DECEMBER 15, 2021

FERRANTI EFFECT STUDIES

Simulation and Calculation...!

HARIHARASUTHAN TAMILSELVAM
Power System Engineer
minsarhari14@gmail.com
 WHAT IS FERRANTI EFFECT?
Simply, when receiving end voltage being greater than sending end voltage in the
transmission line is known as FERRANTI EFFECT.
Let’s Say
Ferranti Effect = Sending End Voltage < Receiving End Voltage

HOW DOES THE SENDING END VOLTAGE BE GREATER THAN

RECEIVING END?
Generally, this effect happens due to an open circuit, light load at receiving end,
or the charging current of the transmission line. The charging current is also called
a Capacitive current. When the capacitive current flows through an inductance at
no load condition, there will be a voltage rise instead of a voltage drop.
Ferranti Effect occurs when the current drawn by the distributed capacitance of
the transmission line itself is greater than the current associated with the load at
the receiving end of the line. Therefore, the Ferranti effect tends to be a bigger
problem on highly loaded lines, and especially on underground cables circuits
where the shunt capacitance is greater than with a corresponding overhead line.
This effect is due to the voltage drop across the line inductance being in phase
with the sending end voltages. As this drop affects the sending end voltage, the
receiving end voltage becomes greater.
CALCULATION OF TRANSMISSION LINE
Let us assume the transmission line are modeled by the nominal π Method.
Model of nominal π method at no load condition shown below.

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By using this model, Apply KVL and KCL to find the current and voltages,
Applying KCL,

Applying KVL,

By using ABCD Parameters,

Receiving end voltage at no-load condition is represented as,

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 CALCULATION AND SIMULATION
Let’s assume a 400∟0 kV transmission line 300km long has R-0.05 Ω/km, X-0.488 Ω/km, and Y-
3.371X10-6 Ω-1/km. Find its, Receiving End Voltage, Sending End Current, Power Loss.
Given Data

Voltage Length of Line R in Ω/km X in Ω/km Y in Ω-1/km

400∟0 300 0.05 0.488 3.371X10-6

Redraw the π Model,

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Simulated the same transmission line with different lengths. The results are
shown below,

CONCLUSION
As you observe the receiving end voltage and its changes concerning line length
changes, the short transmission line has no significant changes in receiving end voltage
as the parameters are assumed to be lumped and not distributed. But the long
transmission has more changes at receiving end. Hence, in Lines with a length more
than 160 km, the parameters are considered to be distributed over the line and will act
as capacitor bank at no-load condition or light load condition. This is what is called the
FERRANTI EFFECT of Transmission Line.