SEEE 2423

Fundamentals of Electrical Power

Systems

Topic2 Part2
Transmission Lines

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 Objectives

Student should be able to:

1. List and describe various types of transmission lines

2. Discuss basic concepts related to design and structure of
power transmission lines.
3. Identify transmission line parameters.
4. Model the lines into suitable line representatives.
5. Analyze power flow and performance of line in terms of
efficiency and voltage regulation.

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 Introduction

Transmission line is a component in power system which

connects generating stations to distribution sections and
consumers.

To reduce power losses in long distance transmission,

transmission line is operated at a very high voltage level.

Most long distance lines are overhead lines due to cost and
technical considerations.

However, there exists underground lines or submarine cables

used to transmit power across congested areas or river or
sea.
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 Transmission Line Conductors

Conductors for transmission lines in general are made of

aluminum or copper.

Copper has better conductivity per unit of volume

compared to aluminum but is more costly and has worse
conductivity per unit of weight.

Thus, aluminum is widely used as power line conductors

compared to copper.

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 Transmission Line conductors

There are four types of aluminum conductors typically

used :

i. All-aluminum conductor (AAC).

ii. All-aluminum-alloy conductor (AAAC).
iii. Aluminum conductor steel-reinforced (ACSR).
iv. Aluminum conductor alloy-reinforced (ACAR).

Aluminum conductors supported by alloy are commonly

used because the combination of the materials increases
conductor’s strength.

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 Transmission Line Conductors

There are 7 steel conductors in

the arrangement that form the
core to strengthen the ACSR
conductors.

The steel core is surrounded by

24 aluminum conductors.

This arrangement is stated

simply as 24Al/7St or 24/7.
Figure : Cross sectional view of
a sample of ACSR conductor

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 Transmission Line Conductors

Conductors used for high voltage overhead transmission

lines are bare (uncovered) in order to ease heat dissipation
to the surrounding and reduce the weight of the conductors.

The line is insulated by the pin insulators that are

suspended on the transmission tower and by the air
surrounding the conductors.

The pin insulators are normally made of porcelain or glass

and also form the support for the conductors to the tower. U

Underground conductors should be well insulated and

protected against external elements.
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 Transmission Line Conductors

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 Types of Transmission Lines

Overhead lines

Power is mostly transmitted by

overhead lines.

The conductors are not

insulated except by pin
insulators at transmission tower.

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 Types of Transmission Lines

Underground lines

Underground lines are used to transmit

across river or sea and through densely
populated areas.

The lines are not suitable for high

power applications because heat is not
easily dissipated from the lines.

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 Types of Transmission Lines

High Voltage Alternating Current Lines(HVAC)

HVAC lines using three phase conductor arrangement is used

to transmit power at high voltages to distribution sections.

Relatively lower AC voltages at generating stations are

increased by step-up transformers to high transmission
voltages.

In Malaysia, three standard transmission voltage levels, viz,

132 kV, 275 kV and 500 kV.

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 Types of Transmission Lines

High Voltage Direct Current Lines (HVDC)

HVDC lines are typically used in two situations:

i. To transmit power at extremely long distances.

ii.To connect two power systems with different frequencies
(asynchronous systems) or in different countries.

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 Types of Transmission Lines

To transfer power at long distances, it is more economical to

utilise HVDC rather than HVAC lines.

Even though the cost to provide DC-AC converters/inverters

in HVDC system is high, but it can be compensated by the
relatively lower cost of HVDC line construction and no
significant magnetic and electric field effects from the line to
the environment.

Furthermore, the problem of voltage regulation and reactive

compensation are not the issues in the HVDC system.

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 Design Concept and Line Structure

There are various types of overhead transmission line

structures available.

The tower is normally constructed from concrete, steel, and

timber.

In Malaysia, the towers are commonly constructed from lattice

steel. The structure is very strong and relatively lighter and
simple to erect.

However, the design and fabrication stages are complicated

and time consuming while the base for the tower requires
significant land area.
Design Concept and Line Structure

The main components :

1.Suspension insulator set.

2.Phase conductor.
3.Spacer between two conductors
of the same phase.
4.Shield conductor.
5.A set of three phase conductors
on a tower.
6.Identification plate for the line.
7.Security feature against
unauthorized climber.
 Line Parameter

There are four parameters on power transmission lines :

resistance, inductance, capacitance, and leakage
resistance.

Voltage differences between points move electrons, hence

current flows in the line.

The electrons encounter resistance along the line and this

effect contributes to power loss and, to some extent, voltage
drop in the line.
 Line Parameter

The transmission line also develops two types of fields,

namely magnetic and electric fields.

Magnetic field is developed when current induces flux

around the conductor.

Alternating current continuously changes the flux and

resulting into induced voltage along the line.

The effect forms inductance which causes voltage drop in

the line and requires constant supply of reactive power.
Line Parameter
 Line Parameter

Conductance between conductors that are in touch with

each other or between any conductor to earth through
suspension insulator contributes to the flow of leakage
current in transmission lines.

However, since the leakage in normal operating condition

is quite negligible, the leakage reactance to represent the
conductance is not taken into account in the following
discussion.

Note: all parameters (R, L, C) are normally given in per

unit length. Ex. R = 0.1 ohm /km.
 Equivalent circuit for Transmission
Line

Three phase transmission line in balanced condition can

be represented by a single phase circuit.

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 Equivalent circuit for Transmission
Line

Resistance and inductance are series parameters while

capacitance is shunt parameter in the circuit.

Physically, all line parameters are distributed uniformly

along the line.

However, to simplify the line analysis, typically the

parameters are assumed as lumped elements at a given
point in the equivalent circuit.

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 Equivalent circuit for Transmission
Line

In this section we will describe modeling techniques

available to lump the line parameters based on length of the
line which can be divided into 3 representation :

i. Short line representation

ii.Medium line representation
iii.Long line representation

The long line representation will be covered in EMT course.

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 Short Line Representation

with length of less than 80 km.

capacitive effect is insignificant.

The per phase circuit for the short line representation

consists of the series parameters.

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 Short Line Representation

VS and IS : phase voltage and phase current, at the

sending end of the line.
VR and IR : phase voltage and current, at receiving end.
R : Total resistance per phase (in ohm)
XL : Total inductive reactance per phase (in ohm)

The line impedance per phase, Z,

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 Short Line Representation

IS and IR are the same, while voltages VS and VR are different

due to the voltage drop VRL in the line impedance.

VR is taken as reference phasor in the analysis

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 Short Line Representation

In matrix form

Known as ABCD parameters for transmission line.

A = 1, B = Z, C = 0, and D = 1
Furthermore, AD - BC = 1

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 Short Line Representation

Example:

A 30 km, three phase 50 Hz transmission line is transferring

power to a 500 kW load with power factor of 0.9 lagging. The
load voltage is 10 kV. Given resistance and inductance of the
line per phase of 0.1 Ω per km and 0.424 mH per km,
respectively, calculate

(i)current
(ii)voltage at the sending end of the line.

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 Short Line Representation

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 Short Line Representation

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 Short Line Representation

A: self assessment question

A 30 km, three phase 50 Hz transmission line is transferring

power to a 500 kW load with power factor of 0.8 leading. The
load voltage is 10 kV. Given resistance and inductance of the
line per phase of 0.1 Ω per km and 0.424 mH per km,
respectively, calculate

(i)current
(ii)voltage at the sending end of the line.

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 Medium Length Line Representation

Medium line representation is used for line with length of

between 80 km to 240 km.

All line parameters are still represented as lumped

elements.

There exists two representations for the medium lines,

namely

i. T circuit representation.
ii. π circuit representation
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 Medium Length Line Representation

T-circuit Representation

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 Medium Length Line Representation

For sending end voltage :

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 Medium Length Line Representation

For sending end current :

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 Medium Length Line Representation

π–circuit Representation

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 Medium Length Line Representation

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 Medium Length Line Representation

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 Medium Length Line Representation

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 Medium Length Line Representation

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 Medium Length Line Representation

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 Medium Length Line Representation

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

In general, phase voltage and current at sending end of

transmission line can be represented as

Similarly, at the receiving end, phase voltage and current

can be represented as

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

In most cases, phase voltage at the receiving end is taken

as a reference i.e. the angle for VR is set to zero.

Total apparent power from the source is

Total apparent power received by the load is

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

The real power magnitudes delivered by the source and that

received by the load respectively, are

Total real power loss in the line is

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

The efficiency of the transmission line is a ratio of the power

received by the load to the power generated by the source,
i.e.

The efficiency can be expressed in percentage by

multiplying 100

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

Voltage regulation for transmission line

degree of voltage rise at the receiving end of the line

when a rated load (or known as full load) is completely
removed from the load terminal, with sending end voltage
is fixed.

The voltage relationship to determine line regulation can

be expressed as

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

Note

Value of VR-NL : Vs since IR is zero at no-load condition.

VR-FL : VR when the line is loaded.

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

For long line with following data :

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 Efficiency and Regulation of T. Line

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