Recent Researches in Power Systems and Systems Science

Corona Losses Dependence from the Conductor Diameter

ISUF KRASNIQI,
VJOLLCA KOMONI
Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering
University of Prishtina,
Bregu i diellit p.n. 10000 Prishtina
AVNI ALIDEMAJ
KEK- Kosovo Energy Corporation J.S.C.
GAZMEND KABASHI
KOSTT - Transmission System and Market Operator of Kosovo
KOSOVO
isuf.krasniqi@uni-pr.edu, vjollca.komoni@uni-pr.edu, avni.alidemaj@kek-energy.com,
gazmend.kabashi@kostt.com
Abstract: - This paper presents possibility to decrease the corona power losses in overhead transmission lines.
Corona power losses can be reduced by increasing the diameter of the conductor and used bundled conductors
per phase. The objectives were to determine the corona power losses depend on conductors diameters. The
simulation is completed using the corona model for one 400 kV and 220 kV overhead transmission line is
developed in Matlab/Simulink. The objectives are to determine the corona effect in high voltage transmission
lines, and to identify factors of decreasing the corona losses, such as increasing the diameter of conductors, and
thus have to increase the critical disruptive voltage. The paper describes the analytical approach, computational
tools and simulations models.
Key-Words: - Electric discharge, Electric field, Corona model, Critical disruptive voltage, Power losses,
Transmission line.

1 Introduction

2 Corona in transmission line

2.1 Critical disruptive voltage

During the unusual situation in the overhead

transmission line when the intensity of the electric
field exceeds the dielectric strength of air, then
around the conductor is electric drilling, which
causes increasing losses and increasing the apparent
conductivity. This phenomenon is called the corona.
Therefore, corona, defined as a self-sustained
electric discharge in which the field intensified
ionization is localized only over a portion of the
distance between the electrodes. When the voltage
higher than the critical voltage is applied between to
parallel polished wires, the glow is quite even. After
operation for a short time, reddish beads or tufts
form along the wire, while around the surface of the
wire there is a bluish white glow.

If one-phase transmission line shown in Fig.1.

Let r be the radius of each conductor and d the
distance between the conductors such that d >> r. In
this single-phase transmission line, let q be the
charge per unit length on one of the conductors and
hence q on the other. If the operating voltage is U,
the potential of conductor A with respect to neutral
plane N will be U/2 and that of conductor B will be
- U/2.

A
q

The a.c. corona viewed through a stroboscope

has the same apperance as direct current corona.
As corona phenomenon is initiated a hissing
noise is heard and ozone gas is formed which
can be detected by its chracteristic colour.

ISBN: 978-1-61804-041-1

-q

x
d

Fig. 1 1-ph transmission line

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Recent Researches in Power Systems and Systems Science

smaller diameter then the conductor as a whole. The

potential gradient for such conductor will be greater
than for the equivalent smooth conductor. The
irregularities on the surface are increased further
because of the deposition of dust and dirt on its
surface and the breakdown voltage is further
reduced. Average value for the ration of breakdown
voltage for such conductor and a smooth conductor
lines between 0.85, and is denoted by m0.
The final expression for the critical disruptive
voltage after taking into account the surface of the
conductor is given by:

The electric field intensity at P due to the both

line charge will be
1
1
+

2 0 x d x
q

Ex =

(1)

The potential different between the conductors

r

U =

E x dx = 0 ln

d r

d r
r

(2)

Since r is very small as compared to d,

U 0 = r g 0 m0 ln

d r = d . Substituting for q from the above

equation,
q=

0 U

Ex =

U'd
x (d x )ln

Where U is the line to neutral voltage of the

systems.
Critical disruptive voltage is defined as the
voltage at which complete disruption of dielectric
occurs. This voltage corresponds to the gradient at
the surface equal to the breakdown strength of air.
This dielectric strength is denoted by g0 and is equal
to 30 kV / cm peak at NPT i.e., 250C and 760 mm
of Hg.
At any other temperature and pressure
g 0' = g 0

P = 24110 5

3.92 b
273 + t

(6)

Therefore the critical disruptive voltage is given by

U 0 = r g 0 ln

d
r

[kV ]

(7)

For high voltage transmission line the ACSR

conductors are used. The cross-section of such
conductors a series of arcs of circles each of much

ISBN: 978-1-61804-041-1

(f

+ 25) r
U p U 0

)2 kW / km

(9)

Where f is the frequency supply (Hz), the air

density correction factor, Up the operating voltage in
kV, U0 the critical disruptive voltage (kV), r radius
of the conductors (m) and d spacing (or equivalency
spacing) between conductors (m).
In overhead transmission line the following
factors affect corona los: (i) electrical factors, (ii)
atmospheric factors and (iii) factors connected with
the conductors.
Electrical factors, referring to the equation (9) it
is seen that the corona loss is a function of
frequency. Thus higher the frequencies of supply
and the losses are higher due to corona. This means
that d.c. corona loss is less as compared with a.c.
corona loss. This is because during the corona
phenomenon of a.c. is always present third
harmonics and hence frequency is not only 50 Hz
but it is contains also third harmonic component.

(5)

Where is the air density correction factor and is

given by

(8)

In high voltage transmission line when the

applied voltage exceeds a critical disruptive value,
the thin layer of air around the transmission line
ionizes. This ions result in space charges which
move round the conductor. To remain the charges in
the motion required the energy derived from the
supply system. To maintain the flow of energy over
the conductor it is necessary to supply this
additional loss from the supply system. This
additional power is referred to as corona loss.
Peek study the effect of various parameters on
the corona loss and he deduced an empirical
relation:

(4)

d
x

[kV ]

2.2 Corona loss

(3)

d
ln
r

d
r

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Recent Researches in Power Systems and Systems Science

Atmospheric Factors, consist in air density and

weather condition. Air density affects the generation
of corona sources as demonstrated by Peek
empirical equation (9). From this equation the losses
are a function of air density correction factor . The
lower value of causes the higher the loss, because
appears directly in the denominator of the equation
and indirectly in the value of critical disruptive
voltage.
U 0 = 21.1m0 r ln

d
r

[kV ]

P=k

)2 kW / km

(11)

From this expression shows that the first losses

are proportional to the square root of the diameter of
the conductor, if the diameter of conductor are
larger, then the loss will be larger. Secondly, since
U0 is approximately directly proportional to the
diameter of the conductor, hence larger the size of
the conductor now the critical disruptive voltage has
to be large and hence smaller will be difference
between the operate and critical disruptive voltage.
Number of conductors is an input into the
calculation of the electric field at the surface of
conductors. For operating voltage 400 kV and above
it, is found that one conductor per phase gives large
corona loss and hence large radio interference (RI)
level which interferes with the communication lines
which are normally run parallel with the power
lines. Most research has shown that the RI does not
increase with the number of conductors for a fixed
conductor diameter [3].
The higher the corona losses in the power
transmission lines with one conductor is solved with
by using two or more than two conductors per phase
or as they are known as bundling of conductors. By
bundling the conductors the self geometric mean
distance (GMD) of the conductors is increased
thereby; the critical disruptive voltage is increased
and hence corona loss is reduced.
To reducing corona loss can be used following
methods: (i) large diameter of conductors (ii)
hallows conductors, (iii) bundled conductors.
With the aim to reduce the corona power losses,
have been made experiments and research how
affects have the larger diameter and bundled
conductors.
If conductor radius is larger, surface field
intensity is less and hence corona losses are lower.
For the same current carrying capacity, an ACSR
conductor has larger radius, therefore the
transmission lines with ACSR conductors have
lower corona loss. Also, for bundled conductors
lines effective radius is larger and hence corona loss
is less.
Corona losses do not generally play an important
role in the overall design of transmission lines. With
most computer programs that evaluate only the cost
of resistive losses in overhead transmission lines.
But, there are conditions where corona losses may
influence the economic choice of conductors, and
compact lines may be one of those conditions. The
cost of transmission line conductors, usually
expressed in terms of an annualized cost, is made up

(10)

For the lower value of losses will be higher,

because the lower value of , will be have the lower
value of U 0 and hence higher the value of
(U U )2 , where U is the operating voltage in kV.
0

During the bad weather conditions such as rain,

snow and hailstorm will diminish the critical
disruptive voltage and hence increase the corona
loss. These is due to the fact that rain droplets on the
transmission line conductors can be viewed as sharp
edges which enhances the electric field and
therefore reduces the corona disruptive voltage and
hence increase the corona power loss. Corona
generation
increases
whenever
moisture
accumulates on the conductor. Conductor current, if
it heats the conductor, discourages the formation of
water drops during fog and during high humidity,
but has little effect during heavy rain and snow.
Corona loss observations in the operating lines
during the hoarfrost have shown that the highest
corona losses occur when hoarfrost accumulates on
a cold conductor, during the nigh time hours, when
load currents are not sufficient to warm the
conductors enough to melt the hoarfrost [3].
Wind speed has been found to have a very small
effect on corona generation unless the wind is
blowing particles onto conductors.
Factor connected with conductors consist in
conductor surface conditions, conductor diameter
and number of conductors.
The conductors are exposed to atmospheric
conditions; the surface would have dirt etc.
deposited on it which will lower the disruptive
voltage and increase corona loss. Audible noise is
primarily a foul-weather phenomenon therefore
conductor-surface conditions are important only
inasmuch as they affect water drop formation.
From the equation (9) for corona loss shows that
the conductor size appears at two places and the
other parts of equation are assumed constant, so:

ISBN: 978-1-61804-041-1

r
U p U 0
d

114

Recent Researches in Power Systems and Systems Science

particularly for lightly loaded or compact

transmission lines in the range of 230400 kV, lines
in traversing regions of high altitude or of extreme
pollution, and also for normally loaded lines at
voltages above 750 kV (3).
The mean annual corona losses of high-voltage
transmission lines are usually an order of magnitude
lower than the resistive losses. However, the
maximum corona losses can be of the same order of
magnitude as the resistive losses.

of the annualized cost of capital investment and the

annual cost of energy losses incurred during the
operation of the line. The capital cost is almost
directly proportional to the conductor cross-section,
or to d2, where d is the conductor diameter. In the
absence of corona on conductors, the energy losses
consist mainly of the resistive or I2R losses, where I
is the load current flowing through the line, and R is
resistance of the conductor. Insulator leakage losses
are generally negligible compared to the resistive
losses.
The economic choice of conductors, for a given
transmission voltage and load current, involves
minimizing the total annualized cost of conductors
over the expected life of the line. Since the capital
cost increases while the cost of resistive energy
losses decreases with d, there is an optimum value
of d for which the total cost attains a minimum. In
Figure 2, curve 1 shows the variation of the total
cost as a function of conductor diameter d.
Minimum total cost is obtained for an optimum
conductor diameter d1. For conductor sizes either
lower or higher than d1, the total cost will be higher.
The increase in total cost may become important for
lower load currents and/or higher energy costs.

3 Case studies
Matlab/Simulink has been used to develop
the corona model for analyzing the corona
losses in 400 kV overhead transmission line.
Figure 3 shows the block schematic of the
presented model in Matlab/Simulink for the
corona losses in 400kV transmission lines.

241
konstanta1
1
Divide
50
Prodhimi
frekuenca

-K-

Add

25
sqrt

Dot Product1

Gain

Humbjet

Konstanta
Math
Function

7.82
rezistenca

Divide1

196.13

u
Tensioni i kurores

-K-

Add1

400
Tensioni i linjes (kV)

Figure 3. Simulation corona model for 400kV

transmission line

With simulation the corona model and applying

the Peek expression are calculate the corona loss.
The effects of critical disruptive voltage in the
corona loss are shown in Figure 4.

Fig. 2 Economic choice of conductors

In the presence of corona on conductors, the

mean annual corona losses should be added to the
resistive losses to determine the annualized the
energy losses. As in the case of resistive losses,
corona losses decrease as d increases. This is
illustrated by curve 2 of Figure 2, which differs
from curve 1 at lower values of d and merges
asymptotically with curve 1 for the increased value
of d. The minimum total cost of curve 2 occurs at a
slightly larger diameter d2.
With the increasing cost of energy, studies
carried out in several countries have shown that it is
important to take into account the cost of corona
losses in the economic choice of conductors,

ISBN: 978-1-61804-041-1

Humbjet nga efekti kuror

5.25

k w /k m

5.2
5.15
5.1
5.05

25

23
23
.2
23
.4
23
.6
23
.8
24
24
.2
24
.4
24
.6
24
.8

22
22
.2
22
.4
22
.6
22
.8

01
20
.2
20
.4
20
.6
20
.8
21
21
.2
21
.4
21
.6
21
.8

2.
00

E+

20

Tensioni (kV)

Figure 4. Corona losses in 400kV transmission line

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Recent Researches in Power Systems and Systems Science

corona losses in 400kV transmission lines depend of

the conductor diameter.

In the case, where the critical disruptive voltage

is less, the difference between the operating voltage
Up and critical disruptive voltage U0 is the largest,
hence the corona losses are larger. During the foul
weather, especially when there is fog, the dielectric
strength is less hence the critical disruptive voltages
are less. In opposite, during the fair weather, the
dielectric strength is larger hence the critical
disruptive voltages are larger.
Similar calculations were made for 230 kV
transmission line, in this case corona loss are lower
than the corona losses in the 400 kV transmission
lines.
The effects of critical disruptive voltage in the
corona loss, in the 220 kV transmission lines, are
shown in Figure 5.

241
Constant
1

Divide

50

Prodhimi

Frekuenca

-KAdd

25

Dot Product1

Constant3

Gain

sqrt

Dot Product3

Humbjet

Math
Function1
rrezja

u
Divide1

196.13

Add1

-K-

Math
Function

400

Gain2

Tensioni i linjes[kV]

-KRrezja[mm]

36.5

-K-

mp1

mp

kons

Dot Product2

Dot Product4

15140
ln

D[mm]
Divide2

Math
Function2

Figure 6. Simulation corona model for transmission

line depend of conductor diameter

P k [k W /k m ]

1.98
1.96
1.94

The effects of increase the conductor diameter to

decrease the corona loss, in the 400 kV transmission
lines, are shown in Figure 7.

1.92
1.9
1.88
1 0 .8
1 1 .2
1 1 .6
1 2 .0
1 2 .4
1 2 .8
1 3 .2
1 3 .6
1 4 .0
1 4 .4
1 4 .8
1 5 .2
1 5 .6
1 6 .0
1 6 .4
1 6 .8
1 7 .2
1 7 .6
1 8 .0
1 8 .4
1 8 .8
1 9 .2
1 9 .6
2 0 .0

1.86

Varshmria e humbjeve t Kurors ndaj rrezs s pruesit

Uk (kV)
6

kW /cm

Figure 5. Corona losses in 230kV transmission line

4
3
2

While, lower corona losses in the 230kV

transmission lines than the corona losses in the
400kV transmission lines, are presented in Figure 6.
Critical disruptive voltage is defined as the
voltage at which the gradient at the surface equal to
the breakdown strength of air equal to 30 kV/cm. So,
if the operates voltage less than critical disruptive
voltage, then corona will not appear. However, if the
operates voltage is larger than the critical disruptive
voltage, then will corona appears. Corona discharge
is the greater if the difference between operating
voltage and the critical disruptive voltage is larger.
From the expression (8) of critical disruptive voltage
is seen that to increasing the critical disruptive
voltage can be done by increasing the diameter of
the conductor.
Also, to show the reduction of corona losses with
increasing diameter of conductor are used
MATLAB/ SIMULINK to develop the corona
model for analyzing the corona losses in 400 kV
overhead transmission line depend of the diameter
of conductors. Figure 6 shows the block schematic
of the presented model in Matlab/Simulink for the

ISBN: 978-1-61804-041-1

1
18.4
18.6
18.7
18.9
19.1
19.2

15.3
15.4
15.5
15.7
15.9
16
16.2
16.3
16.5
16.7
16.8
17
17.1
17.3
17.5
17.6
17.8
17.9
18.1
18.3

mm

Figure 7. Corona losses in 400kV transmission line

depend of the conductor diameter

Similarly the effects of increase the conductor

diameter to decrease the corona loss, in the 230 kV
Varshmria e Humbjeve t Kurors ndaj rrezs s pruesit

17.5

17.4

17

17.2

16.9

16.6
16.7

16.4

16.2

16.1

15.9

15.8

15.4
15.6

15.3

15

15.1

14.8

14.6

14.5

14

14.2
14.3

13.8

13.7

2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
13.6

kW /cm

Corona losses depended from conductor cross section

mm

transmission lines, are shown in Figure 8.

Figure 9. Corona losses in 230kV transmission line
depend of the conductor diameter

116

Recent Researches in Power Systems and Systems Science

[3] EPRI, Transmission Line Reference Book 115230kV Compact Line Design, Electric Power
Research Institute 2007.
[4] D. Das, Electrical Power Systems, New Age
International Publishers, New Delhi, 2006.
[5] F.W. Peek, Dielectric Phenomena in High
Voltage Engineering, McGraw-Hill, 1929
[6] A. Ersoy, A. Kuntman, An Experimental

4 Conclusion
In this paper has been presented the effects of
conductor diameter in critical disruptive voltage and
in the corona losses. Matlab/Simulink model has
been used to analyzing the corona power losses
depends of the critical disruptive voltage or for the
diameter of conductors.
The results obtained from the simulation have
shown that corona losses are larger, where the
critical disruptive voltage is less; hence the
difference between the operating voltage Up and
critical disruptive voltage U0 is the largest. During
the foul weather, the critical disruptive voltages are
less, and hence the corona power losses are larger.
On the other hand, a very efficient measure to
reduce corona losses is to increase the diameter of
the conductor. By using the Peek empirical formula
the corona power loss is calculated. The results
show that corona losses are decrease if the
conductors diameters are increased.

Study on Corona Losses in Conductors,

Journal on Electronics and Electrical
Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 1, Pages 352-354.
[7] Cem Eroncel, Suat Ilhan, Aydogan Ozdemir,
Adnan Kaypmaz, Corona Onset Voltage and
Corona Power Losses an in Indoor Corona
Cage, International Middle East Power
Systems Conference, Cairo University,
December 2010, pages 791-794.
[8] Z. M. Al Hamouz, Corona Power Loss Versus
Ohmic power Loss in HVDC transmission lines,
[9] Prof. C. S. Indulkar, Sensitivity Analysis of
Corona and Radio Noise in EHV Transmission
Lines, IE (I) Journal EL, Vol 84, March 2004,
Pages 197-200.
[10] Raymond Lings, Vermon . Chartier, Sarma
Maruvada, Overview of Transmission Lines
Above 700 kV, IEEE PES 2005 Conference and
Exposition in Africa, Durban, South Africa, 1115 July 2005, Pages 33-43.
[11] Mehmet Salih Mamis, State-Space Transient
Analysis of Single-Phase Transmission Lines
with Corona, International Conference on
Power Systems Transients IPST 2003, New
Orleans, USA,

References:
[1] Mayen Abdel-Salam, Essam Zaki Abdel-Aziz
Corona power loss determination on multiphase power trasmission lines, Electric power
systems research, volume 58, Issue 2, 2001,
Pages 123-132.
[2] Enrique E. Mombello, Giuseppe Ratta, Heetar
D. Suarez and Federico O. Torres, Corona loss
characteristics of contaminated conductors in
fair weather. Electric power systems research,
volume 59, Issue 2, 2001, Pages 21-29.X1.

ISBN: 978-1-61804-041-1

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