Module 2: Characteristics of

Transmission Lines & Performance

Introduction

Transmission line is important link between the generating

stations and distribution stations
Transmission lines are characterised by series resistance
(R), inductance (L) and shunt capacitance (C) per unit
length
The design and operation of transmission line depend on:

Voltage drop, line losses and efficiency

These quantities are dependent on the line parameters: R, L and

C of the line

Voltage drop is depended on all the parameters

R is the most important cause of power loss in the line and

determine the efficiency of the line
Prof. J O Dada

Classification of Overhead Line

The transmission line parameters, R, L and C are

uniformly distributed along the whole length of the line
R and L combined to form the series impedance, Z
(Z=R+jXL)
Capacitance, C, forms a shunt path throughout the length
of the line. it exists between conductors for one-phase line
or from conductor to neutral for a 3-Phase line
Short transmission line

Length of overhead line is up to 80 km and voltage is less than

20kV

Effects of capacitance are small and can be neglected

Only resistance and inductance are taken into account

Prof. J O Dada

Classification of Overhead Line

Medium transmission line

Length of overhead line is about 80-200 km and line voltage

is greater than 20 kV and less that 100 kV (>20 kV <100kV)

Capacitance effects are taken into consideration

Distributed capacitance of line is divided and lump in form of

condensers shunted across the line at one or more point

Long transmission line

Line length of overhead line is more than 200 km and line

voltage is very high(>100 kV)

Line parameters are considered uniformly distributed over

the whole length of the line

Prof. J O Dada

Transmission Line Voltage Regulation

There is voltage drop in line due to resistance and

inductance of line in a current carrying transmission line
Receiving end voltage (VR) is less that than the sending
end voltage (VS)
Voltage regulation is the difference in voltage at the
receiving end of a transmission line between conditions
of no load and full load expressed as percentage of the
receiving end voltage
%Voltage Regulation=

V S V R
x 100
VR

Voltage regulation of line should be low. Increase in load

should have little difference in VR
Prof. J O Dada

Transmission Line Efficiency

Power at the transmission line receiving end is

less than the the sending end power in most
cases due to losses on the line resistance
Efficiency is the ratio of receiving end power to
the sending end power of a transmission line
V R I R cos R
Receiving End Power
%Efficiency=
x 100=T =
x 100
Sending End Power
V S I S cos S

VR, IR and cosR are phase values of receivingend voltage, current and power factor, while
VS, IS and cosS are phase values of sendingend voltage, current and power factor
Prof. J O Dada

Short Line Model

R

X
C

VS

VR

Load

IX
VS

Equivalent Circuit Diagram

IR
VR
O

VR sinR

S R
VRcosR
Phasor Diagram

Prof. J O Dada

(OC) =(OD) +( DC)

2
2
2
V s =(OE+ ED) +(DB+BC )
2
2
2
V S =(V R cos R +IR) +(V R sin R + IX )

IX

V S = (V R cos R + IR) +(V R sin R + IX )

OD V R cos R + IR
cos R =
=
OC
VS
2

VS

A
IR
VR

VR sinR

S R

E
D
Power delivered=V R I R cos R
VRcosR
2
Phasor Diagram
Line losses=I R
Power input =V R I R cos R + I 2 R
Power delivered
%Transmission Efficiency=
Power Input
V R I R cos R
%Transmission Efficiency=
V R I R cos R +I 2 R
V S V R
V R + IR cos R +IX sin R V R
%Voltage Regulation=
x 100
x 100
Prof. J O Dada
VR
VR

Calculating VS Using Complex Notation

R

VR

VS

Load

VS

VR=V R + j 0
VR

I =I < R =I (cos R jsin R )

O
R

Z =R+ jX

VS =VR + I Z
VS =(V R + j 0)+I (cos R jsin R )( R+ jX )
VS =(V R +IR cos R +IX sin R )+ j (IX cos R IR sin R )
V S = (V R + IR cos R + IX sin R ) +(IX cos R IR sin R )
Neglecting second term
V S =V R + IR cos R + IX sin R
2

Prof. J O Dada

IZ
A

IX
IR
B

Examples

Example 2.1

A single phase overhead transmission line delivers 1100 KW at 33 kV at 0.8

p.f. lagging. The total resistance and inductive reactance of the line are 10
ohms and 15 ohms respectively. Determine:

(i) sending end voltage

(ii) sending end power factor

(iii) transmission efficiency

Example 2.2

An overhead 3-phase transmission line delivers 5000 kW at 22 kV at 0.8 p.f.

lagging. The resistance and reactance of each conductor is 4 ohms and 6
ohms respectively. Determine:

(i) sending end voltage

(ii) percentage regulation

(iii) total line losses

(iv) transmission efficiency

Prof. J O Dada

Nominal T-Network Model of Medium Line

R/2

IS

R/2

X/2

X/2

IR

VS

V1

Load

IC
VR

Equivalent Circuit Diagram

E
S

V1

IS
IR

IC

Phasor Diagram

VR
IRR/2

C
ISR/2

O
R

VS

IRX/2
B

Prof. J O Dada

ISX/2
D

Nominal T-Network Model of Medium Line

IS

R/2

R/2

X/2

X/2

IR

VS

VR=V R + j 0
IR =I R (cos R jsin R )

V 1 =V R + I R
2

V1

VR

Load

IC

R
X

V 1 =V R + I R (cos R jsin R )( + j )
2
2
IC = j C V1 = j 2 f C V1
IS = IR + IC

Z
R
X
VS =V1 + IS =V1 + IS ( + j )
2
2
2
Prof. J O Dada

Examples

Example 2.3

A transmission line of 200 km long has the following

constants:

Resistance per km = 0.15 ohms

Reactance per km = 0.50 ohms

Susceptance per km = 2.0 x 10-6 mho

Voltage at the receiving end is 132 kV. The

transmission line is delivering 50 MVA at 0.85 pf lagging
at the receiving end. Calculate the (I) the sending end
voltage (ii) sending end current (iii) voltage regulation
(iv) line efficiency. Use nominal T method
Prof. J O Dada

Quiz

A single phase overhead line (10 km) delivers

2000 KW at 33 kV with 0.8 p.f. lagging. The
resistance and inductive reactance per km of
the line are 1.0 ohms and 1.5 ohms
respectively. Determine:

(i) sending end voltage

(ii) sending end power factor

Prof. J O Dada

Nominal -Network Model of Medium Line

R

IS

IR

IC2
VS

C/2

Load

IC1
VR

C/2

Equivalent Circuit Diagram

VS

IZ

IS

I
IR

VR

IR

IC2

IC1

Phasor Diagram

Prof. J O Dada

IX

Nominal -Network Model of Medium Line

R

IS

IR

IC2
VS

C/2

C/2

VR=V R + j 0
IR =I R (cos R jsin R )
C
IC 1 = j VR = j f C VR
2
I = IR + IC 1

VR

Load

IC1

VR + I (R+ jX )
VS =VR + IZ=
C

I C 2 = j V S = j f C VS
2
IS =I + IC 2

Prof. J O Dada

Examples

Example 2.4

A 50 Hz, 3-phase transmission line 100 km has a

total series impedance of (40+j125) ohms and
shunt admittance of 10-3 mho. The load is 50 MW at
220 kV with 0.8 lagging power factor. Use nominal
model to find the sending end voltage, current and
power factor.

Prof. J O Dada

Analysis of Long Transmission Lines

IS

VS

zdx

V + dV

ydx

dx
dx = infinitely small length of the line at a
distance x from the receiving end
V = voltage per phase at the end of
element towards receiving end
V + dV = voltage per phase at the end of
element towards sending end

IR

VR

Load

I + dI

x
l

I + dI = currrent entering element dx

I = current leaving the element dx
z = impedance per unit length of line
y = admittance of unit length of line

Prof. J O Dada

Model of Long Transmission Line

Voltage drop across element dx is given by
dV =Izdx
dV
=Iz
dx
Current drawnby the element dx
dI=Vydx
dI
=Vy
dx
2
d V zdI
=
2
d x dx
Substitute
dI
=Vy , we have
dx
2
dV
=zVy
2
d x

A linear differential equation

General solution is given by
V =A 1 e yz x + A 2 e yz x
A 1 , A 2 are arbitrary constant
differentiate V ,w .r .t . x
dV
= A 1 e yz x A 2 e yz x
dx
1 dV 1
I=
= yz { A 1 e yz x A 2 e yz x }
z dx z
y
I= { A 1 e yz x A 2 e yz x }
z
y
ZC=
is the characteristic impedance
z
= yz is the propagation constant

Prof. J O Dada

Model of Long Transmission Line

At the receiving end, x=0, V=VR and I=IR

After substituting the boundary conditions
and solving for A1 and A2, the expressions
for V and I are given by:

1
x 1
x
V = [V R +I R Z C ]e + [V R I R Z C ]e
2
2
1 VR
1 VR
x
x
I=
+I R e
I R e
2 ZC
2 ZC

[( ) ] [( ) ]

Rearranging the two expressions

V =V R cosh x+I R Z C sinh x
VR
I=I R cosh x+ sinh x
ZC

The sending-end voltage and the

sending-end current are obtained
by putting x=l

V S=V R cosh l+I R Z C sinh l

VR
I S =I R cosh l+ sinh l
ZC
l= yzl= yl zl= YZ
Z=total impedance of the line
Y =total admittance of the line
Hence ,
V S=V R cosh YZ+I R Z C sinh YZ
VR
I S =I R cosh YZ+ sinh YZ
ZC
Power series expansion
2 2
ZY Z Y
cosh YZ= 1+ +
+.....
2 24

Prof. J O Dada

3
2

(Y Z)
sinh YZ= YZ+
+......
6

Model of Long Transmission Line

Surge impedance (Z0)

Is the characteristic impedance of a loss-free line

For heavy copper conductor and well insulated line, the resistance, R and leakage
conductance G can be neglected

Z C=

Overhead line

Z0 varies between 400 and 600

Underground cables

Z
R+ jX
jX
L
=
=
=Z 0 =
Y
G+ jB
jB
C

Z0 varies between 40 and 60

Z0 can be obtained by measuring the line impedance at the sending end

when

(i) the line at the receiving end is open-circuited

(ii) the line at the receiving end is short-circuited

Z 0 = Z OC Z SC
Z OC =open circuit impedance
Z SC =short circuit impedance

Prof. J O Dada

Model of Long Transmission Line

Propagation for loss free line is given by

= ZY =( R+ jX )(G+ jB)= jX jB= jw LC= j

is the phase shift

It determines the torque angle between VS and VR and hence system stability

Example 2.5

A three phase transmission line 200 km long has the

following constants:

Resistance/phase/km= 0.16 ohms

Reactance/phase/km = 0.25 ohms

Shunt admittance/phase/km = 1.5x10-6 S

Using long line model, calculate the sending end voltage and
current when the line is delivering a load of 20 MW at 0.8 pf.
Lagging. The receiving end voltage is kept constant at 110 kV
Prof. J O Dada

Generalised Circuit Constant

Transmission line is a 4-terminal network

Two port network

Two input terminals where power enters the network

Two output terminals where power leaves the network

Input voltage and input current can be expressed in terms of

output voltage and output current
IS
VS

IR
ABDC

VR

V S = AV R +BI R
I S =CV R + DI R

A, B, C and D are complex numbers

A & D are dimensionless while B & C have dimension of ohms and
siemen respectively
For a given transmission line

A=D

AD - BC = 1

Prof. J O Dada

Determination of Generalised Constants

IRZ
Short lines
I S =I R +YV R +Y
V S = AV R +BI R
2
V S =V R + I R Z
I S =CV R + DI R
YZ
I
=YV
+
I
1+
I S =I R
S
R
R
2
IRY IS Y
A=1, B=Z , C=0, D=1
V S =V R +
+
2
2
A=D
Substitute the value of I S
ADBC=1 x 1Z x 0=1

Medium line Nominal T method

Z
V S =V 1 + I S
2
Z
V 1 =V R + I R
2

IR Z
I C =I S I R =V 1 Y =Y V R +
2

) (

YZ
YZ
V S = 1+
V R+ Z +
IR
2
4
Comparing with generalised equations
YZ
YZ
A=D= 1+
; B=Z 1+
;C=Y
2
4

) (

YZ
YZ
ADBC= 1+
Z 1+
Y =1
2
4

Prof. J O Dada

Determination of Generalised Constants

Assignment

Derive the ABCD constants for medium line nominal

method

Example 2. 6

A three phase overhead transmission line has a total series

impedance per phase of 200<800 ohms and a total shunt
admittance of 0.0013 <900 mho per phase. The line delivers
a load of 80 MW at 0.8 power factor lagging and 220 kV
between the lines. Using a nominal T model, calculate

(i) the ABCD constants of the line

(ii) the sending-end voltage, current and pf of the line

(iii) the efficiency of transmission

Prof. J O Dada

Determination of Generalised Constants

Long line
V S=V R cosh YZ +I R
I S =V R

Z
sinh YZ
Y

Y
sinh YZ +I R cosh YZ
Z

A=D=cosh YZ
Z
B=
sinh YZ
Y
Y
C=
sinh YZ
Z

Prof. J O Dada

V S = AV R +BI R
I S =CV R + DI R

References

[1] D. P. Kothari & I. J. Nagarath, Modern

Power System Analysis
[2] J. B. Gupta, A Course in Power Systems
[3] J. B. Gupta, Transmission and Distribution of
Electrical Power
[4] Department of Electrical Engineering , India,
Odisha Lecture Notes on Power System
Engineering II
[5] Performance of Transmission lines (Internet)
Prof. J O Dada