U.D.C. 621.315.14.027.89 : 534.11 : [551.556+537.525.

3]

Low-noise Conductor for Harmonizing 1,000 kV Transmission

Lines with the Environment
ABSTRACT: Progress toward extra-high-voltage and large-capacity overhead
transmission lines has induced problems of aeolian noise and corona noise in the
peripheral areas. As a measures to prevent generation of aeolian noise, firstly, we
developed the spiral-rod method. This method, however, suffers the problem that the
steel towers must be reinforced because of increased self-weight of conductors and
increased wind pressure.
Consequently, we developed a low-aeolian-noise conductor with protrusions on its
surface, and we have improved the corona-noise characteristics while sustaining the
effect of reduced aeolian noise. This type of conductor is called low-noise ACSR (LNACSR), And this conductor was applied to an actual 1,000-kV transmission line (the
Kita Tochigi Trunk Line) for the first time.

INTRODUCTION
Overhead transmission lines direct their design toward
extra-high voltage and use multi-conductor systems for
supplying large-capacity electric power from a remote power
source.
In addition, under specific Japanese topographic conditions,
transmission lines often run nearby inhabited areas. As a result,
before transmission routes can be constructed, an
environmental assessment must be performed. Thus,
harmonizing transmission routes with the environment has
become a critical issue in the route design.
Noise includes conductor aeolian noise, insulator aeolian
noise, and steel-tower aeolian noise, which are generated in a
strong wind, and corona noise which is generated under rainfall
and snowfall. These kinds of noises differ from natural sounds
so countermeasures to reduce these noises are called for.
A spiral rod method was consequently developed as a
countermeasure to reduce aeolian noise. And this method has
been successful in existing transmission routes.1), 2)
The spiral-rod method provides superior performance for
reducing aeolian noise. It, however, raised problems when
applied to existing transmission lines because it increased costs
for reinforcing the steel towers and to the secureness of
workers for a short shut-down work period.
As a result, a novel conductor with a low-aeolian-noise
characteristic was strongly required. So a low-aeolian-noise
conductor with protrusions on its surface was developed to
meet this requirement.
The 1,000-kV transmission line, which is the first in Japan,
adopted an 8-bundle conductor system. Accordingly, the
number of spiral rods for wrapping increased compared with a
conventional system. Therefore, during the construction of the
Kita Tochigi Trunk Line the adoption of low-noise conductors

was studied taking into account the easiness of installation

work.
Since the 1,000-kV transmission line increases the
conductor surface potential gradient, a low-noise conductor
LN-ACSR (960-mm2 cross-sectional area) was developed, and
the conductor was applied to the Kita Tochigi Trunk Line. The
developed conductor, LN-ACSR 960 mm2, further improved
corona noise characteristics while maintaining the effect of
reduced aeolian noise.
AEOLIAN NOISE GENERATED FROM A CONDUCTOR
Characteristics of aeolian noise generated from a
conductor
Figure. 1 is a spectral analysis of aeolian noise generated
from a 4-bundle-conductor (ACSR 410 mm24) system. A
predominant spectrum in a low-frequency range (from 50 to

Aeolian noise Level (dB) SPL (dB (C))

Yasuyuki Akagi*
Keiji Sato**
Narumi Iwama***
Kazuhisa Kubota**

90

4104 (r= 400)

Wind velocity 10m/s
Wind velocity 15m/s
Wind velocity 20m/s

80
70
60
50
40
10

100

1000

Frequency (Hz)

Fig. 1Aeolian noise generated from a 4-bundle conductor (ACSR

410 mm24) system.
Predominant spectrum in 50 to 250 Hz is identified.

* Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc.

** Toyoura Works: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.
*** Power System Laboratory: Hitachi Cable, Ltd.

250 Hz) is identified. This frequency range corresponds to the

aeolian noise.
Generation mechanism of aeolian noise3)
The aeolian noise generated from a conductor is a sound
generated from hydrodynamic causes. This mechanism of
sound generation is discussed in the following.
Figure. 2 shows a model of fluid flow around a cylindrical
conductor. A boundary layer, which is significantly affected by
viscosity, exists on the surface of cylinder. The fluid flow is
separated from the surface of the cylinder in a region where
pressure increases within the boundary layer, thus creating
eddies rearward of the cylinder.

Fig. 3Countermeasures to reduce aeolian noise generation: the

spiral-rod method.

90
LiftFL (t) = FO FLsin ( t)

410 4 (Before)
80

Wind velocity V

Drag FD (t)

Noise level (dB)

410 4 (SP) (After)

70

60

50

Fig. 2Flow around a cylinder.

To reduce aeolian noise, the variable component FL, of lift must be
reduced.

40
10

100

1000

Frequency (Hz)

The separation of fluid flow induces lift FL and FD on the

cylinder. The aeolian noise generated from a conductor is
pressure noise related to F L. Accordingly, to reduce aeolian
noise, the variable component, F1, of lift must be reduced.
The boundary-layer flow on the surface is classified into
laminar flow and turbulent flow depending on the surface
roughness. And these two types of flows have opposite
qualitative properties to each other.
The laminar boundary-layer flow on a smooth surface with
less surface roughness has a wide range of pressure fluctuation
at which separation of flow occurs, and the generated aeolian
noise level increases.
On the other hand, when turbulence is enhanced by a rough
surface, the point of flow separation moves rearward of the
conductor, and the region of varying separation point becomes
narrow, so the aeolian noise level decreases.
COUNTERMEASURE TECHNOLOGY TO REDUCE
AEOLIAN NOISE ON A CONDUCTOR
Spiral rod method
Aeolian noise on a conductor occurs when pressure
fluctuations accompanying wind movements around
conductors are propagated as noise. The aeolian noise can thus
be reduced by increasing the surface roughness of the
conductor to turn the area surrounding it into a state of
turbulence and flow separation.

Fig. 4Spectra before and after introducing the spiral-rod method.

The noise level in predominant frequency band decreases by 10 dB
or more.

A practical countermeasure to aeolian noise is called the

spiral rod method.In this method, aluminum wires are
wound around the conductor.
The outer diameter and the pitch of spiral rods were
optimized by experiments in a low-noise wind tunnel.
Figure. 4 compares spectra before and after introducing the
countermeasure to aeolian noise on a typical 4-bundle
conductor (ACSR 410 mm24) system.
As a result of this countermeasure, the aeolian noise in a
predominant frequency band decreases by 10 dB or more.
Technology for estimating generation of aeolian
noise
At almost the same time that the spiral-rod method was
developed, an estimation method for determining the aeolian
noise level around the transmission line was developed. This
method can take aeolian noise in account when designing
transmission lines.
Since the effective range of aeolian noise is estimated
during the design stage, the routing of transmission lines
becomes possible from the standpoint of the effect of aeolian
noise and of reflection of load of spiral rod to the steel tower
design.

Wind-tunnel experiment
For estimating aeolian noise generated from a conductor, it
is necessary to determine the generated energy for each
conductor type by applying parameters such as conductor size,
number of conductors, and conductor arrangement.
We used a low-noise wind-tunnel experimental facility in
order to determine the generated aeolian noise.
Design of a transmission route taking into account
environmental effects
There have been many evaluations of environmental effects
based on the estimation of aeolian noise. These evaluations use
an estimation equation for designing new transmission route.
Environmental evaluation from the viewpoint of aeolian noise
has advantages such as :
(1) Conductors can be selected and arranged in terms of
aeolian noise and this allows us to judge the necessity of
countermeasures to reduce aeolian noise.
(2) Information on the range of aeolian noise provides
information for selecting a transmission route in terms of
environmental issues.
(3) Along a transmission route, the range of span that needs
countermeasures to reduce aeolian noise is identified. The
reinforced steel tower can then be designed from the initial
stage of construction by making maximum use of the spiral
rod measures.
Accordingly, transmission-route design considering
environmental effects has been positively introduced for a
large-scale transmission route passing near urban districts.
CORONA NOISE
Actual state of corona noise
Corona noise occurs under rainfall and snowfall and
comprises two sound components: one is irregular (random
noise) sound, and the other is the pure sound (corona hum
noise) ofbuzzing.
The random sound has a wide frequency band because the
impulsive sounds caused by corona discharge overlap
randomly. The corona hum noise results from the excitation of
ion groups, which was generated from corona discharge,
caused by the electric field surrounding the conductors. The
predominant frequency of the corona hum noise is double (100
Hz or 120 Hz) the commercial frequency.
The conductor-surface potential gradient in Japan is
relatively low because of the regulation on radio noise.
Accordingly, the percentage of corona hum noise in total
corona noise is high, and the corona hum noise is a pure sound
and the frequency of corona hum noise is low. Therefore, the
corona hum noise is easily identified and is therefore likely to
become a target of complains from the public.
DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-NOISE CONDUCTORS
Study of conductor cross-section
Aeolian noise generated from a conductor is a phenomenon
in which pressure fluctuation in a domain (where the flow of

air separates from the conductor surface) propagates as noise.

Consequently, the domain of pressure fluctuation can be
reduced by changing the boundary-layer flow on the conductor
surface to a turbulent state. The conductor surface has certain
roughness, and to create turbulent flow over the surface,
coarser roughness (protrusions) should be added to the surface.
Single conductor system
Figure. 5 shows the behavior of aeolian noise
characteristics on a cylinder with a thin boundary layer in terms
of the parameters of height of protrusion and angle of
protrusion span. The protrusion height is 1.5 mm and the
protrusion span angleis 20 to 120 deg.
For a single conductor system, noise was reduced by
around 15 dB under the conditions just mentioned. So in this
system the aeolian noise is reduced by an equivalent amount as
that for the spiral-rod method.
Multi-bundle conductor system
Aeolian noise often becomes a problem in multi-bundleconductor transmission lines. Since the effect of turbulence on
the windward-side conductors influences the surrounding state
of the leeward-side conductors, the leeward-side conductors
need to have a hydrodynamically rougher surface than a singleconductor system.
In this respect, a two-conductor system model was tested
for determining the effect of aeolian noise reduction in terms of
protrusion height and protrusion span angle. The result is
shown in Fig. 6. The optimum protrusion height is 2.5 mm and
the protrusion span angle is about 45 deg.
Characteristics of a low-aeolian-noise conductor
(noise suppressed ACSR:NS-ACSR)
On the basis of wind-tunnel experiments, the low-aeoliannoise conductor (NS-TACSR 810 mm2) was developed for a
500-kV transmission line in 1987, and the conductors were
applied for the first time to an actual transmission line.
The developed low-aeolian-noise conductor showed noise
reduction equivalent to that of conventional spiral-rod
measures.
DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-NOISE CONDUCTORS FOR
1,000-kV TRANSMISSON LINES
Development process
Since the 1,000-kV Kita Tochigi Trunk Line was designed
to pass near urban areas at many locations and cross the path of
winter seasonal winds, countermeasures to reduce aeolian noise
were expected to be required.
The 1,000-kV transmission lines constructed before the
Kita Tochigi Trunk Line adopted the spiral rod method as the
measure to reduce aeolian noise. Previous conductors had a
conductor-surface potential gradient, Gmax, as high as 14 to 15
kV/cm, so the spiral rod was applied in a four-close-contact
wrapping method. This type of spiral rod wrapping, however,
doubled the number of wrapped conductors, the number of
rods, and the standard span length compared with those of a

t
V

V
d =36mm
t = 1.5mm
p = 400mm

d
Aeolian noise level (dB)

Aeolian noise reduction level (dB)

90
80
70

V = 20m/s

60
V = 15m/s
50

V = 10m/s

40
30

(less)
1.0
1.5
2.0
height
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
(larger)

10
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Protrusion span angle(deg.)

Fig. 5Relation between protrusion height and aeolian-noise level

in a single conductor system.

500-kV transmission line. As a result, the wrapping work

became troublesome, and securing manpower and ensuring
safety were problems as well as increased costs.
To solve these problems, a low-noise conductor for a
1,000-kV transmission line (with conventional aeolian-noisereduction characteristics and corona-noise-reduction
characteristics) was developed.4)
Development of a low-noise conductor inducing less
aeolian noise and less corona noise
A low-aeolian-noise conductor, which induces less aeolian
noise and less corona noise for a 1,000-kV transmission line
was developed. This conductor provides aeolian noise
characteristics equivalent to that of spiral rod method and
corona characteristics equivalent to a regular conductor. To
further improve the corona noise characteristics, we conducted
studies on:
(1) Improving water-cutting performance at protruded sections
by making grooves in the protrusions of a conventional
low-aeolian-noise conductor ; and
(2) Reducing the surface potential gradient by increasing the
equivalent outer diameter by 5%.
We thus developed the LN-ACSR 960-mm 2 conductor
whose details are listed in Table 1.
Aeolian noise characteristics
Figure. 7 shows a spectral analysis of aeolian noise
characteristics of an 8-bundle conductor (LN-ACSR 960
mm28) system. The analysis was conducted at a 20-m/s wind
velocity in a large-scale low-noise wind tunnel.
The predominant frequency for the LN-ACSR 960 mm28
is reduced more (by 10 dB or more) than that of a regular
ACSR 810 mm28 and is equivalent to the noise reduction
achieved by countermeasure with spiral rods.
Corona-hum noise characteristics
An 8-bundle conductor LN-ACSR 960-mm2 conductor

50

100

150

200

Protrusion span angle (deg.)

Fig. 6Relation between protrusion shape and aeolian-noise

reduction level in a two-bundle conductor system.
Optimum protrusion height is 2.5 mm and protrusion span angle is
about 45 deg.

(surface treated by artificial aging) was tested in the corona

cage described before. The test identified that the system
provided almost the same or lower corona-hum noise level than
that of the 8-bundle ACSR 810 mm2 conductor (Fig. 8).
Accessories
Although the low-noise conductor has an irregular crosssectional shape, standard conductor accessories can be
applicable, in most cases, with a slight modification. The tools
and method for installing the conductor are also almost the
same as those in conventional work.
Application to actual transmission line
The LN-ACSR 960-mm2 conductor was used for the UHV
Akagi Test Line of the Central Research Institute of electric
power Industry. After a long period of field validation and an
actual scale overhead-transmission-route test focusing on the
aeolian noise and corona noise, the conductor was adopted by
the 1,000-kV Kita Tochigi Trunk line.
Figure. 9 shows a photograph of an 8-bundle LN-ACSR
960-mm 2 conductor at the site. After installation of the
conductors, on-site aeolian-noise measurement verified the
same reduction in aeolian noise reduction as that observed in
the wind-tunnel test.
Low-aeolian-noise overhead ground wire
Reduction of aeolian noise of overhead ground wire
Generally overhead ground wire has a smaller diameter
than phase conductors. Accordingly, the predominant
frequency of aeolian noise becomes somewhat high. Therefore,
countermeasures to reduce aeolian noise applied to only one
phase conductor might leave aeolian noise. To solve this
problem, an overhead ground wire for reducing aeolian noise
was used.
The developed overhead ground wire eliminated the aerial

TABLE 1 PROPERTIES OF LN-ACSR 960 mm2 CONDUCTOR FOR 1,000-kV TRANSMISSION LINES
LN-ACSR 960 mm2

ACSR 810 mm2 (reference)

38.4

38.4

Aluminum

2/(5.53)+4/(6.26)+14/(5.69)+24/4.8

45/4.8

Steel

7/3.2

7/3.2

Aluminum

961.5

814.5

43.4

Type

Cross section

Construction
Calculated sectional

Steel

56.29

56.29

Total

1,018

870.8

External diameter

Maximum

43.4

38.4

(mm)

Equivalent

40.3

38.4

3,108

2.7

area (mm2)

Weight (kg/m)

60

80

60
50

LNACSR 960mm2
2

ACSR 810mm
+ spiral rod

40
Notice ; low noise tunnel
wind velosity V=20m/s

30
20

Corona hum noise level (dB(A))

Noise level (dB (A))

70

ACSR 810mm2
+ spiral rod

ACSR 810mm2

50
ACSR 810mm2
40

30
LNACSR 960mm2

50

100

200

400

Frequency (Hz)

Fig. 7Aeolian noise characteristic of an 8-bundle LN-ACSR 960mm2 conductor.

The noise level of predominant frequency for LN-ACSR is reduced
by 10 dB or more.

20
11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Maximum surface potential gradient of conductor Gmax (kV/cm)

Fig. 8Corona-hum-noise characteristic of 8-bundle LN-ACSR

960-mm2 conductor (in an equivalent rainfall state).
LN-ACSR 960 mm2 provided almost the same or lower corona hum
noise than that of ACSR 810 mm2.

work of wrapping the spiral rod, thus increasing work safety

and also to reducing cost.
Cross-sectional views of low-aeolian-noise overhead
ground wire
Since the aeolian noise at the site from the ground wires is
not dominant, compared with that from the phase conductors,
an alternative design consisting of only round wires has been
recently developed (Fig. 10). This LN-OPGW 480-mm2 ground
wire reduces the aeolian noise by reducing the gap between
different wires in the outmost layer strands and has some
advantage in terms of corona noise reduction over the abovementioned ground wires with shaped wire protrusions.
CONCLUSION

lines become severer every year. And environmental concern

has become a critical variable in the design and construction of
overhead transmission lines. As a result, countermeasure
technology to reduce aeolian noise and corona noise has been
developed. As a result, countermeasure technology to reduce
aeolian noise and corona noise has been developed. The
environmental-counter measure technology we applied to
conductors is summarized as follows.
(1) To reduce aeolian noise generated from existing
transmission lines, we introduced a spiral-rod method.
(2) A low-noise conductor which reduces aeolian noise
together with corona noise was developed, and it was
applied for the first time to the 1,000-kV Kita Tochigi
Trunk Line.

Environmental requirements for overhead transmission

TABLE 2 APPLICABLE ACCESSORIES AND TOOLS

Deadend clamp
Clamp compressor
Come-along clamp

LNOPGW 480mm2

Application
Outer diameter of 810 standard clamp is increased
by 5 mm (i.e., to 73 mm).
Compressor is existing one, but die is modified to
a 3 mm flat type.

30.8

Item

Main body is #5 standard but wedge is a grooved

type.

Pulley

600-mm standard polyurethane (no modification).

Tensioner

Conventional one is applicable

28.0

Fig. 10Cross-sectional views of LN-OPGW 480 mm2.

The aeolian noise of this ground wire is reduced by reducing the gap
of different wire diameter between the outmost layer strands.

Fig. 9Installation of low-noise conductors in an actual 1,000-kV

transmission line (LN-ACSR 960 mm28).
About 1,100 km of the LN-ACSR conductor were used in Kita
Tochigi Trunk line.

REFERENCE
(1) Yamazaki, et al. :Overhead transmission line and aeolian
noise, Denki Hyoron, December, pp 954-960, (1975)
(2) Denki Kyodo Kenkyu: Vol. 43, No. 3,Conductors for
environmental measures, January (1988)
(3) Development of ACSR Conductor with Extremely
Suppressed Aeolian Noise and Audible Noise Level
Hitachi cable Review No.00 (1988)
(4) Isozaki: Development of Low-Noise Conductors for 1000
kV Transmission, Cigre SC22-303 (1996)