CHAPTER TWO

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 CONTENTS

2.1 Main Components of Overhead Lines

2.2 Conductor Materials
2.3 Line Supports
2.4 Insulators
2.5 Types of Insulators
2.6 Potential Distribution over Suspension
Insulator String
2.7 String Efficiency
2.8 Methods of Improving String Efficiency
2.9 Important Points
2.10 Corona
2.11 Factors Affecting Corona
2.12 Important Terms
2.13 Advantages and Disadvantages of Corona
2.14 Methods of Reducing Corona Effect
2.15 Sag in Overhead Lines
2.16 Calculation of Sag 2
2.17 Some Mechanical Principles
2.1 Main Components of Overhead Lines
(i) Conductors

(ii) Supports
(iii) Insulators
(iv) Cross arms
(v) Miscellaneous items:
such as phase plates, danger plates,
lightning arrestors, anti climbing wires etc.

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 2.2 Conductor Materials
 The conductor material used for transmission and distribution of electric power
should have the following properties :
(i) High electrical conductivity.
(ii) High tensile strength in order to withstand mechanical stresses.
(iii) Low cost so that it can be used for long distances.
(iv) Low specific gravity so that weight per unit volume is small.

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Commonly used conductor materials.
 The most commonly used conductor materials for overhead lines are
Copper,
Aluminium,
Steel-cored aluminium,
galvanized steel
and Cadmium copper.
 The choice of a particular material will depend upon the cost, the
required electrical and mechanical properties and the local conditions.

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 All conductors used for overhead lines are preferably stranded in order to
increase the flexibility.

 In stranded conductors, there is generally one central wire and round this,
successive layers of wires containing 6, 12, 18, 24 ...... wires. Thus, if
there are n layers, the total number of individual wires is 3n(n + 1) + 1.

* Solid wires are only used when area of X-section is small. If solid wires are
used for larger X-section and longer spans, continuous vibrations and swinging
would produce mechanical fatigue and they would fracture at the points of support.

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2.3 Line Supports
 The supporting structures for overhead line conductors are various types of
poles and towers called line supports.
 In general, the line supports should have the following properties :
(i) High mechanical strength to withstand the weight of conductors
and wind loads etc.
(ii) Light in weight without the loss of mechanical strength.
(iii) Cheap in cost and economical to maintain.
(iv) Longer life.
(v) Easy accessibility of conductors for maintenance.

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 The line supports used for transmission and distribution of electric power
are of various types including.
Wooden poles,
Steel poles,
R.C.C. poles and lattice steel towers.
 The choice of supporting structure for a particular case depends upon the
- Line span,
- X-sectional area,
- Line voltage, &
- Cost .

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1) Wooden pole

‘A ‘or ‘H’

V <= 20KV ,
for 20-25 years

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 2.4 Insulators
 The overhead line conductors should be supported on the poles or towers in
such a way that currents from conductors do not flow to earth through
supports i.e., line conductors must be properly insulated from supports.

 In general, the insulators should have the following desirable properties :

(i) High mechanical strength in order to withstand conductor load, wind load etc.
(ii) High electrical resistance of insulator material in order to avoid leakage
currents to earth.
(iii) High relative permittivity of insulator material in order that dielectric strength
is high.
(iv) The insulator material should be non-porous, free from impurities and cracks
otherwise the permittivity will be lowered.
(v) High ratio of puncture strength to flashover.

 The most commonly used material for insulators of overhead line is porcelain

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2.5 Types of Insulators

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3. Strain insulators.

 If there is corner or sharp curve,

 Excessive tension

4. Shackle insulators.

 Low voltage distribution lines

 Applied in horizontal position

or in a vertical position

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2.6 Potential Distribution over Suspension Insulator String

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 2.7 String Efficiency
 The ratio of voltage across the whole string to the product of number of discs and the
voltage across the disc nearest to the conductor is known as string efficiency i.e.,

 String efficiency is an important consideration since it decides the

potential distribution along the string. The greater the string
efficiency, the more uniform is the voltage distribution.

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 2.15 Sag in Overhead Lines
 In order to permit safe tension in the conductors, they are not fully stretched but
are allowed to have a dip or sag.

 The difference in level between points of supports and the lowest point
on the conductor is called sag.

Conductor sag and tension. This is an important consideration in the mechanical design of
overhead lines. The conductor sag should be kept to a minimum in order to reduce the
conductor material required and to avoid extra pole height for sufficient clearance above
ground level. It is also desirable that tension in the conductor should be low to avoid the
mechanical failure of conductor and to permit the use of less strong supports. However, low
conductor tension and minimum sag are not possible. It is because low sag means a tight
wire and high tension, whereas a low tension means a loose wire and increased sag.
Therefore, in actual practice, a compromise in made between the two.
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2.16 Calculation of Sag : READING ASSIGNMENT
FROM PRINCIPLE OF POWER SYSTEM 2, PAGE
187-190.

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