TRANSMISSION

LINES
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 LINE MODEL

 Transmission lines are represented by an equivalent model

with appropriate circuit parameters on a “per-phase” basis.
 The model used to calculate the voltages ,currents and power
flow depends on the length of the line.
 For lines of length greater than 250 km, the exact effect of the
distributed line parameters (R,L,C)
must be considered.
Using the LONG LINE MODEL, the following relations between the
Sending and the receiving ends have been derived:

Vs= coshγl Vr + Zc sinh γ l Ir

Is= (1/Zc) sinh γl Vr + cosh γl Ir,

Where:
Vs,Is= sending end voltage and current, respectively
Vr,Ir= receiving end voltage and current, respectively
l= length of the transmission line
γ= propagation constant= α + jβ= √(zy)
z= series impedance per unit length= r+jωL
y= shunt admittance per phase= g+ jωC
Zc= CHARACTERISTIC IMPEDANCE= √(z/y)
AN IMPORTANT PARAMETER-Zc

 The characteristic impedance or surge impedance of

a uniform transmission line(Zc), is the ratio of the
amplitudes of a single pair of voltage and current
waves propagating along the line in the absence of 
reflections.
 The ratio of the voltage applied to the current is
called the input impedance; the input impedance of
the infinite line is called the characteristic
impedance.
  The general expression for the characteristic
impedance of a transmission line is:

 For a lossless line, R and G are both zero, so the

equation for characteristic impedance reduces to:
Zo=√(L/C)
 The imaginary term j has also been cancelled out,
making Z0 a real expression, and so is purely
resistive .
 For typical transmission lines,Zc varies from
400Ω (for 69 Kv lines) to around 250Ω (for double
circuit 765 Kv lines)

Underground cables normally have a very low

characteristic impedance.
Zc for underground cable is approximately
1/10th of that for an overhead transmission line.
Voltage and current waves
(lossless lines)
 α=attenuation constt=0
 β=phase constant= ω√(LC)
 Velocity of propagation=v= ω/β= 1/ √(LC)
 Wavelength=λ=2π/β= 1/(f √(LC))
 The inductance per unit length(L) and capacitance
per unit length(C) are:
L= (µo/2π) ln D/r
C= (2 πεo)/ ln D/r
 Substituting these values, we get
v= 3* (10^8) m/s (apprx.)
λ= 6000 km(apprx.)
 For a lossless line,the equations for rms voltage and
current at the receiving end become:
 Vs= cosβl Vr + j Zc sinβl Ir
 Is= j(1/Zc)(sinβl)Vr + cos βl Ir
 For the no load condition:
Vr= Vs/ (cos βl)
This clearly shows that as the line length increases,the
no load receiving end voltage also increases.
The line current at no load is entirely due to the line
charging capacitive current and Vr > Vs
Surge Impedance Loading
 The load corresponding to the surge impedance at
rated voltage is known as the surge impedance
loading(SIL),given by:
SIL=3*Vr*Ir
=3(Vr)²/Zc [as Ir=Vr/Zc]
As Vr=Vlrated/√3,
SIL=[(kVlrated)²/Zc] MW
It is the MW loading of the transmission line at which
natural reactive power balance occurs.
 Substt. For Ir and Vr in the equations for rms voltage
and current along a lossless line, we get:
 V(x)=(cosβx + jsinβx)Vr =Vr ∟ βx
 I(x)=(cosβx + jsinβx)Ir =Ir ∟ βx

This shows that in a lossless line under surge impedance

loading, the voltage and current are constant in
magnitude and are equal to their sending end values,i.e.
Vr=Vs and Ir=Is
As Zc has no reactive component, there is no reactive
power in the line.
 This indicates that the reactive losses in the line inductance
are exactly offset by the reactive power supplied by the
shunt capacitance:
 ωLǀIrǀ²= ωCǀVrǀ²
 Lines MVAR usage is equal to the line’s MVAR production
 From the above relation,
Zc=Vr/Ir =√(L/C)

RANGE OF SIL:
It varies from 150 MW (for 230 Kv lines)
to 2000 MW( for 765 Kv lines)
SIGNIFICANCE OF SIL:

 It indicates a loading where the line’s reactive

requirements are small.
 For loads much above the SIL,shunt capacitors may
be needed to minimize voltage drop along the line.
As it absorbs MVAr from system
 For light loads much below the SIL,shunt inductors
may be needed. As it supplies MVAr to the system
VOLTAGE PROFILE :
VOLTAGES AT VARIOUS LOADING CONDNS.
 ACTIVE AND
REACTIVE POWER FLOW

Receiving end power = 3*Vr*Ir

Pr=[(Vs) (Vr) sin δ]/X
Qr=[{(Vs) (Vr) cos δ /X} –{Vr²/X}]
Assume cos δ = 1 [δ= power angle]
Qr= [Vr (Vs-Vr)]/X

 Real power transferred is proportional to δ, while reactive

power is proportional to voltage drop across the line.

 As the lagging reactive power is independent of δ, if the

VARs demand is high then the voltage profile tends to sag.
To maintain it, VARs should be supplied.
LINE COMPENSATION
 Shunt reactors are used to reduce high voltages under
light load or open line conditions.

 For a heavily loaded system, shunt capacitors, static

var control and synchronous condensers are used to
improve voltage, increase the power transfer and
improve the system stability.
Shunt reactors:
Shunt and series capacitor