INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROORKEE

EEN-206: Power Transmission and Distribution

Lecture - 13

Chapter 2: Overhead Transmission Lines

• Corona: Tutorial

Chapter 3: Underground Cables

Why Corona is Important for transmission lines?
• Corona from conductors may cause audible noise and
radio interference.
• Audible noise from conductors may violate noise
standards.
• Radio interference (RI) from conductors may interfere
with radio, television, and communications
systems. It may violate EMI/EMC standards.
• Corona loss may be significant (during rainy
season) when compared with resistive loss of
conductors.
• Corona can cause possible damage to polymeric
insulators.
• Therefore, corona free lines needs to be designed
which requires an understanding of factors that affect
corona.
Critical Disruptive Voltage
V V
V ' V '
2 2

a b
r P r  D
V '  r Emax  ln 
+q -q  r
x
D

D1 D2
q q 1 q D
V12    dx   dx  ln 2
D2
2 0 x 2 0 D1
x 2 0 D1

For a single conductor in space

q 
V ln 
2 0 r
q
Ex 
2 0 x
Capacitance of a Straight Conductor

q q

q 
V ln
2 0 r


qA

q q
qB qC
q 
V ln  D
2 0 r V '  r Emax  ln 
 r q A  qB  qC  0

VAB  VBC  VCA  0
Critical Disruptive Voltage
• The minimum potential difference required between the conductor to start ionization is
called critical disruptive voltage or corona inception voltage
P 273  25
 
760 273  T
P
 0.392
273  T
Critical Disruptive
 D
Voltage or Corona Vc  g 0 m0   r ln  kV
Inception Voltage  r 

g0  21.2 kV/cm (rms) OR 30 kV/cm (peak)

 m0 =1 for smooth, polished, solid and cylindrical conductors

 m0 = 0.93 ̶ 0.98 for weathered (rough surfaced), solid cylindrical conductors
 m0 = 0.87 ̶ 0.9 for weathered and stranded conductors (more than 7 strands)
 m0 = 0.80 ̶ 0.87 for weathered and stranded conductors (up to 7 strands)
Visual Critical Disruptive Voltage
• If the voltage is further increased at some point corona becomes visible. This voltage
is called as visual critical disruptive voltage or visual corona inception voltage.
• The voltage gradient (gv) for visual corona is given by [Peek]:

Visual critical disruptive  0.301   D

voltage or Visual Corona 
Vv  g 0 mv  1    r ln  kV
Inception Voltage  
r   r 


 mv = 1 for smooth, solid, cylindrical and polished conductor

 mv = 0.93-0.98 for solid, cylindrical and weathered conductor
 mv = 0.80-0.85 for general visual corona on stranded conductor
 mv = 0.70-0.75 for local visual corona on weathered stranded conductor
Corona Loss
 The ionized charges near the conductor surface take energy from the supply
system and thus there is loss of some energy due to corona.
 Peek’s Empirical relation for corona in fair whether condition
f  25 r
 p c
2
Pc  241  10 5  V  V kW/phase/km
 d

Where VP phase to neutral operating voltage in kV and f is frequency.

 For storm or foul whether condition voltage is 0.8 Vc

f  25 r
Vp  0.8Vc  kW/phase/km
5 2
Pc  24110 
 d
Atmospheric Factors
 d P 273  25 P
Vc  m0 g 0   r ln   
760 273  T
 0.392
273  T
 r
f  25 r
 p c  kW/phase/km
2
Pc  241 105  V  V
 d

 Temperature: T    VC  PC   Radius of conductor

 Pressure: P    VC  PC   Conductor spacing

 Bundled conductor
 Dust, dirt: Dust or Dirt  VC  PC 
 Number of conductors
 Rain, snow, fog, smoke, smog:
 Spacing of conductor in bundle
Rain, Fog, Smoke, Snow  VC  PC 
 Surface conditions and number of
 Frequency: f  PC 
strands
 Voltage: Operating Voltage  E  PC 
Effect on Corona

• Effect of radius of conductor

Effect of
conductor
spacing
Effect on Corona

Effect of bundled
conductor

Effect of conductor surface Effect of stranded conductor

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Prevention of Corona
 Modern transmission lines are designed in such a way that corona will
be small enough in a fair weather conditions.

 To prevent corona loss, critical disruptive voltage higher the phase

voltage.

o Increasing conductor spacing

o Use of bundled conductors Expanded ACSR

o Spacing between bundled conductor

o Elimination of sharp points

o Increasing radius of conductor (Expanded ACSR)

o Homogenous Insulators
ACCC (Aluminum
o Using Corona rings Conductor Composite Core)
Merits and Demerits of Corona
 Demerits

o Corona loss

o Audible Noise, RI and TVI

o Interference with communication lines

o Damage insulators

 Merits

o Act as safety valve during lightning and switching surges. The waves gets dissipated as
corona loss.

o Other applications:

• Van de Graaff generator, Electrostatic precipitator, Electro printing, Electrostatic

deposition
Ques - 01
Find critical disruptive voltage and critical voltage for visual corona of 3-phase 50 km long line consisting of ACSR
conductors spaced in 3.5 m in delta (equilateral tringle) arrangement. Diameter of conductor is 2 cm. Temperature
is 27℃ and biometric pressure is 73 cm of Hg. Assume 𝑚 = 0.85 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚 = 0.72.
• (a) If the line is operated at 132 kV, find the corona loss.
• (b) What will be the losses in a fair and in storm if the line voltage is 220 kV.

Explanation and Hints:

 D P 273  25 P
Vc  g 0 m0   r ln  kV Where     0.392 and g0  21.2 kV/cm (rms)
 r  760 273  T 273  T

 0.301   D
Vv  g 0 mv  1    r ln  kV
 r    r 

f  25 r
V p  Vc 
2
In a fair Pc  241  10 5  kW/phase/km 132
 d a) Vp 
3
220
f  25 r b) V p 
V p  0.8Vc  kW/phase/km
2
In storm Pc  241105  3
 d
Ques - 02
In a three phase line the conductors (with radius 10 mm each) are arranged in the form of an equilateral triangle.
Assuming fair weather, air density correction factor of 0.95 and irregularity factor of 0.96. Breakdown strength of air
in fair weather (g0 is 21.21 kV/cm rms).
Find the minimum spacing between the conductors if the critical disruptive voltage is not exceeding 230 kV between
the lines.

Explanation and Hints:

 D P 273  25 P
Vc  g 0 m0   r ln  kV Where     0.392 and g0  21.21 kV/cm (rms)
 r  760 273  T 273  T

230
Vc 
3
Ques - 03
A 3 phase 220 kV, 50 Hz transmission line has conductor spaced 5.5 m at the corners of equilateral triangle. Calculate
the corona inception voltage if each conductor has a radius of 1.2 cm with the surface irregularity factor of 0.92.
Weather conditions: temperature 40 ℃ and pressure 752 mm Hg.
Find the corona loss/ km of the transmission line if there is an overvoltage of 1.6 p.u. Use Peek’s formula.

Explanation and Hints:

 D P 273  25 P
Vc  g 0 m0   r ln  kV Where     0.392 and g0  21.2 kV/cm (rms)
 r  760 273  T 273  T

f  25 r
V p  Vc 
2
Pc  241  10 5  kW/phase/km
 d

220
Vp   1.6
3
 Ques- 04
A 3-phase overhead transmission line operates at 132 kV between the phases at 50 Hz. The conductor are arranged in 3
m delta configuration. What is the minimum diameter of the conductor that can be used for no corona under fair
weather condition. Assume an air density of 0.95 and irregularity factor of 0.85.

Explanation and Hints:

 D P 273  25 P
Vc  g 0 m0   r ln  kV Where     0.392 and g0  21.2 kV/cm (rms)
 r  760 273  T 273  T

132
V p  VC 
3
Underground Cables
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Advantage of Underground Cables
• Advantages
– Not exposed to environmental conditions
– Inductance is lower in cable so voltage drop is less
– No right-of way requirements
– Best for DC transmission
• Disadvantages
– Detection, localization of fault is difficult.
– Repair of fault may take longer time.
– Low heat dissipation
– Higher capacitance and charging current
– High erection cost, makes it uneconomical for long distance
transmission
– Joints are complex

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Applications of Cables
• Cables are preferred in the following conditions:
– Public safety involved
– Low interference is required
– Large populated cities
– Scenic beauty of city is important
– Submarine crossing, and substation and
transformer connections

• Types of cables
– Solidly Insulated cable,
– Gas insulated lines,
– Cryogenic cables,
– Superconducting cables

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