Transmission Line

Transmission Line. A system of conductors that is used to transmit electrical signal from source
to the load and match the impedance between the source and the load. It must introduce
minimum attenuation (loss of signal) and limit radiation of radio energy.

Types of Transmission Lines

1. Parallel-wire or Balance Line – consist of two parallel conductors separated by an

insulating material. In parallel-wire line, both conductors carries a signal which is out-of-
phase by 180o.

Construction

Geometry
where:
d = diameter of conductor
s = distance between the center of conductors

2. Co-axial or Unbalanced Line – consist of an inner (main) conductor surrounded by a

concentric conducting shield and is separated by an insulating material, called dielectric.

Construction
 Geometry

where:
d = diameter of inner (main) conductor
D = inner diameter of outer conductor
1/23/23

Transmission Line Equivalent Circuit

Transmission is represented by a series Resistance (R) and Inductance (L) comprising the
lumped series Impedance (Zs) and a parallel Conductance (G) and Capacitance (C) comprising
the lumped parallel Admittance (YP).
L L L
R R R2

C G C G

Complete equivalent circuit

ZS = R + jωL = R + jXL, Ohm/section = Series Impedance

YP = G + jωC = G + jBC, Siemens/section = Shunt (Parallel) Admittance

note: Series Impedance and Shunt Admittance are expressed in Ohm/unit length
and Siemens/unit length, respectively

Where:
R = Series resistance, Ohm/section, Ω/unit length
XL = Inductive Reactance = ωL = 2πfL, Ohm/section, Ω/unit length
L = Inductance, in Henry/section, H/unit length
ω = 2πf = angular velocity, rad/sec
f= frequency of the signal, Hertz, Hz
T = period = time it takes for one cycle to occur, sec = 1/f
λ = wavelength = the length of one cycle of wave, meter/cycle
XC = Capacitive Reactance = 1/ωC =1/2πfC, Ohm/unit length
 C = Shunt Capacitance, Farad/unit length
G = Shunt Conductance, Siemens, S/unit length
ωC= BC= Shunt Capacitive Susceptance, Siemens, S/unit length

At DC (f=0Hz), the circuit behaves as purely resistive, comprising only of series resistance
and the shunt conductance.

R R

G G

Equivalent circuit at DC
Hence,
ZS = R = Series Impedance, Ohm/section
YP = G = Shunt Admittance, Siemens/section

While at f=∞Hz (usually at Radio Frequency), the circuit behaves as a purely reactive,
and will comprise only of a series inductive reactance and a shunt capacitive susceptance.

L L

C C

Equivalent circuit at RF

Hence,
ZS = XL = Series Inductive Reactance, Ohm/section
YP = BC = Shunt Capacitive Susceptance, Siemens/section

Example 1: A transmission line with R = 50 Ω/m and L = 20 mH/m series resistance and
inductance respectively, and G = 2 S/m and 50 μF/m shunt conductance and capacitance
respectively. Calculate the series impedance in Ω/m and the shunt admittance in S/m at
DC, 60Hz, 20KHz, and RF (infinity).

Solution:
At DC, f = 0 Hz
ZS = R + jωL = R + jXL Ω/m
where :
R = 50 Ω/m
 XL = 2πfL = 2π(0Hz)(20 mH/m) = 2π(0Hz)(0.02H/m) = 0 Ω/m
ZS = 50 + j0.0 Ω/m = 50 Ω/m
YP = G + jωC = G + jBC S/m
Where:
G = 2 S/m
B = 2πfC = 2π(0Hz)(50 μF/m) = 2π(0Hz)(0.00005 F/m) = 0 S/m
YP = 2 S/m + j0.0 S/m = 2 S/m

At f = 60 Hz
ZS = R + jωL = R + jXL Ω/m
where :
R = 50 Ω/m
XL = 2πfL = 2π(60Hz)(20 mH/m) = 2π(60Hz)(0.02H/m) = 7.54 Ω/m
ZS = 50 + j7.54 Ω/m
YP = G + jωC = G + jBC S/m
Where:
G = 2 S/m
B = 2πfC = 2π(60Hz)(50 μF/m) = 2π(60Hz)(0.00005 F/m) = 0.02 S/m
YP = 2 + j0.02 S/m

Assignment: solve ZS and YP for f=20KHz and f=∞ 1/30/23

Losses in Transmission Line

1. Radiation Loss - occur because a transmission line may act as an antenna if the
separation of the conductors is an appreciable fraction of a wavelength. This applies
more to parallel-wire lines than to coaxial lines. Radiation losses are difficult to estimate,
being normally measured rather than calculated. They increase with frequency for any
given transmission line, eventually ending that line's usefulness at some high frequency.
2. Conductor Heating Loss, or Copper Loss or I2R Loss - is proportional to current and
therefore inversely proportional to characteristic impedance, ZO. It also increases with
frequency, this time because of the skin effect.
3. Dielectric Heating - is proportional to the voltage across the dielectric and hence
inversely proportional to the characteristic impedance for any power transmitted. It
again increases with frequency (for solid dielectric lines) because of gradually worsening
properties with increasing frequency for any given dielectric medium. For air, however,
dielectric heating remains negligible.
2/26/23
Characteristic Impedance or Surge Impedance, ZO
It is the impedance measured at the input of a transmission line when its length is
infinite. Under this condition, the type of termination at the far end has no effect. The equation
for calculation of the Characteristic Impedance is;

Zo =
Z
Y √,Ω

= √ (R+ jωL)/( G+ jωC ) , Ω

At audio frequency, f = 0 Hz, the reactance and susceptance component, jωL ¿ jωC ,
respectively, are both zero, thus;
Zo = √ R/G , Ω

While at radio frequency, f = ∞ Hz, the reactance and susceptance are significantly
bigger than the resistance and conductance component, R and G, respectively, thus;
Zo = √ L/C , Ω
The resistance, R, conductance, G, inductance, L, and capacitance, C, are all measured as
a function of the unit length of the transmission line. That is, R in Ohm(Ω)/meter, G in Siemens
(S)/meter, L in Henry(H)/meter, and C in Farad(F)/meter.

Physically, the Characteristic Impedance can be determined by the geometry, size,

spacing of the conductors, and the dielectric constant of the insulator.

For parallel wire line,

276 2s
Zo = √ k log10 d , Ω

where: k or εr = dielectric constant or relative permittivity of the insulator, unitless

= it is the ratio of the permittivity of the material, ε and the absolute
permittivity, or permittivity of vacuum, εo
εo = 8.854 x 10-12 Farad/meter
s = distance between center of conductors, unit length
d = diameter of conductor, unit length

Typically, the characteristic impedance of a parallel wire line varies from 200 Ω
to 300 Ω.

Dielectric Constants of some materials

 Example 2. Calculate the characteristic impedance a parallel wire line with a conductor
diameter of 60 mm. and the distance between conductors of 200 mm. The dielectric
material used is mica.

Solution:

Given: d = 60mm. s =200 mm. k = 6.8

Required: Zo
Zo = (276/√k) log 2s/d, Ω
= (276/√6.8) log{2(200mm/60mm)}
= 87.2 Ω

For coaxial cable, the characteristic impedance is given by the formula,

138 D
Zo = √ k log d , Ω

where: D = diameter of outer conductor

d = diameter of inner conductor
The typical characteristic impedance of a coaxial line ranges from 50 Ω to 100 Ω, with a typical
value of 75 Ω

Example : A coaxial line with an outer diameter of 6 mm has a 50 Ω characteristic impedance. lf the
dielectric constant of the insulation is 1.60, calculate the inner diameter.
Given : D = 6 mm ZO = 50 Ω k = 1.6

d = D/log-1(ZO√k/138) = 6mm/log-1{(50Ω)*√1.6)/138} = 6mm/log-10.46

= 2.08 mm

Velocity Factor, Vf

The velocity of radiated energy depends on the medium in which it is propagated. In

vacuum, it is c = 3 x 10 8 m/s, while in other medium, it is slower. Velocity Factor is the reduction
ratio of the velocity of a wave in a medium other than vacuum. It is expressed as the ratio of
the velocity of the wave in a given medium to the velocity of light in vacuum. The typical
dielectric constant of common insulators for transmission line ranges from 1.2 to 2.8. This
reduction constitutes to a delay in transmission of signal in a given medium, called, latency.

Vf = v/c = 1/√k

where: v = velocity of light in a given medium

c = velocity of light in vacuum
k = relative permittivity or dielectric constant

Example: a transmission line with a characteristic impedance of 300 Ω uses a mica dielecteric.
Calculate the velocity factor and the percent reduction of the velocity.

Solution: for mica k = 6.8

Vf = 1/√6.8 = 0.38

% reduction = (1 - 0.38) x 100% = 62%

1/31/23
Quiz on 2/2/23