geometric mean radius)=0.7788r

 Inductance of a Two-Wire Single-Phase Line
 consider a two-wire single-phase line with solid cylindrical
conductors A and B with the same radius r, same length l, and
separated by a distance D, where D > r, and conducting the same
current I, as shown in Fig below.
 The current flows from the source to the load in conductor A and
returns in conductor B (IA= -IB).
 Inductance of a Two-Wire Single-Phase
Line(Cont…)
The magnetic flux generated by one conductor links the other
conductor. The total flux linking conductor A, for instance, has two
components: (a) the flux generated by conductor A and (b) the flux
generated by conductor B which links conductor A.
 thus the total flux linkage from conductors A and B at point P is
 AP   AAP   ABP
BP  BBP  BAP
 Cont…
 The expressions of the flux linkages above, per unit length, are
0 I DAP
 AAP  ln( )( wb / m)
2 GMRA
0 I
DBP
D
 ABP  
D
BBP P  
2
ln( BP )( wb / m)
D
0 I
D AP
D
BAP  
D
BAP P  
2
ln( AP )( wb / m)
D
0 I DBP
BBP  ln( )( wb / m)
2 GMRB
 The total flux linkage of the system at point P is the algebraic summation of λ AP and λBp
P  AP  BP
   AAP   ABP    BBP  BAP 
0 I DAP D D DBP 0 I D2
 ln(( )( )( )( ))( wb / m)  ln(( )( wb / m)
2 GMRA DAP D GMRB
BP
2 GMRAGMRB

0 I D
 ,
 For equal radius the total flux linkage)(
ln(( atwb
infinity
/ m)point is given as;
 GMR
 Cont…
Then  0  D 
; L1   ln H /m
I   GMR 
 Cont…
 Inductance of a Three-Phase Line
 The derivations for the inductance in a single-phase system can be
extended to obtain the inductance per phase in a three-phase system
 Consider a three-phase, three-conductor system with solid
cylindrical conductors with identical radius rA, rB, and rC, placed
horizontally with separation DAB, DBC, and DCA (where D > r) among
them. Corresponding currents IA, IB, and IC flow along each
conductor as shown
 Inductance of 3-φ (cont…)
 The total magnetic flux enclosing conductor A at a point P away from
the conductors is the sum of the flux produced by conductors A, B,
and C as follows:  AP   AAP   ABP   ACP
 Where;  AAP flux produced by current IA on conductor A at point P
  ABP -flux produced by current I on conductor A at point P
B

 ACP -flux produced by current IC on conductor A at point P

 Inductance of 3-ϕ (cont…)
0 I A  DAP 
 Thus;  AAP  ln    wb / m 
2  GMRA 
0 I B  DBP 
 ABP  ln    wb / m 
2  DAB 
0 I C  DCP 
 ACP  ln    wb / m 
2  DAC 
 The corresponding flux linkage of conductor A at point P is evaluated
as AP  AAP  ABP  ACP
0 I A  DAP 
AAP  ln    wb / m 
2  GMRA 
0 I B  DBP 
D BP

ABP   BBP P  ln    wb / m 
D AB
2  DAB 
0 I C  DCP
DCP

ACP   BCP P  ln    wb / m 
DAC
2  DAC 
 Cont…
; 0   DAP   DBP   DCP  
  I A ln    I B ln    I C ln     wb / m 
2 
AP
 GMRA   DAB   DAC  
0   1   1   1 
 AP   I A ln    I B ln    I C ln  
2   GMR A  D
 AB   DAC 
0
  I A ln DAP  I B ln DBP  I C ln DCP   wb / m 
2
Assuming a balanced three-phase system, where I A +I B +I C =0, and
shifting the point P to infinity in such a way that D AP =D BP =D CP ,
then the second part of Eq. is zero, and the flux linkage of
conductor A becomes
0   1   1   1 
A   I A ln    I B ln    I C ln     wb / m 
2   GMRA  D  D 
0   1   1   1 
B   I A ln    I B ln    I C ln     wb / m 
2  D  GMRB   D 
0   1   1   1 
C   I A ln    I B ln    I C ln     wb / m 
2   D   D   GMRC 
 Cont…
 The flux linkage of each phase conductor depends on the three
currents, and therefore, the inductance per phase is not only one as in
the single-phase system. Instead, three different inductances (self and
mutual conductor inductances) exist. Calculating the inductance
values from the equations above and arranging the equations in a
matrix form we can obtain the set of inductances in the system
 A  LAA L AB L AC  I A
B   LBA LBB LBC  I B
C  LCA LCB LCC  I C

 However, a single inductance per phase can be obtained if the three

conductors are arranged with the same separation among them
(symmetrical arrangement), whereD=DAB=DBC=DCA. For a balanced
three-phase system (IA+IB+IC=0, or IA=-IB -IC), the flux linkage of
each conductor, per unit length, will be the same
 Cont…
Then; 0   1  1  1 
A   I B  I C  ln    I B ln    I C ln     wb / m 
2   GMRA  D  D 
   D   D 
A  0   I B ln    I C ln     wb / m 
2   GMRA   GMRA  
   D 
A  0  I A ln     wb / m 
2   GMRA  
 If GMR value is the same for all conductors (either single or bundle
GMR), the total flux linkage expression is the same for all phases.
Therefore, the equivalent inductance per phase is
   D 
LPhase  0 ln     wb / m 
2   GMR phase  
 Inductance of Transposed Three-Phase Transmission Lines
 it is possible to assume symmetrical arrangement in the transmission
line by transposing the phase conductors. In a transposed system, each
phase conductor occupies the location of the other two phases for one-
third of the total line length as shown in Fig. In this case, the average
distance geometrical mean distance (GMD) substitutes distance D,
and the calculation of phase inductance derived for symmetrical
arrangement is still valid
  GMD  
0
LPhase   ln     H / m 
2
  GMR phase  
Once the inductance per phase is obtained, the inductive reactance per unit length is
  GMD 
X Lphase  2 fLPhase  f 0  ln 
     / m 
  GMR phase  
 Cont…

;for bundel cond.

  GMD 
X Lphase  2 fLPhase  f 0 ln    / m 
  GMRbund 
n-1
where GMR bundle =(d GMR stranded )1/n up to three conductors per bundle (m)
GMR bundle =1.09(d 4 GMR stranded )1/4 for four conductors per bundle (m)
GMR phase =geometric mean radius of phase conductor, either solid or stranded (m)
GMD = 3 D AB D BC D CA = geometrical mean distance for a three-phase line (m)
d=distance between bundle conductors (m)
n=number of conductor per bundle
f=frequency (Hz)
 Capacitance and Capacitive Reactance
 Capacitance exists among transmission line conductors due to their
potential difference.
 To evaluate the capacitance between conductors in a surrounding
medium with permittivity , it is necessary to determine the voltage
between the conductors, and the electric field strength of the
surrounding.
 Capacitance of a Single-Solid Conductor
 Consider a solid, cylindrical, long conductor with radius r, in a free
space with permittivity 0 , and with a charge of q+ coulombs per
meter, uniformly distributed on the surface. There is a constant
electric field strength on the surface of cylinder. The resistivity of the
conductor is assumed to be zero (perfect conductor), which results in
zero internal electric field due to the charge on the conductor.
 Cont…
 The charge q+ produces an electric field radial to the conductor with
equi-potential surfaces concentric to the conductor.
 According to Gauss’s law, the total electric flux leaving a closed
surface is equal to the total charge inside the volume enclosed by the
surface. Therefore, at an outside point P separated x meters from the
center of the conductor, the electric field flux density and the electric
field intensity are

q
DP  C  ,
2 x
DP q
EP   V / m 
 2 x 0
109
 = 0  -permittivity of free space assumed
36
for the conductor (F/m)
 Cont…
 The potential difference or voltage difference between two outside
points P1 and P2 with corresponding distances x1 and x2 is given as,
x2
q  x 
V1 2   EP x  ln  2  V 
x1
2 0  x1 
 Then, the capacitance between points P1 and P2 is evaluated as
q 2 0
C1 2   F / m
V1 2 x 
ln  2 
 x1 
• If point P1 is located x1=r1and point P2 is located at ground surface
below the conductor (x2=h), then the voltage of the conductor and the
capacitance between the conductor and ground are
q h
V1 2  ln   V 
2 0  r1 
q 2 0
C1 2    F / m
V1 2 h
ln  
 r1 
 Capacitance of a Single-Phase Line with Two
Wires
 Consider a two-wire single-phase line with conductors A and B with
the same radius r, separated by a distance D > rA and rB. The
conductors are energized by a voltage source such that conductor A
has a charge q+ and conductor B a charge q- as shown in Fig.
 The charge on each conductor generates independent electric fields.
Charge q+ on conductor A generates a voltage VAB–A between both
conductors. Similarly, charge q on conductor B generates a voltage
VAB–B between conductors.
 Cont…
D
q  D
‘
VAB  A  
rA
E A x
2 0
ln 
r

 A 
rb
 q  D
VAB  B  
D
EB x
2 0
ln 
r

 B 
 D2 
q
VT  VAB  VAB  A  VAB  B  ln  
2 0  rA rB 
If the cond, has the same radius
q  D
VAB  ln   V 
 0  r 
 0
C AB  F / m
 D
ln  
 r 
 Cont…
 The voltage between each conductor and ground (G) (Fig.) is one-half
of the voltage between the two conductors.
VAB q D
VAG  VBG   ln   V 
2 2 0  r 
2 0
C AG   F / m
D
ln  
r
 Capacitance of a Three-Phase Line
 Consider a three-phase line with the same voltage magnitude between
phases, and assuming a balanced system with abc (positive) sequence
such that qA+qB+qC=0.
 The conductors have radii rA, rB, and rC, and the space between
conductors are DAB, DBC, and DAC (where DAB, DBC, and DAC > rA, rB,
and rC).
• The expression for voltages between two conductors in a single-phase
system can be extended to obtain the voltages between conductors in
a three-phase system
1   DAB   rB   DBC  
VAB   q A ln    qB ln    qC ln  
2 0   rA   DAB   DAC  
1   DAC   DBC   rC  
VAC   q A ln    qB ln    qC ln  
2 0   rA   DAB  D
 AC  
 Cont…
 If the three-phase system has triangular arrangement with equidistant
conductors such that DAB=DBC=DAC=D, with the same radii for the
conductors such that rA=rB=rC=r (where D > r), the expressions for
VAB and VAC are

1  D  r  
VAB   q A ln    qB ln    qC ln 1
2 0   r  D 
1  D  r 
  q A ln    qB ln    V  .......eq ( y
2 0   r   D 
1  D  r 
VAC   q A ln    qB ln 1  qC ln    )
2 0   r   D 
1  D  r 
  q A ln    qC ln    V  .......eq (x
2 0   r   D 
 Cont…
 Balanced line-to-line voltages with sequence abc, expressed in terms
of the line-to-neutral voltage are
VAB  3VAN 30 ,VAC  VCA  3VAN   30
0 0

 Therefore, VAN can be expressed in terms of VAB and VAC as

VAB  VAC
VAN 
3
and this by the above two eqn;
1  D  r  D  r 
VAN  q
 A ln    q ln    q ln    q ln  
6 0
B A C
  r  D  r   D 

1 D  r 
 2 q ln    ( q  q ) ln    V 
6 0 
A B C
  r   D 
Under balanced conditions q A +q B +q C =0, or -q A =(q B +q C )
then, the final expression for the lineto-neutral voltage
1 D
VAN  q A ln   (V )
2 0  r 
2 0
C AN  ( F / m)
 D 
ln  
 r 
 Cont…
for stranded transposed conductor
1  GMD 
VAN  q A ln   (V )
. 2 0  re 
2 0
C AN  ( F / m)
 GMD 
ln  
 re 
1
XC 
2 fC AN
GMD  3
 DAB DAC DBC 
where; re =(d n-1r)1/n -equivalent radius up to three
conductors per bundle (m)
re =1.09 (d 3 r)1/4 =equivalent radius for four conductors per bundle (m)
d=distance between bundle conductors (m)
n=number of conductors per bundle