Air Clearance Design

Chapter- 4
AIR CLEARANCE DESIGN
4.1 INTRODUCTION:
Air clearance calculations are required to provide adequate clearance of a
conductor from the ground and other conductors under all loading conditions,
so as to ensure the reliability of the system and safe operation. This is
achieved by fastening the conductors to the supports with the help of
insulators keep in the worst conditions of operation in mind (i.e. swinging the
conductor due to wind pressure up to ! ".
The minimum ground clearance depends on the locations and the weather
conditions. #ndian electricity act lays down a clearance of $% feet (!.$& m" to
be provided for ''k( and for every additional ''k( or apart of it additional $
feet ().')& m" clearance is to be provided. This can be appro*imated as+
4.2 BASIC DEFINITIONS (TERMINOLOGY
#n transmission lines planning and design, the following terms are commonly
used+
$. ,asic or normal span
-. .uling or equivalent span
'. Average span
. /ind span
!. /eight span
4.2.1 Ba!"# $r %$r&a' !pa%
The normal span is the most economical span for which the line is designed
over level ground, so that the requisite ground clearance is obtained at the
ma*imum specified temperature.
4.2.2 R('"%) $r e*("+a'e%t !pa%
The ruling span is the assumed design span that will produce, between dead
ends, the best average tension throughout a line of varying span lengths with
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Air Clearance Design
changes in temperature and loading. #t is the weighted average of the varying
span lengths.
The average span is the mean span length between dead ends. #t is assumed
that the conductor is freely suspended such that each individual span reacts
to changes in tension as a single average span. All sag and tension
calculations are carried out for the average span, on this assumption. Two
basic hypotheses must be considered for e*treme loading+
$. 1ow temperature at a given wind speed
-. 2igh wind at a given temperature
Apart from this other hypothesis shall also be considered+
$. 2igh temperature no wind for ground clearance
-. 3ean temperature for coldest month for Aeolian vibration
4ormally longer ruling span shall be considered during design stage.
4.2., Dea- E%- Spa%
A dead end span is one in which the conductor is dead5ended at both ends.
Dead end spans should preferably be avoided, but in certain cases field
conditions dictate their use. #t is frequently convenient to cross a river, a
valley with a single long span. /hen such a span occurs, it is desirable to
dead5ended it at both ends to avoid using a ruling span that would be too long
for the rest of the line.
4.2.4 ."%- Spa%
The wind span is that on which the wind is assumed to act transversely on the
conductors and is taken as half the sum of two spans, ad6acent to the pylon.
This span will be used to calculate the wind load of conductor on tower.
4.2./ .e")ht !pa%
The weight span is the hori7ontal distance between the lowest points of the
conductors, on the two spans ad6acent to the tower. The lowest point is
defined as the point at which the tangent to the sag curves. The weight span
is used to calculate the dead load of conductor on tower. Typical figure for
wind span and weight span is given below.
$%
a
-a
*
a
l
!
88

Air Clearance Design

4., S0IELDING ANGLE:
The necessary protective angle between a line through ground wire and outer
most conductor and vertical through of 9verhead :round /ire (92:/" has
been much discussed sub6ect. ;*perience shows that the protective angle is
about ')8 for proper shielding of phase conductor against lightening strokes.
<ince the angle of protection has a direct effect on the height of the tower so
its value is kept as high as possible, but at values higher than ')8 it is found
that the shield becomes difficult and there is always chance of lightening
strokes to reach the phase conductors. The difficulty intensifies in hilly areas
so = should be kept less than ')8 in such areas.
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Air Clearance Design
Fig 4.1 Cross arm and String of a tower
$>
H
t
H
3
l
H
1
y
d
H
2
b
c
-a
a

;arth /ire
!
Conductor
<tring
*
?ig..- <chematic representation of transmission line
Air Clearance Design
1et,
a @ 3inimum air clearance between phase conductor and tower structure.
-a@ 1ength of cross arms.
b@ /idth of upper potion of tower.
c@ Distance of phase conductor from centre of the tower
l @ 1ength of insulator string.
2$@2eight of lowest conductor from the ground.
2-@ 2eight of middle conductor from the ground.
2'@2eight of upper conductor from the ground.
2t@ 2eight of tower.
= @ <hielding angle (')8 for hilly areas A !8 for plane areas"
* @ vertical height of the cross arm.
y @ vertical distance between the conductors.
d @ height of the ground wire from the top most conductor.
*By is the ratio which varies from $B' to $B depending on the mechanical
strength of tower.
Ca'#('at"$%:
M"%"&(& #'eara%#e 1et2ee% pha!e #$%-(#t$r 3 t$2er !tr(#t(re4 a
a @(phasevoltage C$.0! D$)" cm
a @ EF((1(in G("BH'"C$.0!I D $)J cm
a @ EF--)BH'"C$.0! D $)I
a @ -$>.!% cm
a 5 2.16/7 &
."-th $8 (pper p$rt"$% $8 t$2er4 1
b @ $.! C a cm
b @ $.! C -$>.!% cm
b @ '->.'0 cm
1 5 ,.26,9 &
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Air Clearance Design
D"!ta%#e $8 pha!e #$%-(#t$r 8r$& the #e%tre $8 t$2er4 #
C @ (mDbB-"
c @ -a D (bB-" cm
c @ (- C-$>.!%&" D ('->.'0 B -" cm
c @ 0)'.&'0 cm
# 5 9.:,;,9 &
Le%)th $8 !tr"%)4 '
l @ - C a cm
l @ - C -$>.!% cm
# @ '$).!$ cm
' 5 ,.1:/1 &
Le%)th $8 #r$!! ar&4 2a
&@-a @ -C -$>.!% cm
@ '>.$ cm
5 4.,614 &
<ert"#a' -"!ta%#e 1et2ee% the pha!e #$%-(#t$r!4 =
( )
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y
*
a -
a
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a
y

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2
3
1
57 219 2
571 219 51 310
1
57 219 51 310
. *
. .
. .
y
cm
y @ !%> cm
= 5 /.76 &
<ert"#a' he")ht $8 the #r$!! ar&4 >
* @y B ' cm
@!%> B '
@ $>' cm
-$
Air Clearance Design
> 5 1.6, &
0e")ht $8 the )r$(%- 2"re 8r$& the (pper&$!t #$%-(#t$r4 -?
dK @'
$B-
C c cm
@ '
$B-
C 0)'.&0 cm
@ $)!.&% cm
5 1:.4/; &
M"%"&(& )r$(%- #'eara%#e4 G&"%
:min @ $% D EF( 15 ''IB''J feet
:min @ $% D EF--) 5 ''IB''J feet
:min @ --.0% feet
G&"% 5 9.6 &
D"!ta%#e 1et2ee% )r$(%- 2"re a%- (pper #$%-(#t$r
dL @ .%0'$ C a
dL @ .%'0$ C $.'!%!
dL @ 00.!> cm
-@ 5 9.49/6 &
2$ @ :min D ma*
2- @ 2$ D y
2' @ 2- D y
2 t @ 2' D d
--
:
min

ma*
2
$
:round
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Air Clearance Design
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