MODULE 3

MODELING POWER SYSTEM COMPONENTS

Transmission Line Parameters
 Analyze the resistance,
At the end of inductance and capacitance of
a transmission line.
this lesson you
will be able to: Calculate the geometric mean
radius and geometric mean
distance of conductors.
The transmission line is one of the major components of a power
system. As such, it may be represented quantitatively by a
combination of three characteristics, or parameters: its
resistance, inductance, and capacitance.
The most significant effect of the resistance of transmission line
conductors is the generation of I2R loss in the line. The
resistance also produces an IR-type voltage drop, affecting the
voltage regulation of the line.

The dc resistance R of a conductor of length I and cross-sectional

area A is:
Where 𝜌 is the resistivity of the material of the conductor
in ohm-meters. The dc resistance of a conductor is
affected only by the operating temperature, and it
increases linearly with the temperature.
• When a conductor is transmitting
alternating current, the current-density
distribution across the conductor
cross section is nonuniform and is a
function of the ac frequency. This
phenomenon, known as the skin
effect, causes the ac resistance to be
greater than the dc resistance.
• At 60Hz, the ac resistance of a
transmission-line conductor may be 5
to 10 percent higher than its dc
resistance. https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/alt
ernating-current/chpt-3/more-on-the-skin-
effect/
The temperature dependence of resistance is quantified by the
relation:

Where R1 and R2 are the resistance at temperature T1 and T2,

respectively, and 𝛼 is called the temperature coefficient of
resistance.
The inductance per conductor of a two-wire, single-phase transmission line
is given by

Where 𝜇! = 4𝜋 𝑥 10"#𝐻/𝑚 (the permeability of free space), D is the distance

between the centers of the conductors, and r is the radius of the conductors.
The total, or loop, inductance is then
 !
$
Since 𝑙𝑛𝑒 = , this equation may also be written as:
"
%

!
""
Where 𝑟& = 𝑟𝑒 is known as the geometric mean radius (GMR) of the
conductor.
Inductance per conductor of a two-wire, single-phase
transmission line:

Of the two terms in this equation, the first represents the internal
inductance of the solid conductor, and the second term is due
to fluxes external to the conductor.
Total or loop inductance:

In this equation, the conductor is replaced by an equivalent thin-

walled, hollow conductor or radius r’ having no internal flux
linkage and hence no internal inductance.
The per-phase (or line-to-neutral) inductance of a three-phase transmission
line with equilaterally spaced conductors is:

where r is the conductor radius and D is the spacing between conductors.

• In practice, the three conductors of a three-phase line are seldom
equilaterally spaced. The usual nonsymmetrical spacing produces
unequal inductances in the three phases, leading to unequal voltage
drops and an imbalance in the line.
• To offset this imbalance, the positions of the conductors are interchanged
at regular intervals along the line. This practice is known as
transposition and is illustrated in the figure, which also shows the
unequal spacings between conductors.
The average per-phase inductance for a transposed line is still given by,

except that the spacing D in the equation is replaced by the equivalent

spacing De obtained from

where the distances Dab, Dbc, and Dca.

The mutual GMD The inductance

' %& '( (

𝐷! = 𝐷"# 𝐷#$ 𝐷$" 𝐿 = 2×10 𝑙𝑛 ⁄)
')
'( )(
𝐿 = 0.7411 𝑙𝑜𝑔"* ⁄)+,!
')
The expressions for the line inductance must be modified for application to a
transmission line that consists of composite conductors. In particular, let a
single-phase line consist of two composite conductors, as shown

Conductor X is composed of n identical and parallel filaments, each of which

carries the current I/n. Conductor Y, which is the return circuit for the current
in conductor X, is composed of m identical and parallel filaments, each of
which carries the current – I/m.
Distances between pairs of elements are designated by D with appropriate
subscripts. The inductance Lx ( Henrys per meter) of conductor X then may
be shown to be

Where 𝐷** = 𝑟*& = 𝑟𝑒 "$/% is the geometric mean radius (GMR) of the kth
conductor.
• Notice that the numerator in the equation involves the mnth root of the
product of mn terms; each of those terms is the distance from one of the n
filaments of conductor X to one of the m filaments of conductor Y, and
there are a total of mn distances. The mnth root of the product of mn
distances is called a geometric mean distance.
• For two conductors X and Y, it is called mutual geometric mean
distance between them and abbreviated Dm or GMD.
The n2 root of the product of n2 distances occurring in the denominator of the
equation is abbreviated DS, and called the self GMD of conductor X.

In like manner, r’ for a separate filament or wire is often called its self GMD.
The self GMD is also sometimes loosely termed the geometric mean
radius and abbreviated GMR.
In terms if Dm and Ds,

We determine the inductance LY of conductor Y in a similar

manner, and the total line inductance becomes:
The per-phase inductance of a double-circuit, three-phase,
transposed transmission line is given by
In terms of the symbols, which shows a transposed three-phase
line,

may be written as
Where r’ is the GMR of the conductor.
The loop inductance of a single-phase, two-wire line is given
by

%& '( (
𝐿 = 4×10 𝑙𝑛 ⁄)
')

where: Dm = mutual geometric mean distance

For a single phase, two-wire line

Dm = d
Ds = self geometric mean distance
For a single circuit line

Ds = ds
where: ds = self geometric mean distance of each conductor or
geometric mean radius.

For a solid round wire

%,⁄-
𝑑- = 𝑟𝑒 = 0.7788𝑟
where: r = radius of conductor
The shunt capacitance per unit length of a single-phase, two-wire
transmission line is given by

Where 𝜖! is the permittivity of free space. For a three-phase line with

equilaterally spaced conductors, the per-phase (or line-to-neutral)
capacitance is
To account for the actual unequal spacings between conductors
and the transposition of the line, D is replaced with De, as is done
in computing the inductance of a transposed line.
For the double-circuit transmission line, the per-phase
capacitance is given by
The capacitance of an overhead transmission
line is affected by the ground, which distorts
its electric field. The effect of the earth is
simulated by assuming the existence of
mirror image conductors, as far below ground
level as the transmission line is above it. The
image conductors carry charges with
polarities opposite those of the real
conductors, as shown. Now the capacitance
to neutral is given by
Using the concept of the GMD, we may write the capacitance to
neutral of a nonsymmetrical three-phase double-circuit line as:

Substituting the numerical value for 𝜖! yields:

Determine the resistance of a 10 km long solid cylindrical
aluminum conductor with a diameter of 250 mils at (a) 20oC
and (b) 120oC
Determine the resistance of a 10 km long solid cylindrical aluminum
conductor with a diameter of 250 mils at (a) 20oC and (b) 120oC
Note: 𝜌 = 2.83 𝜇Ω − 𝑐𝑚 and 𝛼 = 0.0039. 𝐶 "$ at 20. 𝐶.

Solution: Solve for the cross-sectional area of the conductor:

250 mils = 0.25 in. = 0.635 cm
𝜋
𝐴 = 0.635𝑐𝑚 / = 0.317𝑐𝑚/
4
(a) At 20oC
Determine the resistance of a 10 km long solid cylindrical aluminum
conductor with a diameter of 250 mils at (a) 20oC and (b) 120oC
Note: 𝜌 = 2.83 𝜇Ω − 𝑐𝑚 and 𝛼 = 0.0039. 𝐶 "$ at 20. 𝐶.

Solution: Solve for the cross-sectional area of the conductor:

250 mils = 0.25 in. = 0.635 cm
𝜋
𝐴 = 0.635𝑐𝑚 / = 0.317𝑐𝑚/
4
(b) At 120oC
A single-phase, two-wire transmission line, 15 km long, is
made up of round conductors, each 0.8 cm in diameter,
separated from each other by 40 cm. Calculate the
equivalent diameter of a fictitious hollow, thin-walled
conductor having the same inductance as the original line.
What is the value of this inductance?
A single-phase, two-wire transmission line, 15 km long, is made up of round
conductors, each 0.8 cm in diameter, separated from each other by 40 cm.
Calculate the equivalent diameter of a fictitious hollow, thin-walled conductor
having the same inductance as the original line. What is the value of this
inductance?

Solution: The fictitious conductor is one whose radius is 𝑟 & = 𝑟𝑒 "$/% and
therefore 𝑟 & = 𝑟𝑒 "$/% = (0.4 cm)(0.7788) = 0.3115 cm
Solution: The fictitious conductor is one whose radius is 𝑟 & = 𝑟𝑒 "$/% and
therefore 𝑟 & = 𝑟𝑒 "$/% = (0.4 cm)(0.7788) = 0.3115 cm

Solving for the inductance of 15 km conductor:

40𝑐𝑚
𝐿 = 15𝑘𝑚 4𝑥10"#𝐻/𝑚 𝑙𝑛 = 29.13 𝑚𝐻
0.3115𝑐𝑚
A single-circuit, three-phase, 60 Hz transmission line consists of
three conductors arranged as shown. If the radius of the
conductors is 0.3175 cm , find (a) the inductive reactance of the
line per kilometer per phase (b) the capacitive reactance per
kilometer of the three-phase transmission line.
A single-circuit, three-phase, 60 Hz transmission line consists of three
conductors arranged as shown. If the radius of the conductors is 0.3175 cm
, find (a) the inductive reactance of the line per kilometer per phase

Solve for the equivalent spacing:

A single-circuit, three-phase, 60 Hz transmission line consists of three
conductors arranged as shown. If the radius of the conductors is 0.3175 cm
, find (a) the inductive reactance of the line per kilometer per phase

100𝑐𝑚
𝐷0 5.848𝑚
= 1𝑚 = 1841.9
𝑟 0.3175
 100𝑐𝑚
𝐷0 5.848𝑚 1𝑚
= = 1841.9
𝑟 0.3175𝑐𝑚

L=

Therefore, the inductive reactance per kilometer is

A single-circuit, three-phase, 60 Hz transmission line consists of three
conductors arranged as shown. If the radius of the conductors is 0.3175 cm
, find (b) the capacitive reactance per kilometer of the three-phase
transmission line.

Solve for the equivalent spacing:

A single-circuit, three-phase, 60 Hz transmission line consists of three
conductors arranged as shown. If the radius of the conductors is 0.3175 cm
, find (b) the capacitive reactance per kilometer of the three-phase
transmission line.

Solution: Since
Solution: Since

Therefore, the capacitive reactance per kilometer is

Find the inductance per unit
length of the single-phase
line shown. Conductors a, b,
and c are of 0.2 cm radius
and conductors d and e are
of 0.4 cm radius.
Solution: Because the line is not
symmetrical, use

Solving for Dm:

Solution:

Solving for GMR for side X:

Solution:

Solving for GMR for side Y:

Solution:
DsX = 0.341 m, DsY = 0.112 m

Solving for inductance per m:

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