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Evaluation and measurement of magnetic field exposure at a typical high-

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DOI: 10.1093/rpd/ncm326 · Source: PubMed

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Radiation Protection Dosimetry (2008), Vol. 128, No. 2, pp. 198–205 doi:10.1093/rpd/ncm326
Advance Access publication 26 June 2007

EVALUATION AND MEASUREMENT OF MAGNETIC FIELD

EXPOSURE AT A TYPICAL HIGH-VOLTAGE
SUBSTATION AND ITS POWER LINES
S. Ozen*
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Akdeniz University,
07058 Antalya, Turkey

Received January 10 2007, revised May 7 2007, accepted May 19 2007

Downloaded from http://rpd.oxfordjournals.org/ at Akdeniz University on January 11, 2016

This study presents a survey of magnetic field measurements including those resulting from 380/154 kV power substations,
which play a vital role in human body biological studies. The survey was carried out in the main power substation of Antalya,
Turkey, located at the suburban region of the city, under actual loads. The paper also presents the actual magnetic field
strength measured near the 380/154 kV substation and power transmission lines (380 and 154 kV) connecting to the substa-
tion. Since most part of these lines pass through a residential area, they have been included in the study, and the actual mag-
netic field variation around them has been investigated by comparative analysis of measured data. For the occupants working
at substations, occupational exposure has been analysed with actual magnetic fields at operating locations. Induced internal
electric fields and current densities in the occupants’ body due to exposure to external magnetic fields produced by a conven-
tional 380/154 kV power substation have been investigated.

INTRODUCTION associations observed in human populations with

Modern society is dependent on the use of electri-
city, and high-voltage substations are considered to
be a major part of the electric power transmission
system. Power subsystems are expected to produce
very high-magnetic fields, since they drive very
high-electric current densities that result in an
accumulating exposure to electric, magnetic and
electromagnetic fields; such exposure can cause
health problems if systems are designed without
reference to standards. The interaction between mag-
netic fields produced by power lines and substations
with living organisms are still open to many
researchers worldwide because of the results of a
number of laboratory and epidemiological studies,
which indicate possible adverse effects(1).
Some epidemiological studies found weak associ-
ation between exposure to power-frequency EMFs
and some forms of cancer, such as leukemia,
whereas other studies failed to find such association.
The most significant and replicated findings are an
apparent change in ion flux at cell membranes in
response to limited ranges and intensities of ELF
electric fields, an effect of ELF magnetic fields on
melatonin production and effects on enzyme activity.
It is also known that ELF fields may interact with
tissues by inducing electric fields and currents in
them(2,3). Scientific evidence suggest that ELF–
EMF exposures pose any health risk is weak. The
strongest evidence for health effects comes from
*
Corresponding author: sukruozen@akdeniz.edu.tr
two forms of cancer: childhood leukemia and
chronic lymphocytic leukaemia in occupationally
exposed adults(4). Coleman et al. (5) studied 771 adult
leukaemia cases in Southeast England diagnosed
between 1965 and 1980 with regard to closeness to
high-voltage lines. Coleman et al. reported that for
people living less than 50 m away from line, the risk
of adult leukaemia doubled whereas for those living
between 50 and 100 m, risk increased by 33%.
Power frequency magnetic field exposure still
draws the attention of many researchers worldwide,
who investigate its health effects on the human body.
Limited work is available in the literature, which
deals with detailed measurements over high-voltage
substation areas(6,7). Although many studies address
the problems of induced electric fields and current
densities inside human bodies due to exposure to
magnetic fields, very few studies have investigated
electric field and current induction due to proximity
to actual magnetic field at the high-voltage substa-
tions. For a quantitative assessment of the effect of
magnetic fields at electric power substations on
living bodies, it is necessary to describe the magnetic
field distributions produced by the high-voltage
substation and its power lines.
This study reports magnetic field measurements
through the 380 kV power substations of 380 kV
incoming and 154 kV outgoing power lines. Real-
time measurements were carried out in the substa-
tion and around the power lines. The induced
electric fields and current densities in the occupants’
body due to exposure to actual external magnetic

# The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org
 MAGNETIC FIELD EXPOSURE AT A TYPICAL HIGH-VOLTAGE SUBSTATION

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Figure 1. Simple plan layout of the 380/154 kV substation.

fields produced by a typical 380/154 kV power sub- incoming line conductors (Oymapınar). Measured
station have been investigated analytically. magnetic field under the S phase conductor is 2 mT,
R phase conductor is 1.65 mT and, T phase conduc-
tor is 1.60 mT for 170 A balanced lines current. An
LAYOUT OF 380/154 KV SUBSTATION additional magnetic field strength measurement
AND MEASUREMENT SETUP under the 380 kV busbar reads 4.2 –5 mT for
High-voltage substations are considered a major Oymapınar line (for 170 A line current) and 4.3 –
element in high-voltage electric power systems. The 5.4 mT for Denizli line (for 220 A balanced line
high-voltage substation under study is a typical 380/ current). Figure 3 represents the magnetic field
154 kV open-air power station located in the residen- measurement with respect to operator height in front
tial areas of Antalya city, Turkey. This station has of the circuit breaker of the 380 kV outgoing line
two incoming lines (380 kV), six outgoing lines (Denizli).
(154 kV) and 15 lines (31.6 –34.5 kV), as shown in
Figure 1. The 380 kV lines pass through residential
areas for 10 km. The 154 kV lines pass mostly Control and measurement room
through the residential areas, and all 31.6 –34.5 kV Figure 4 is a picture of the control and measurement
lines are in the residential areas. For this reason, this room, and Table 1 represents the magnetic field
substation and its lines were chosen for the magnetic measurement taken in the control room. Magnetic
field study.
Magnetic fields in the substation were measured
by using a commercially available magnetic field
meter, ELT-400 Exposure Level Tester, Narda Safety
Test Solutions, Wandel & Golterman, Germany.
Figure 1 represents the layout of the 380/154 kV
substation, with a 380 kV feeder going out to the
city of Denizli, a 380 kV feeder coming into the sub-
station and 154/34.5 kV outgoing lines for Antalya.

MAGNETIC FIELD MEASUREMENTS

Under 380 kV busbar
Figure 2 represents the magnetic field measurement Figure 2. Magnetic field variations versus operator height
with respect to operator height under the 380 kV under the 380 kV incoming lines center.

199
 S. OZEN

Figure 3. Magnetic field variations versus operators’ height

in front of the circuit breaker of 380 kV Denizli busbar.

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Figure 4. Control and measurement room.

Figure 5. (a) 154 kV busbar and (b) circuit breaker region.

fields vary between 0.54 and 0.85 mT, and the table
at which the operator spends 8 h a day reads
0.58 mT for a minimum load season. magnetic field variation with respect to operator
height at ‘location M1’ as shown in Figure 5. These
measurements were made for 350 A.
Under 154 kV busbar
Figure 5 represents the magnetic field measurement
Inside the 154/31.5 kV control room
with respect to operator height under the 154 kV
busbar. Measurements have been taken at the There are 20 feeder control cells. Magnetic field
locations in the operating region. Under the middle measurements have been taken just in front of each
of busbar, the magnetic field is 15 mT and around cell at a 1 m height from the floor at operating
9 mT on both sides. Circuit breaker region readings points. Figure 7a and b represents the front and
are between 10 and 18 mT. Figure 6 represents the

Table 1. Measured magnetic field variations in control and

measurement room.

Measurement locations Magnetic

field strength
(mT)

Front of 380 kV measurement panel 0.54

Front of 154 kV measurement panel 0.85
Front of 31.5 kV measurement panel 0.75
Operator table 0.58
Operation rooms 0.5– 0.7 Figure 6. Magnetic field variations versus operators’ height
at M1 point.

200
 MAGNETIC FIELD EXPOSURE AT A TYPICAL HIGH-VOLTAGE SUBSTATION
Figure 7. Front corridor of 34.5 kV control rooms and
measurement locations. (a) Front corridor and (b) back
corridor of the rooms.
back view of the cells, respectively. As demonstrated
in Figure 8, magnetic field measurements at those
points vary between 2 and 65.1 mT. Measurements
of L7– L11, L17 and L18 are higher at the back
Figure 8. Measured magnetic field variations (mT) in the 34.5 kV lines control room.
201
than at the front because of power cable configur-
ations, as shown in Figure 7b.
Near the power transformers
Actual magnetic field strength was measured around
power transformers in the substation. Measurement
was done at 2 m from transformers versus operators’
height standing under the input and output bar con-
ductor of power transformers.
Figure 9 depicts magnetic field variation over oper-
ator height while standing at the 380 and 154 kV
side of transformer (TR-1); line current is 92 A
during the measurement. Figure 10 depicts magnetic
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field variation over operator height while standing at
the 380 and 154 kV side of transformer (TR-2); line
current is 108 A during the measurement.
Figure 11 depicts magnetic field variation over
operator height while standing at the 380 and
154 kV side of transformer (TR-4); line current is 90
A during the measurement.
Figure 12 depicts magnetic field variation over
operator height while standing at 380 and 33.6 V
side of transformer (TR-B); line current is 70/780 A
during the measurement.
Figure 13 depicts magnetic field variation over
operator height while standing at 154 and 31.6 kV
side of transformer (TR-A); line current is 490 A for
31.6 kV circuits during the measurement.
Figure 14 depicts magnetic field variation over
operator height while standing at 154 and 31.5 kV
side of transformer (TR-D); line current is 600 A for
31.5 kV circuits during the measurement.
Figure 15 depicts magnetic field variation over
operator height while standing at 154 and 31.5 kV
side of transformer (TR-C); line current is 900 A for
31.5 kV circuits during the measurement.
 S. OZEN
Figure 9. Magnetic field variation over operator height
while standing next to transformer (TR-1) at 380 and
154 kV side.
Measured magnetic field strengths of the transfor-
mers were greater at the low-voltage side than at the
high-voltage side. Depending on the current increase
at the low-voltage side of the transformers, the mag-
netic field level increases, reaching the higher levels
depending on load demand.
INCOMING AND OUTGOING POWER
LINES OF THE SUBSTATION
The pattern and strength of the magnetic field pro-
duced by overhead transmission lines depend on the
complex geometry of the line configuration, height
of conductors above ground level, voltage level and
currents, and they can be distorted by nearby objects
such as tall trees and structures. The magnetic flux
density at any location can be computed from Biot–
Savart’s law in its general form:
ð ~ ~
~ 1 J  Zrr
HðA=mÞ ¼ dv ð1Þ
4p V j~r0 ~ rj2
~
BðTÞ ¼ m0 mr  H ~ ð2Þ
where H~ is the magnetic field strength, ~B the mag-
~rr the direction vector between
netic field density, Z
Figure 10. Magnetic field variation over operator height
while standing next to the transformer (TR-2) at 380 and
154 kV side.
202
Figure 11. Magnetic field variation over operator height
while standing next to the transformer (TR-4) at 380 and
154 kV side.
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the segment and the observer point (P) at which one
calculates, ~J the current density in the current
segment, ~r the position vector of the current segment
and ~ r0 the position vector of the point at which
one calculates(8,9). m0 is the magnetic permeability
of free space (m0 ¼ 4p  1027H m21). Related
equations were solved analytically and the magnetic
field variation around the power transmission lines
was simulated using Matlab.
The magnetic field of the 380 and 154 kV over-
head lines connecting to the substation was
measured, with the instruments held under the over-
head line conductors at a position of 1 m above
ground level. The main information related to the
lines considered is given in Table 2 and in Figure 16.
Figure 16a and b shows the power line configuration
for 380 and 154 kV, respectively. The dimension
shown in Figure 16 is at the tower position.
Figure 17 is a comparison of the calculated and
measured results of the 380 kV lines connecting to
the substation. The comparison was made for 400 A
line current. Although the overhead line circuits
carried high currents, the maximum magnetic flux
density measured was only 3.3 mT at a ground clear-
ance of 18 m for the 380 kV line; it attenuated rapidly
over distance, and at the standard ground clearance
of 12 m, the maximum magnetic flux density
Figure 12. Magnetic field variation over operator height
while standing next to the transformer (TR-B) at 380 and
33.6 kV side.
 MAGNETIC FIELD EXPOSURE AT A TYPICAL HIGH-VOLTAGE SUBSTATION

Figure 13. Magnetic field variation over operator height Figure 15. Magnetic field variation over operator height

Downloaded from http://rpd.oxfordjournals.org/ at Akdeniz University on January 11, 2016

while standing next to the transformer (TR-A) at 154 and while standing next to the transformer (TR-C) at 154 and
31.6 kV side. 31.5 kV side.

measured 6.2 mT at 1 m above ground. The magnetic and permittivity vary with the type of body tissue
flux density measured was 1.4 mT under the tower. and also depend on the frequency of the applied
Figure 18 shows a comparison of the measured field. Electric fields to the body induce a surface
magnetic field under the tower and maximum mag- charge on the body resulting in induced currents in
netic flux region for 154 kV line connecting to the the body, the distribution of which depends on
substation. The measurements were made for 350 A exposure conditions, on the size and shape of the
line current. The maximum magnetic flux density body and the body’s position in a field(10).
measured was only 4.3 mT at a ground clearance of To determine the current density that is induced
13.75 m for the 154 kV line and attenuated rapidly inside a human body standing at different locations
over distance; the magnetic flux density measured near the at substation, the human body is simulated
was 3.01 mT under the tower. as a prolate spheroid(6,11). According to Faraday’s
law, a changing external magnetic field produces an
internal electric field inside the body. Thus, the
INDUCED CURRENT DENSITY INSIDE induced internal electric field components can be
OCCUPANTS BODY expressed by the following equations:
The interaction of time varying electric fields with  
2
the human body results in the flow of electric charge ~x ¼ j v zBy  b yBz
E ð3Þ
(electric current), the polarisation of bound charge 2 a2 þ b2
(for motion of electric dipoles) and reorientation of  
~y ¼ j v a2
electric dipoles already present in tissue. The relative E ðxBz  zBx Þ ð4Þ
magnitudes of these different effects depend on the a þ b2
2
 2 
electrical properties of the body that is, electrical ~ b yBx xBy
conductivity and permittivity. Electrical conductivity Ez ¼ j v 2  ð5Þ
a þ b2 2

where Bx, By and Bz are the three components of the

external magnetic field and v is the angular fre-
quency of the external magnetic field.
Total electric field E induced inside the body can
be expressed by E ¼ (E2x þ E2x þ E2x)1/2, and the
current density ~J induced inside the body by the

Table 2. Power line configuration information.

Line voltage Number of circuits/ Span (m) Minimum

(kV) number of sub clearance
conductors (m)

Figure 14. Magnetic field variation over operator height 380 Single/2 350 12
while standing next to the transformer (TR-D) at 154 and 154 Single/1 300 9
31.5 kV side.

203
 S. OZEN

Figure 16. The power line configurations (a) for 380 kV

and (b) 154 kV (incoming and outgoing lines to the
substation).
Figure 18. Comparisons of measured magnetic fields of

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154 kV overhead line connecting to the substation for
internal field can be determined as 350 A at two different locations (incoming line to the
substation through residential areas).
~ ~
J ¼ sE ð6Þ
where s is the electrical conductivity of the body Table 3. Maximum induced current densities and electric
tissue (S m21). As the biological body is dealt and fields different locations at substation.
the ELF magnetic field is considered, s  v 1
(e ; permittivity of the body), and so the displace- Location Maximum Maximum Maximum
ment current component is neglected(12). The measured calculated calculated
second-order magnetic field due to the current magnetic current electric
induced inside the body is also neglected. For this field (mT) densities fields
reason, the magnetic field inside the body can be (mA m22) (mV m21)
regarded as uniform.
Here, the frequency of external magnetic field Under the 380 kV 5.4 4.68 23.4
is 50 Hz and the conductivity of the body is busbar
0.2 S m21(13). The prolate spheroid body para- Control and 0.85 0.737 3.685
measurement room
meters can be seen in detail in reference(14). Table 3
Under the 154 kV 15 13.06 65.3
depicts the maximum induced current densities at busbar
different operation locations in the substation and 154 kV Circuit breaker 18 15.607 78.035
under the power lines corresponding to the average region
magnetic field values from the measurements. 34.5 kV control room 65.1 56.447 282.235
33.6 kV side of TR-B 20 17.34 86.7
31.5 kV side of TR-D 10 8.67 43.35
Under the 380 kV line 3.3 2.86 14.3
Under the 154 kV line 3.01 2.61 13.05
(at tower)
Under the 154 kV line 4.3 3.728 18.64
(at flesh)

The International Commission on Nonionizing

Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) occupational refer-
ence level for induced current Jrms is specified as
10 mA m22 in the frequency range 4 Hz to 1 kHz,
and general public reference level is specified as
2 mA m22 in the same frequency range(10).

Figure 17. Comparisons of the measured and calculated
magnetic fields of 380 kV overhead line connecting to the
substation for 400 A (incoming line part to the substation
at residential areas).
CONCLUSIONS
Operators’ rooms including operators’ tables read
magnetic fields of between 0.5 and 0.8 mT. The
maximum global magnetic field measured inside the
380/154 kV substation under normal load condition

204
 MAGNETIC FIELD EXPOSURE AT A TYPICAL HIGH-VOLTAGE SUBSTATION
is 20 mT for outdoors and 65 mT for 34.5 kV for
the control room.
The substation’s outdoor magnetic field varies
between 3.03 and 20 mT, whereas the control rooms
read a magnetic field of 1.3– 60 mT.
Measurement of the magnetic field made around
the power transformers shows that the secondary
transformer reads higher magnetic fields as expected,
and the magnetic field level can reach the higher
levels depending on load demand.
Around the power lines passing through the resi-
dential area, the maximum magnetic field value to
which the human is exposed increases by 50%
(from 3 to 4.5 mT for 154 kV) when changing the
position from tower to flux region. That variation is
83% for 380 kV from 3.4 to 6.2 mT.
These data show that occupants are exposed to
rather high-magnetic fields, especially in 31.6–
33.6 kV control rooms, as compared with than other
places in the substations. However, all the cases in
this research related to occupational and public
exposure at a 380/154 kV substation and its power
transmission lines. The maximum values of the mag-
netic fields discussed above were below the standard
level of ICNIRP: 500 mT for occupational exposure
and 100 mT for general public.
According to magnetic induction analysis, the
maximum induced electric field is 282.2 mV m21
and the maximum induced current density is
56.4 mA m22. The maximum induced current is
13.6 mA m22 under the 154 kV busbar and
17.34 mA m22 near the 33.6 kV side of TR-B.
Current densities induced by actual magnetic field
levels stay under the basic ICNIRP restrictions.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The research has been supported by the Research
Project Department of Akdeniz University, Antalya,
Turkey.
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