UNIT II

TRANSMISSION LINE PARAMETERS

OBJECTIVES
i. To become familiar with different arrangements of conductors of a three phase single
and double circuit transmission lines and to compute the GMD and GMR for different
arrangements.

ii. To compute the series inductance and shunt capacitance per phase, per km of a three
phase single and double circuit overhead transmission lines with solid and bundled
conductors.

iii. To become familiar with per phase equivalent of a three phase short and medium lines
and to evaluate the performances for different load conditions.

iv. (a) To become familiar with the theory of long transmission line and study the effect
of distributed parameters on voltage and currents, along the line, (b) calculate the
surge impedance and surge impedance loading.

Line Parameters
Transmission line has four electrical parameters - resistance, inductance, capacitance and
conductance. The inductance and capacitance are due to the effect of magnetic and
electric fields around the conductor. The shunt conductance characterizes the leakage
current through insulators, which is very small and can be neglected. The parameters R, L
and C are essential for the development of the transmission line models to be used in
power system analysis both during planning and operation stages.

While the resistance of the conductor is best determined from manufactures data, the
inductances and capacitances can be evaluated using formula. The student is advised to
read chapter 4 of ref [1] or any other text book before taking up the experiment. The
transmission lines are represented by an equivalent circuit model with approximate
circuit parameters on per phase basis. This model can be used to compute voltages,
currents, power flows, efficiency and regulation etc. Normally the lines are classified into
short, medium and long lines for the purpose of modeling.

2 Inductance
The inductance is computed from flux linkage per ampere. In the case of the three phase
lines, the inductance of each phase is not the same if conductors are not spaced
equilaterally. A different inductance in each phase results in unbalanced circuit.
Conductors are transposed in order to balance the inductance of the phases and the
average inductance per phase is given by simple formulas, which depends on conductor
configuration and conductor radius.
General Formula
The general formula for computing inductance per phase in mH per km of a transmission
is given by

L = 0.2 lnDm/Ds
(1.1)
where
Dm = Geometric Mean Distance (GMD)
Ds = Geometric Mean Radius (GMR)
The expression for GMR and GMD for different arrangement of conductors of the
transmission lines are given in the following section.

I. Single Phase - 2 Wire System

D
. .
Fig. 1.1. Conductor arrangement
GMD = D
(1.2)
GMR = re-1/4 = r’ (1.3)
r = radius of conductor

II. Three Phase - Symmetrical Spacing:

D D

D
GMD = D
(1.4)
GMR = re-1/4 = r’
(1.5)
r = radius of conductor
Fig. 1.2. Conductor Arrangement

1-2
III. Three Phase - Asymmetrical Transposed:
A

DAB
DCA

C DBC
Fig. 1.3. Conductor Arrangement

GMD = Geometric mean of the three distances of the unsymmetrically placed conductors
3
= √ DAB DBC DCA
(1.6)
GMR = re-1/4 = r’
(1.7)
r = radius of conductors

Composite Conductor Lines

Composite conductor is composed of two or more elements or strands electrically in
parallel. The expression derived for the inductance of composite conductors can be used
for the stranded and bundled conductors and also for finding GMD and GMR of parallel
transmission lines. Fig 1.4 shows a single phase line with two composite conductors.

b
c
b’ c’
a'
a n m'

Conductor X-with n strands Conductor Y with m

strands

Fig. 1.4. Single Phase Line With Composite Conductor

The inductance of composite conductor X., is given by

Lx = 0.2 ln GMD/GMRx (1.8)
where
mn
GMD = √ (Daa’ Dab’ … Dam’) …… (Dna’ Dnb’….. Dnm’)
(1.9)
 2
n
n 2 1-3
GMRx = √ (Daa Dab … Dan) …… (Dna Dnb….. Dnn)
(1.10)

r’a = rae-1/4
The distance between elements are represented by D with respective subscripts and r’a , r’b
and r’n have been replaced by Daa, Dbb …… and Dnn respectively for symmetry.

Stranded Conductors:
The GMR for the stranded conductors are generally calculated using equation (1.10). For
the purpose of GMD calculation, the stranded conductors can be treated as solid
conductor and the distance between any two conductors can be taken as equal to as
center-to-center distance between the stranded conductors as shown in Fig 1.5, since the
distance between the conductors is high compared to the distance between the elements
in a stranded conductor. This method is sufficiently accurate.

A
DAB
B
DAC

C DBC

Fig. 1.5. Three Phase Line with Stranded Conductors

Bundle Conductors:
EHV lines are constructed with bundle conductors. Bundle conductors improves power
transfer capacity and reduces corona loss, radio interference and surge impedance.
d
d
d d
d
d
d
d
Fig. 1.6. Examples of bundles

The GMR of a bundle conductor is normally calculated using (1.10).

GMR for two subconductor Dsb = √ Ds x d

GMR for three subconductor Dsb = (Dsxd2)1/3
GMR for four subconductor Dsb = 1.09 (Dsxd3)1/4
 1-4
Where Ds is the GMR of each subconductor and d is the bundle spacing

For the purpose of GMD calculation, the bundled conductor can be treated as a solid
conductor and the distance between any two conductors can be taken as equal to center-
to-center distance between the bundled conductors as shown in Fig 1.7, since the distance
between the conductors is high compared to bundle spacing.

A B C

DAB DBC

DAC
Fig.1.7. Bundled conductor arrangement

Three phase - Double circuit transposed:

A three-phase double circuit line consists of two identical three-phase circuits. The phases
a, b and c are operated with a 1-a2, b1-b2 and c1-c2 in parallel respectively. The GMD and
GMR are computed considering that identical phase forms a composite conductor, For
example, phase a conductors a1 and a2 form a composite conductor and similarly for other
phases.

a1 S11
c2
H12
b1 S22 b2
H23
S33 a2
c1
Fig. 1.8. Conductor Arrangement

Relative phase position a1b1c1 –c2b2a2.

It can also be a1b1c1 – a2b2c2.
The inductance per phase in milli henries per km is
L = 0.2 ln (GMD/GMRL) mH/km.
(1.11)
where
GMRL is equivalent geometric mean radius and is given by
GMRL = (DSA DSB DSC)1/3
(1.12) 1-5
where
DSA DSB and DSC are GMR of each phase group and given (refer 1.10) by
DSA = 4√( Dsb Da1a2 )2 = [Dsb Da1a2]1/2
DSB = 4√ (Dsb Db1b2 )2 = [Dsb Db1b2]1/2 (1.13)
DSC = 4√ (Dsb Dc1c2 )2 = [Dsb Dc1c2]1/2
where
Dsb = GMR of bundled conductor if conductor a1, a2 …. are bundle conductor.
Dsb= ra1’ = rb1’ = rc1’ = ra’2 = rb’2 = rc’2 if a1, a2 ….. are not bundled conductor.
GMD is the “equivalent GMD per phase” & is given by
GMD = [DAB DBC DCA]1/3
(1.14)
where
DAB, DBC, & DCA are GMD between each phase group A-B, B-C, C-A which are given by
DAB = [Da1b1 Da1b2 Da2b1 Da2b2]1/4 (1.15)
DBC = [Db1c1 Db1c2 Db2c1 Db2c2]1/4 (1.16)
DCA = [Dc1a1 Dc2a1 Dc2a1 Dc2a2]1/4
(1.17)

1.4.3 Capacitance
A general formula for evaluating capacitance per phase in micro farad per km of a

transmission line is given by

C = 0.0556/ln (GMD/GMR) μF/km

(1.18)
where
GMD is the “Geometric Mean Distance” which is the same as that defined for inductance
under various cases.
GMR is the Geometric Mean Radius and is defined case by case below:
(i) Single phase two wires system (for diagram see inductance):
 GMD = D
GMR = r (as against r’ in the case of L)

(ii) Three phase - symmetrical spacing (for diagram see inductance):

GMD = D
GMR = r in the case of solid conductor
=Ds in the case of stranded conductor to be obtained from manufacturers data.
1-6

(iii) Three-phase – Asymmetrical - transposed (for diagram see Inductance):

GMD = [DAB DBC DCA]1/3 (1.19)
GMR = r ; for solid conductor
GMR = Ds for stranded conductor
= rb for bundled conductor
where
rb = [r*d]1/2 for 2 conductor bundle
rb = [r*d2]1/3 for 3 conductor bundle
(1.20)
rb = 1.09 [r*d3]1/4 for 4 conductor bundle
where
r = radius of each subconductor
d = bundle spacing

(iv) Three phase - Double circuit - transposed (for diagrams see inductance):
C = 0.0556 / ln (GMD/GMRc) μF/km
GMD is the same as for inductance as equation (1.14).
GMRc is the equivalent GMR, which is given by
GMRc = [rA rB rC ]1/3
(1.21)
where
rA, rB and rC are GMR of each phase group obtained as
rA = [rb Da1a2]1/2
rB = [rb Db1b2]1/2
 rC = [rb Dc1c2]1/2
(1.22)
where rb GMR of bundle conductor

1.4.4 Line Modelling and Performance Analysis

The following nomenclature is adopted in modelling:

z = series impedance per unit length per phase

y = shunt admittance per unit length per phase to neutral.
L = inductance per unit length per phase
C = capacitance per unit length per phase
r = resistance per unit length per phase
l = length of the line
Z = zl = total series impedance
Y = yl = total shunt admittance per phase to neutral.
1-7

Short line Model and Equations (Lines Less than 80km)

The equivalent circuit of a short transmission line is shown in Fig.1.9

R X IR
Is IR

ABCD
Vs VR Vs VR
Constants
Fig. 1.9 Short Line Model Fig.1.10 Two port representation of a Line

In this representation, the lumped resistance and inductance are used for modelling and
the shunt admittance is neglected. A transmission line may be represented by a two port
network as shown in Fig 1.10 and current and voltage equations can be written in terms
of generalised constants known as A B C D constants.

For the circuit in Fig.1.9 the voltage and currents relationships are given by
V s = V R + Z IR
(1.23)
Is = I R
(1.24)
In terms of A B C D constants

VS A B VR (1.25)
IS = C D IR
where
A = 1, B = Z, C = 0 D= 0.

|VR (NL)| - |VR (FL) |

Percentage regulation = -------------------------------------------- x 100
(1.26)
|VR( FL)|
Transmission efficiency of the line = Receiving end power in MW = PR (3Φ) (1.27)
Sending end power in MW Ps (3Φ)

Medium Line Model and equations (Lines above 80km):

The shunt admittance is included in this model. The total shunt admittance is divided
into two equal parts and placed at the sending and receiving end as in Fig.1.11

Z=R+jX IR
Is

Vs Y/2 Y/2
VR

Fig.1.11 Nominal π Model

The voltage current relations are given by

Vs = (1+ ZY ) VR + ZIR
(1.28)
2
Is = Y(1+ZY) VR + (1+ZY) IR (1.29)
4 2
In terms of ABCD constants

Vs A B VR
= (1.30)
Is C D IR

where
A = (1+ZY ), B=Z
2
C = Y(1+ ZY) , D=(1+ZY )
4 2
The receiving end quantities can be expressed in terms of sending end quantities as
 VR D -B Vs (1.31)
=
IR -C A Is

Long line Model and Equations (lines above 250 km):

In the short and Medium lines, lumped line parameters are used in the model. For
accurate modelling, the effect of the distributed line parameter must be considered. The
voltage and current at any specific point along the line in terms of the distance x from the
receiving end is given by

V(x) =( VR + ZcIR) eγx+ ( VR - ZcIR ) e-γx

2 2 (1.32)

I(x) = ((VR / Zc) + IR) eγx - ((VR/ZC) - IR) e-γx

(1.33)
2 2
In term of Hyperbolic functions
V(x) = VRcosh γx + ZcIR sinh γx
(1.34)
I(x) = (1/Zc) VRsinh γx + IR cosh γx (1.35)
where
Zc = √ z/y is called characteristic impedance
γ = √zy is called propagation constant

= α + jβ = √zy = √ (γ + jωL) (g + jωc)

α – is called attenuation constant
β – is called phase constant
The relation between sending and receiving end quantities is given by
Vs = VR cosh γl+ Zc IRsinh γl
IS = (VR/Zc) sinh γl + IRcosh γl (1.36)
The equivalent π model of the long line is given in Fig. 1.12.
Is IR
Z’ = Z sinh γl
γl
Y’/2 Y’/2 = (1/Zc) tanh
(γl/2)
Vs
 VR

Fig. 1.12 Equivalent π model

Loss Less Line

For loss less line, the equations for the rms voltage and currents along the line is given by

V(x) = VR cos βx + jZcIRsinβx (1.37)

I(x) = j 1 VR sinβx + IRcosβx (1.38)

Zc

1-10
For open circuited line IR = 0 and the no load receiving end voltage is given by
VR(nl) = Vs / cos βl (1.39)

For solid short circuit at the receiving end VR = 0, the equation (1.37) and (1.38) reduces
to
Vs = jZc IR sinβl
Is = IR cosβl
For a loss less line the surge impedance (SIL)= √L/C
The load corresponding to the surge impedance at rated voltage is known as surge
impedance loading (SIL) given by

SIL = 3 VR IR* (1.40)

= 3 |VR|2 / Zc for lossless line Zc is purely resistive (1.41)
= |VL|2 MW
Zc (1.42)
VL = in k.v
1.5 EXERCISES:
1.5.1 A three-phase transposed line composed of one ACSR, 1,43,000 cmil, 47/7
Bobolink
conductor per phase with flat horizontal spacing of 11m between phases a and b
and between phases b and c. The conductors have a diameter of 3.625 cm and a
GMR of 1.439 cm. The line is to be replaced by a three conductor bundle of
ACSR 477,000-cmil, 26/7 Hawk conductors having the same cross sectional area
of aluminum as the single-conductor line. The conductors have a diameter of
2.1793 cm and a GMR of 0.8839 cm. The new line will also have a flat horizontal
configurations, but it is to be operated at a higher voltage and therefore the phase
spacing is increased to 14m as measured from the centre of the bundles. The
spacing between the conductors in the bundle is 45 cm.

(a) Determine the inductance and capacitance per phase per kilometer of the
above two
lines.

(b) Verify the results using the available program.

(c) Determine the percentage change in the inductance and capacitance in the
bundle
conductor system. Which system is better and why?

1.5.2 A single circuit three phase transposed transmission line is composed of four
ACSR
1,272,000 cmil conductor per phase with flat horizontal spacing of 14 m between
phases a and b and between phases b and c. The bundle spacing is 45 cm. The
conductor diameter is 3.16 cm.

a) Determine the inductance and capacitance per phase per kilometer of the
line.
b) Verify the results using available program.
1-11

1.5.3 A 345 kV double circuit three phase transposed line is composed of two ACSR,
1,431,000 cmil, 45/7 bobolink conductors per phase with vertical conductor
configuration
as shown in Fig. 1.13. The conductors have a diameter of 1.427 in and the bundle
spacing
is 18 in.

a) Find the inductance and capacitance per phase per kilometer of the line.
b) Verify the results using the available program.
 c) If we change the relative phase position to abc-a’b’c’, determine the
inductance and
capacitance per unit length using available program.

d) Which relative phase position is better and why?

a 11m c’

7m 18”

b 16.5m b’

6.5m

c 12.5m a’

Fig. 1.13
1.5.4 A 230 kV, 60 HZ three phase transmissions is 160 km long. The per phase
resistance is
0.124Ω per km and the reactance is 0.497Ω per km and the shunt admittance is
3.30 x 10-6 ∟90o simens per km. It delivers 40MW at 220 KV with 0.9 power
factor
logging. Use medium line π model.

i. Determine the voltage and current at sending end and also compute voltage
regulation and efficiency.

ii. Verify the results using the available program

1.5.5 A three phase transmission line has a per phase series impedance of z=0.03 + j0.4
Ω
per km and a per phase shunt admittance of y=j4.0 x 10-6 Simens per km. The line
is 200
km long. Obtain ABCD parameters of the transmission line. The line is sending
407 MW
and 7.833 MVAR at 350 kV. Use medium π model

i. Determine the voltage and current at receiving end and also compute voltage
regulation and efficiency.

ii. Verify the results using the available program

1-12
1.5.6 A three phase 50 Hz, 400 kV transmission line is 250 km long. The line parameters
per
phase per unit length are found to be
r = 0.032 Ω/km L = 1.06mH/km C = 0.011μF/km
Determine the following using the program available use long line model.
(a) The sending end voltage, current and efficiency when the load at the receiving
end is
640 MW at 0.8 power factor logging at 400 kV.

(b) The receiving end voltage, current, efficiency and losses when 480 MW and 320
MVAR are being transmitted at 400 kV from the sending end.

(c) The sending end voltage, current and efficiency and losses when the receiving
end load
impedance is 230 Ω at 400 kV.

(d) The receiving end voltage when the line is open circuited and is energized with
400kV
at the sending end. Also, determine the reactance and MVAR of a three phase
shunt
reactor to be installed at the receiving end in order to limit the no load receiving
end
voltage to 400 kV.

(e) The MVAR and capacitance to be installed at the receiving end for the loading
condition in (a) to keep the receiving end voltage at 400 kV when the line is
energized with 400 kV at the sending end.

(f) The line voltage profile along the line for the following cases: no load, rated
load of
800 MW at 0.8 power factor at sending end at 400 kV, line terminated in the
SIL and
short circuited line.