Overhead line mechanical design

Factors affecting mechanical design of overhead lines

1. Character of line route
2. Right-of-way
3. Mechanical loading
4. Required clearances
5. Type of supporting structures
6. Conductor
7. Type of insulators
8. Joint use by other utilities
Factors affecting span length
1. Character of route
2. Proper clearance between conductors
3. Permissible tensions under maximum mechanical load
 
There are five kinds of stresses on lines & supports
1. Tensile
2. Compressive
3. Shearing
4. Bending
5. Twisting stress or torque
 
Sag and tension analysis of overhead lines
 
Required clearances:
The data for the following clearances of different voltage levels should be known.
1.        Clearance of conductors passing by buildings
2.        Minimum clearances of conductors  above ground  or rails
3.        Crossing clearances of wires carried  of wires carried on different supports
4.        Horizontal clearances at support between line conductors based on sags.
 
Sag and tension analysis:
Factors affecting sag are:
1.        Conductor load per unit length
2.        Span
3.        Temperature
4.        Conductor tension
5.        Level at supports
 
Conductor load depends on
1.        Weight of conductors
2.        Weight of ice or snow on conductors
3.        Wind blowing against wire
 
Effect of change in temperature:
 
If the conductor stress is constant and if the temperature changes, the change in length is
l = lo. .t
 
t = t1-to= change in temperature
l = l1-lo = change in length
 = Coefficient of linear expansion of conductor per deg. C. If temperature is constant while conductor stress
changes (i.e. loading), the change in length is
l  = lo. T/MA
 
T =T1-To= change in tension in kg
M= modulus of elasticity of conductor
A = Metal cross-section of conductor.
Consider the following in sag & tension calculations:
1.         Supports at same level ( I) Catenary method ,( ii) Parabola method
2.        Supports at different levels (unsymmetrical spans)
3.        Effect of ice
4.        Effect of wind
 
Line location
1.        Profile & plan of right-of-way
2.       Templates for locating structures
 
These are used to provide the following
a.        Maintenance of proper clearance from conductor to ground and to crossing conductors
b.       Economic layout
c.        Proper grading of structures
d.       Prevention of excessive insulator swing or uplift at structures.
 

Problem (1)-12 m pole is set 1.83m in ground with three no 4/0 stranded conductors on a cross
arm with the conductor level at the top of pole and 45.7 m balance of span in a heavy loading
area. Pole got 20.32cm at top and 30.48 cm at bottom. No 4/0 conductor has diameter of 1.34 cm
and total ice thickness is 2.54 cm. Wind pressure is 196.2 Pascal . Safety factor for pole is 2.

(i) Select the appropriate type of wood.

Type of wood Ultimate Safety Allowable stress cost

stress factor
Northern white cedar 24.9 x 106 5 4.98 x 106N/m2 Cheap
N/m2
Western red cedar 8 4.85 x 106N/m2 Cheap
38.84 x
Long leaf yellow pine 106N/m2 10 5.13 x 106N/m2 Moderate

Wallaha 51.3 x 15 5.18 x 106N/m2 Expensive

106N/m2

77.79 x
106N/m2

(ii) If the circumference of pole if the pole is to be replaced with another pole with the same
diameter at top and bottom.

 
Problem (2)-3 No 4 medium hard-drawn copper primary conductor is attached at 10m above the
ground on pole. 4 No 2 soft-drawn copper cable is attached at 2m below on the pole. A pole face
area to wind is 2.5m2 and wind pressure is 192.6 Pascal at 7m. The guy wire is attached at 9m
above the ground at 45°.

Calculate horizontal and vertical loading on guy wire if No 4 wire has 433 Kg weight for the
whole span and No 2 wire has 451 Kg weight for the whole span .

If allowable stress in guy wire is 33.17 x 106N/m2 , calculate the diameter of guy wire.

  Problem (3)- 12 m pole is installed with 3 No4/0 bare copper conductors in one direction and 3
No 2/0 bare stranded copper conductors in opposite direction. 3 No 4/0 conductors cause
1355016 N-m bending moment and 3 No 2/0 conductors cause 1072721 N-m bending moment.
Wind load on pole is 12648 N-m. Calculate tower circumference to withstand the load if long
leaf yellow pine has ultimate stress 51.3 x 106N/m2 . Take safety factor

State pole and line installation techniques

Problem (4) Determine the maximum deviation allowed on 11KN pin insulator for a 7/3.50 hard
drawn copper conductor with a span of 150m. The ultimate strength of the conductor is 26600N.
The wind load is to be taken as 500Pa and the diameter of conductor is 10.5mm. Tension in
conductor must not be more than 50% of ultimate strength. Transverse loading on pin insulator is
not to exceed 40% of ultimate strength.