CHAPTER : FIVE

Transmission Line Parameters

contents
5.1 Resistance of transmission lines,
5.2 skin effect and proximity effect;
5.3 inductance of single-phase two-wire line, composite
conductor lines,
5.4 three-phase line with unsymmetrical spacing,
5.5 double circuit three-phase lines and bundled conductors;
5.6 capacitance of a two-wire line, three-phase line with
equilateral and unsymmetrical spacing,
5.7 effect of earth on transmission line
capacitance.

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 5.1 Resistance of a Transmission Lines
 The resistance of transmission line conductors is the most important cause of power
loss in a transmission line. The resistance R of a line conductor having resistivity ρ,
length l and area of cross section a is given by ;

 The variation of resistance of metallic conductors with temperature is practically

linear over the normal range of operation.

(i) In a single phase or 2-wire d.c line, the total resistance (known as loop resistance)
is equal to double the resistance of either conductor.
(ii) In case of a 3-phase transmission line, resistance per phase is the resistance of one
conductor.
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5.2 Skin Effect and Proximity effect

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proximity effect:- is a redistribution of electric current occurring in nearby parallel
electrical conductors carrying alternating current (AC), caused by magnetic effects.
• In conductors carrying AC current in the same direction, it causes the current to
concentrate on the side away from the nearby conductor.
• In conductors carrying AC current in opposite directions, it causes the current to
concentrate on the side adjacent to the nearby conductor.

Factors affecting the Proximity Effect

The conductor’s material - High ferromagnetic materials experience more proximity effects.
The conductor’s diameter - diameter increases, the proximity effect also increases.
Frequency - As the frequency increases, the proximity effect becomes more intense.
The conductor’s structure - The proximity effect is higher in solid than in stranded conductors.
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5.3 inductance of single-phase two-wire line, composite
conductor lines,

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 Cont’d…
• To calculate inductance, we need to go four
steps
1. Magnetic field intensity H, From ampere's law
2. Magnetic flux density B, [B=µH]
3. Flux linkage
4. inductance

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Flux Linkages
 As stated earlier, the inductance of a circuit is defined as the flux linkages per
unit current. Therefore, in order to find the inductance of a circuit, the
determination of flux linkages is of primary importance. We shall discuss two
important cases of flux linkages.
 Because of current flow there will be magnetic field inside and outside the
conductors

1. Flux linkages due to a single current carrying conductor.

 The magnetic lines of force will exist inside the conductor as well as outside the
conductor. Both these fluxes will contribute to the inductance of the conductor.

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 (i) Flux linkages due to internal flux.

 Total flux linkages from

center up to the conductor
surface is

(ii) Flux linkages due to external flux.

 Total flux linkages of the conductor from

surface to infinity,

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2. Flux linkages in parallel current carrying conductors.
 Flux linkages with conductor A due to its
own current

.............................. (i)
 Flux linkages with conductor A due to
current IB

............................... (ii)
 Flux linkages with conductor A due to
current IC

............................. (iii)
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 Similarly, flux linkages with other conductors can be determined. The
above relation provides the basis for evaluating inductance of any
circuit.

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Inductance of a Single Phase Two-Wire Line

 Consider a single phase overhead line

consisting of two parallel conductors A and
B spaced d metres apart

 Conductors A and B carry the same

amount of current (i.e. IA= IB), but in the
opposite direction because one forms the
return circuit of the other.

 Flux linkages with conductor A due to its own current

.......................... (i)

Flux linkages with conductor A due to current IB

....................... (ii)
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 5.4 Inductance of a 3-Phase Overhead Line
 Consider the flux linkages with conductor A. There will be
flux linkages with conductor A due to its own current and
also due to the mutual inductance effects of IB and IC.
 Flux linkages with conductor A due to its own current

 Flux linkages with conductor A due to current IB

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(ii) Unsymmetrical spacing.
 When 3-phase line conductors are not equidistant from each other, the
conductor spacing is said to be unsymmetrical.
 Under such conditions, the flux linkages and inductance of each phase are
not the same.
 In order that voltage drops are equal in all conductors, we generally interchange
the positions of the conductors at regular intervals along the line so that each
conductor occupies the original position of every other conductor over an equal
distance. Such an exchange of positions is known as transposition.

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 5.5 Double Circuit Three-phase Lines And Bundled
Conductors;
Concept of Self-GMD and Mutual -GMD
 The use of self geometrical mean distance (abbreviated as self-GMD) and
mutual geometrical mean distance (mutual-GMD) simplifies the inductance
calculations, particularly relating to multi conductor arrangements. The
symbols used for these are respectively Ds and Dm
(i) Self-GMD (Ds).In order to have concept of self-GMD (also sometimes called
Geometrical mean radius; GMR), consider the expression for inductance per conductor
per metre already derived

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 It can be proved mathematically that for a solid round conductor of radius r,
the self-GMD or GMR = 0·7788 r. Using self-GMD, the eq. (i) becomes :

 It may be noted that self-GMD of a conductor depends upon the size and shape of
the conductor and is independent of the spacing between the conductors.

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Inductance Formulas in Terms of GMD
 The inductance formulas developed in the previous articles can be conveniently
expressed in terms of geometrical mean distances.

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 5.6 capacitance of a two-wire line, three-phase line with
equilateral and unsymmetrical spacing,

• We know that any two conductors separated by an

insulating medium constitute a condenser or a capacitor.
• In case of an overhead line two conductors form the two
plates of a capacitor and the air between the conductors
behaves as the dielectric medium.

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 Cont’d…
• Thus an overhead line can be assumed to have
capacitance between conductors throughout the
length of the line.
• The capacitance is uniformly distributed over the
total length of the line and may be regarded as a
uniform series of condensers connected between
the conductors

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 Electric Field and Potential Difference:
• An electric charge causes an electric field around it which theoreti­
cally extends up to infinity.
• If any charge is introduced in this electric field, it will be attracted or
repelled according to the nature of the charge and when it will be
moved, the work will be done against or by the force acting on the
charge due to electric field.
• Hence potential in an electric field is exactly the same as potential in
the gravitational field.
• In general electric potential or potential at any point in an electric
field is defined as the work done in moving a unit positive charge
from infinity to that point.
• The concept of electric potential is very important for the
determination of capacitance as the latter is defined as the charge
per unit potential.
• Now we will discuss in detail the electric potential owing to various
important conductor arrangements: 30
 Potential at a Charged Single Conductor:
• Consider a long straight cylindrical conductor A
of radius r meters and having a charge of q
coulombs per meter of its length.

The electric field intensity at a distance x from the

center of conductor,

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 Cont’d…
• Taking air as medium i.e., er = 1

• The potential difference between conductor A and

infinity distant neutral plane (a plane where E and
therefore, potential is zero) will be equal to work
done in bringing a unit positive charge against E
from infinity to conductor surface and is given as,

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 Capacitance of a Single Phase Overhead Line:
• Consider a single phase overhead line with two
parallel conductors, each of radius r metres placed
at a distance of d meters in air.
• It is assumed that the distance d’ between the
conductors is large in comparison to the radii of the
conductors.
• Therefore the density of charge on either
conductor will be practically unaffected by the
charge on the other conductor and will, therefore,
be uniform throughout the length.
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 Cont’d…
• A uniformly distributed charge on a conductor acts
as though it is concentrated on the conductor axis.
• Therefore, for the purpose of our present analysis it
is assumed that the charge + q coulombs on
conductor A and – q coulombs on conductor B are
concentrated at the centers of the two conductors
which are separated from each other by d meters.

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 Cont’d…
• PD between conductor A and neutral ‘infinite’
plane,

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 Cont’d…
• Similarly p d between conductor B and neutral
‘infinite’ plane,

• PD between conductor A and B,

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 Cont’d…
• Capacitance of the line

• The above Eq. is for capacitance between two

conductors.
• The capacitance for each conductor, Cn (or
phase to neutral) will be double of this value.
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5.7 EFFECT OF EARTH ON THE CAPACITANCE
OF CONDUCTORS

▶Capacitance of single conductor

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 Cont’d…
Effect of Earth on the Capacitance of Single-phase
Transmission Line

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Cont’d…

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 Cont’d…
From the expression for capacitance it is clear that since
the ratio

the effect of earth on the capacitance of the system is to increase it.

However, normally the distance of separation between the conductors
is much smaller than the height of the conductor above the ground;
therefore, the ratio

and for all practical purposes the effect of earth can be

neglected.

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 Cont’d…
Effect of Earth on the Capacitance of a 3-
phase Line

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 Cont’d…
Since the conductors along with their images are unsymmetrically
spaced the capacitance calculation will be made by transposing the
lines
Again assuming a point P very far from the system the potential of
conductor a in position 1

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▶ It can be seen from the expression that the effect of earth is to
increase the
capacitance.
▶ But normally the height of the conductors is large as compared to the
distance of separation between the conductors and, therefore, for all
practical purposes the effect of earth on the capacitances can be
neglected.

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READING ASSIGNMENT:
1) Electric Potential
2) Capacitance of a Single Phase Two-Wire Line
3) Capacitance of a 3-Phase Overhead Line

TEXT BOOK: PRINCIPLES OF POWER SYSTEM 2, PAGE 220-224

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 Examples

1)

2) The three conductors of a 3-phase line are arranged at the corners of a triangle of sides 4, 5 and 6
metres. Calculate inductance per km of the each conductor when conductors are regularly transposed.
The diameter of each line conductor is 2 cm. [1·285 mH]

3) Determine the inductance of a 3-phase symmetrical line whose conductors are placed at
the corners of an equilateral triangle of sides 1 metre. The diameter of each conductor is
20 mm. [0·971 mH/phase/km]

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4)

5)

6)

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