EEE3233

Power Systems
Chapter 5
Transmission Line Parameters

Nur Diyana
Kamarudin
INTRODUCTION
• All transmission lines in a power
system exhibit the electrical
properties of resistance,
inductance, capacitance, and
conductance. The inductance and
capacitance are due to the effects
of magnetic and electric field
around the conductor.
• The selection of an economical
voltage level for the transmission
line is based on the amount of the
power and the distance of
transmission. The voltage choice
• Conductor manufacturers provide the
characteristics of the standard conductors
with conductor sizes expressed in circular
mils (cmil). 1 mil equals 0.001 inch, and for
a solid round conductor the area in circular
mils is defined as the square of diameter in
mils.
• At voltage above 230kV, it is preferable to
use bundling of conductors. Bundling
increases the effective radius of the line's
conductor and reduces the electric field
strength near the conductors, which
reduces corona power loss, audible noise
and radio interference.
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION

Transmission line is non ideal, therefore

cannot be assumed that the wires that
transmit electricity are loss less.
INTRODUCTION
• All transmission lines in a power system
exhibit the electrical properties of
resistance, inductance, capacitance and
conductance.
• Inductance and capacitance are due to the
effects of magnetic and electric fields
around the conductor.
• These parameters are essential for the
development of the transmission line
models used in power system analysis.

a model of a transmission line as a resistive element.

INTRODUCTION
• The shunt conductance accounts for leakage
currents flowing across insulators and
ionized pathways in the air.
• The leakage currents are negligible
compared to the current flowing in the
transmission lines and may be neglected.
RESISTANCE

• Important in transmission
efficiency evaluation and
economic studies.
• Significant effect
– Generation of I2R loss in
transmission line.
– Produces IR-type voltage drop
which affect voltage regulation.
•
RESISTANCE

• The dc resistance of a solid round

conductor at a specified
temperature is

ρl
•

– Rdc =
– A
–
• Where :
• ρ = conductor resistivity (Ω-m),
•
l = conductor length (m) ; and
• A = conductor cross-sectional area
(m2)
RESISTANCE

• Conductor resistance is
affected by three factors:-
• Frequency (‘skin effect’)
• Spiraling
• Temperature
•
RESISTANCE

Frequency – Skin Effect

•

• When ac flows in a conductor, the

current distribution is not uniform
over the conductor cross-sectional
area and the current density is
greatest at the surface of the
conductor.
• This causes the ac resistance to be
somewhat higher than the dc
resistance. The behavior is known
as skin effect.
•
RESISTANCE

• The skin effect is where alternating

current tends to avoid travel through
the center of a solid conductor,
limiting itself to conduction near the
surface.
• This effectively limits the cross-
sectional conductor area available to
carry alternating electron flow,
increasing the resistance of that
conductor above what it would
normally be for direct current
RESISTANCE
RESISTANCE

• Skin effect correction factor are

defined as
• R
•
• RO
• Where
• R = AC resistance ; and
• Ro = DC resistance.
RESISTANCE

Spiraling
•

• For stranded conductors, alternate

layers of strands are spiraled in
opposite directions to hold the
strands together.
• Spiraling makes the strands 1 – 2%
longer than the actual conductor
length.
• DC resistance of a stranded conductor
is 1 – 2% larger than the calculated
value.
•
RESISTANCE
Temperature
•

• The conductor resistance increases

as temperature increases. This
change can be considered linear
over the range of temperature
normally encountered and may be
calculated from :
• T +t 2
• R2 = R1
• T + t1
• Where:
• R1= conductor resistances at t1 in
°C
• R2= conductor resistances at t2 in
°C
RESISTANCE

• The conductor resistance is best

determined from manufacturer’s
data.
• Some conversion used in
calculating line resistance:-
•
1 cmil = 5.067x10-4 m2
Resistivity & Temparature
Constant of Conductor Metals
Material ρ20ºC T
Resistivity at 20ºC Temperature Constant
Ωm×10-8 Ωcmil/ft ºC
Copper
Annealed 1.72 10.37 234.5
Hard-drawn 1.77 10.66 241.5
Aluminum
Hard-drawn 2.83 17.00 228
Brass 6.4 – 8.4 38 – 51 480
Iron 10 60 180
Silver 1.59 9.6 243
Sodium 4.3 26 207
Steel 12 – 88 72 – 530 180 – 980
RESISTANCE

• Example:-
• A solid cylindrical aluminum
conductor 25km long has an
area of 336,400 circular mils.
Obtain the conductor resistance
at
(a)20°C and
(b)50°C.
•

• The resistivity of aluminum at 20°C

is
•
ρ = 2.8x10-8 Ω-m.
RESISTANCE

• Answer (a)

ρl
Rl =25km =
A

=
( 2.8 ×10 ) × ( 25× 10 )
−8 3

336, 400 × ( 5.076 ×10 )

−4

−6
= 4.0994× 10 Ω
RESISTANCE

• Answer (b)

T + t50°C
R50°C = R20° C
T + t 20°C
228 + 50
= ( 4.0994× 10 −6
) 228 + 20
−6
= 4.5953× 10 Ω
RESISTANCE

• Exercise :
• A transmission-line cable
consists of 12 identical strands of
aluminum, each 3mm in
diameter. The resistivity of
aluminum strand at 20°C is
2.8x10-8 Ω-m. Find the 50°C ac
resistance per km of the cable.
Assume a skin-effect correction
factor of 1.02 at 50Hz.
INDUCTANCE :
A SINGLE CONDUCTOR
• A current-carrying conductor produces
a magnetic field around the
conductor.
• The magnetic flux can be determined
by using the right hand rule.
• For nonmagnetic material, the
inductance L is the ratio of its total
magnetic flux linkage to the current I,
given by λ
• L=
• I
•
where λ=flux linkages, in Weber turns.
INDUCTANCE :
A SINGLE CONDUCTOR
• For illustrative
example,
consider a long
round
conductor with
radius r,
carrying a
current I as
shown.
• The magnetic
field intensity Ix
Hx, around a Hx =
circle of radius
x, is constant
2π x
and tangent to
INDUCTANCE :
A SINGLE CONDUCTOR
• The inductance of the conductor
can be defined as the sum of
contributions from flux linkages
internal and external to the
conductor.
Flux Linkage
INDUCTANCE :
A SINGLE CONDUCTOR
• INTERNAL INDUCTANCE
– Internal inductance can be express as
follows:-
–
–
– µ0 1 −7
Lint = = ×
10 H/ m
• 8π 2
– Where
• µo = permeability of air (4π x 10-7 H/m)
– The internal inductance is independent
of the conductor radius r
INDUCTANCE :
A SINGLE CONDUCTOR
• INDUCTANCE DUE
TO EXTERNAL
FLUX LINKAGE
– External
inductance
between
two points
D2 and D1
can be
express as
follows:

−7 D2
Lext = 2× 10 ln H /m
D1
INDUCTANCE :
A SINGLE PHASE LINES
• A single phase lines consist of a
single current carrying line with a
return line which is in opposite
direction. This can be illustrated as:
INDUCTANCE :
A SINGLE PHASE LINES
• Inductance of a single-phase
lines can be expressed as
below with an assumption
that the radius of r1=r2=r.
1 −7 −7 D2
L = Lint + Lext = × 10 + 2 × 10 ln H /m
2 D1
1 D 1 D
= ×10−7 + 2 × 10 −7 ln H / m = 2 ×10 −7  + ln  H / m
2 r 4 r 
 1
D   1 D 
= 2 ×10  ln e 4 + ln  H / m = 2 ×10  ln 1 + ln  H / m
−7 −7

 r   − r 
 e 4

−7 D
= 2 ×10 ln −0.25 H / m
re
A single phase line
• The flux beyond D links a net current
of zero and does not contribute to
the net magnetic flux linkages in
the circuit. Thus, to obtain the
inductance of conductor 1 due to
the net external flux linkage D1 =
r1 to D2 = D
• --------L1
•

•
• Similarly for conductor 2. If the 2
conductors are identical, r1=r2=r
SELF AND MUTUAL
INDUCTANCES
• The series inductance per phase can
be express in terms of self-
inductance of each conductor and
their mutual inductance.
• Consider the one meter length single-
phase circuit in figure below:-
•
•
•
–
–
–
– Where L11 and L22 are self-inductance
and the mutual inductance L12
SELF AND MUTUAL
INDUCTANCES
−7 1 −7 D
L1 = 2 x10 ln + 2 x10 ln H / m
r1e −0.25 1
1 D
L2 = 2 x10 −7 ln − 0.25
+ 2 x10 −7
ln H /m
r2 e 1
λ1 = ( L11 − L12 ) I1
λ2 = ( − L21 − L22 ) I 2
 1 D
λ1 = L1 I1 =  2 x10 ln −0.25 + 2 x10 ln  I1 = ( L11 − L12 ) I1
 −7 −7

 r1e 1
1
L11 = 2 x10 −7 ln −0.25
r1e
D
− L12 = 2 x10 −7 ln
1
 −7 D −7 1
L12 = − 2 x10 ln  = 2 x10 ln
 1 D
SELF AND MUTUAL
INDUCTANCES
• L11 , L22 and L12 can be expressed as
below:-

−7 1
L11 = 2 ×10 ln −0.25
r1e
−7 1
L22 = 2 ×10 ln −0.25
r2e
−7 1
L12 = L21 = 2 × 10 ln
D
SELF AND MUTUAL
INDUCTANCES
• Flux linkage of conductor i

 1 n
1 
λi = 2 x10 I i ln − 0.25 + ∑ I i ln
−7 
j≠i
 r e D 
 i j =1 ij 
Inductance of single
phase line
• 1st term is only function of
the conductor radius
which is considered as
the inductance due to
both the internal flux and
the external to conductor
1 to a radius of 1m.
• 2nd term is dependent only
upon conductor spacing
• Term r' is known as self-
geometric mean distance
of a circle with radius r
and is abbreviated by
GMR (Geometric Mean
Radius) and designated
by Ds.
• (where r'1 = r1e-1/4 )
•
Thus, the inductance per
conductor in millihenries per
kilometer,

•
Inductance of 3 Phase
Transmission Lines

• Symmetrical Spacing
•

•
Symmetrical spacing
§ Balanced 3 phase currents,
• Ia + Ib + Ic = 0
§ Total flux linkage of phase a conductor is
§
§
§ Since Ib + Ic = -Ia
§
§
§ Because of symmetry, λb = λc = λa and the
inductance per phase per kilometer
length is
§
•

ii.
§ For a solid round conductor, Ds =
re-0.25
§ And for stranded conductor Ds
can be evaluated from equation
*
§ Inductance per phase for a 3
phase circuit with equilateral
spacing is the same as for 1
conductor of single phase
circuit.
•
Asymmetrical Spacing

§ Practical transmission lines cannot maintain

symmetrical spacing of conductors.
•

§ In asymmetrical spacing, with balanced

currents the voltage drop due to line
inductance will be unbalanced.
• For balanced 3 phase currents
with Ia as reference,
• Ib = IaL240o = a2Ia
• Ic = IaL120o = aIa
•

• Where a =1L120o and a2 =

1L240o
•
Transpose Line
• Per phase model of the transmission
line is required in power system
analysis.
•

• Transposition consists of interchanging

the phase configuration every 1/3
the length so that each conductor is
moved to occupy the next physical
position in a regular sequence.
•
• The inductance per phase can be
obtained by finding the average
value of
•

• Since a + a2 = 1L120o + 1L240o =

-1, the average becomes
•
• where
•

• GMD (Geometric mean distance)

is equivalent conductor spacing.
•

• The error introduced as a result of

this transposition is very small
and suitable for modelling
purpose.
•
Inductance of Composite
Conductors
• Solid round conductors were
considered before this.
•

• In practical transmission lines,

stranded conductors are used
•

• A single phase line consisting of 2

composite conductors x and y
•

•
• The current is assumed to be
equally divided among the
subconductors (I/n in x and I/m
in y) and refer to
•
•
• The inductance of subconductor n
in x is
•

•
• The inductance of conductor x is
•
•
• Where
•
•

• *
•

•
• where
• Daa = Dbb……= Dnn = r'x
•

• The inductance of conductor y

can also be similarly obtained
with same GMD and GMRx ≠
GMRy
•
• Extra-high voltage transmission
lines are usually constructed
with bundled conductors.
•
• Typically, this conductors consist
of 2, 3 or 4 subconductors
symmetrically arrange and are
separated by spacer dampers.
•
• Bundled configuration and the
GMR, Ds of the equivalent
single conductor is
•
•
•
•
• for 2 subconductor bundle
•
•
• for 3 subconductor bundle
•
•
• For 4 subconductor bundle
•

•
Advantages

• Relative immunity to short circuits

caused by external forces
(wind, fallen branches), unless
they abrade the insulation.
• Can stand in close proximity to
trees and will not generate
sparks if touched.
• Simpler installation, as crossbars
and insulators are not required.
• Less cluttered appearance.
• Can be installed in a narrower right-
of-way.
• Reduced transmission losses, due
to closer spacing of the
conductors.
• Reduced corona loss, radio
interference and surge
impedance.
• At junction poles, insulating bridging
wires are needed to connect non-
insulated wires at either side.
•
Disadvantages

• Additional cost for the cable itself.

• Insulation exposed to the sun
degrades. (The critical
insulation between the wires is
somewhat shielded from the
sun.)
• Insulation thickness makes this
economical only for low voltage
power lines.
•