Overhead Lines (and a brief mention of underground cable)

ECE592-20, Spring 2012 (to be strictly used at North Carolina State University, in accompaniment with Electric Power Distribution Handbook by Tom Short; CRC Press, 2004)

Technical aspects of overhead lines for the Distribution System Engineer

Construction types

Conductor data tables

Calculating impedance Calculating ampacity Conductor annealing

Construction types

Construction types
CP&L design from

1960s and prior

Construction types
CP&L design

alternative starting in 1960s

Construction types: REA

Construction types
Is one type of construction better than the other?
BIL (Basic Impulse Level) CFO (Critical Flashover) Fault tolerance Work methods

Impedance
Aesthetics

Conductor types

Conductor types

Conductor selection

Conductor data tables

Calculating overhead line impedance (positive sequence; i.e., assumption of balanced 3 phase)

Calculating overhead line impedance: zero sequence (associated with residual neutral current flowtypically for fault calculations)

How do all of the factors impact the design?

How do all of the factors impact the design?

Calculating overhead line ampacity

First, there is a heat balance equation to

consider
This involves various environmental and electrical

assumptions
Then we have to factor in line design
Sag & tension tables

Then, what defines ampacity?

Thermal limit (maximum conductor temperature) Clearance (wire sag causing phase-to-neutral

clearance to reach NESC limits) Annealing? Voltage drop / losses?

Steady-State Heat Balance (IEEE 738)

qc
convective heat loss

qr
radiated heat loss

qs
solar heat gain

I2RTc
ohmic loss (current flow heat gain)

Steady-State Heat Balance

Wind Direction

qc

Wind Speed Elevation

Azimuth of Line Latitude Date and Time

Conductor Resistance

I2RTc

Solar Absorptivity

qs

Conductor Diameter Ambient Temperature

qr
Conductor Emissivity

Steady-State Heat Balance

For primary conductor

find current, given a conductor temperature, that, in

addition to solar heat gain, can be dissipated via convection and radiation maximum current limited by:
clearance from neutral, or maximum conductor operating temperature

Ambient Conditions (Carolina Power & Light / Progress Energy Carolinas assumptions)
Ambient Temperature min/max of 0F/104F Latitude 33.3N (southernmost

Elevation
Date and Time Wind Speed

Azimuth of Line
Wind Direction

point on system) 715 ft (highest point on system) June 21 2 ft/s east-to-west or 90 north-to-south or 0

Conductor Properties
Conductor Diameter depends on conductor Conductor Emissivity 0.6 (per long held practice; 0.5 also acceptable) Solar Absorptivity 0.6 (per long held practice; 0.5 also acceptable) Conductor AC Resistance at Operating

Temperature
interpolated based on known AC resistances at

known operating points

Calculating overhead line ampacity

Simplified method
Black & Rehberg formula

Calculating overhead line ampacity

Conductor sag & tension
Tables calculated using a parabolic sag equation

ALCOAs SAG10 software program often used

Calculating overhead line ampacity

Conductor sag & tension
You need span information along with conductor temperature Something called the ruling span is used:

Calculating overhead line ampacity

Conductor sag & tension
Ruling span:

Calculating overhead line ampacity

Conductor sag & tension: Sag & tension tables

ALCOA SAG10 sag & tension table

Conductor damage

Conductor damage: annealing

Conductor damage/annealing (Southwire Co.)

Conductor damage/annealing (Southwire Co.): simplified

AAC ACSR Copper (estimated; do not use for actual design)
I 2t (131 .7 A) 2
*
* Estimated from extrapolation of CP&L legacy annealing limits for copper as compared with AAC and ACSR, and then taken in comparison to the above factors

XLPE cable

Underground cable

Underground cable
Not near as interesting as overhead lines, but
More reliable Not subject to vegetation, squirrels: fault rate is significantly less Faults are generally not temporary, so reclosing not typical More predictable in operation Ampacity is a function of cross-sectional area, insulation type, and ability to dissipate heat (good: direct buryconnection to earth; not so good: conduithaving to dissipate in air) Asset life Failure rate is less, but asset life is perhaps 20-30 years, at which time large sections may need replaced. Overhead systems do not have this problem; conductor can last 50100 years. Repair time