IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Vol. 11, No.
3, July 1996
CORONA LOSSES IN HVdc BIPOLAR LINES
U. Corbellini, Non member
Ph.D. student
Department of Electric Systems and Automation
University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
Abstract-The problem related to the prediction of corona
losses in HVdc bipolar lines has been solved, in the past, by
means of semi-empirical monomial formulae. However, the
proposed formulae that are simpler to use do not always give
adequate calculation precision, while the formulae that
provide the closest results require implicit functions of
different complexity, which are difficult to apply; moreover,
it is not possible to understand clearly what influence the
variations of the different line parameters have on the losses
themselves. The new monomial semi-empirical relationship,
proposed to predict the corona losses in HVdc bipolar lines, is
very simple to use; it highlights the dependence of power
losses due to the corona effect by the different line
parameters. The formula has been developed by elaborating
a considerable amount of available experimental data.
I. R\ITRODUCTION.
In order to design high voltage UHV and EHV electrical
overhead lines correctly, one must quantitatively take into
account corona effects: power losses, radio and acoustic
noises. The evaluation of both noises and losses, which is
extremely complex since they depend on all the line
parameters and on other uncertain elements mainly due to
atmospheric conditions, can be carried out by means of
semi-empirical monomial formulae obtained by analyzing
experimental results.
As far as the ac lines are concerned, the problem has
been faced and solved in the past by determining formulae
which are extremely simple to use and give technically
acceptable precision [l], [2], [3] and [4]. This technique,
initially used to predict radio interference in the designing
of lines by referring to that produced in the existing ones
[SI, has been successfblly applied to the prediction of
audible noise and corona losses.
The problem regarding dc lines has also been
successfully solved by using the same techniques adopted
95 SM 409-3 PWRD A paper recommended and approved
by the IEEE Transmission and Distribution Committee
of the IEEE Power Engineering Society for presentat-
ion at the 1995 IEEE/PES Summer Meeting, July 23-27,
1995, Portland, OR. Manuscript submitted July 6 ,
1994; made available f o r printing May 3, 1995.
0885-8977/96/$05.000 1995 IEEE
1475
P. Pelacchi, Non member
Associated Professor
for ac ones. However, in this specific case, the formulae
adopted do not always give adequate calculabion precision,
even if they are simple to use. In particular, ;in the case of
determining power losses [3], [6], the formulae that
provide the closest results require implicit functions of
different complexity, which are difiicult to apply;
moreover, it is not possible to understand clearly what
influence the variations of the different line parameters
have on the losses themselves. It is therefore important for
the designer to have at his disposition, for the calculation
of power losses due to the corona effect, simple formulae
from which the dependence of the same llosses by the
Werent line parameters is clear.
In this paper, the authors have determined a monomial
semi-empirical relationship which highlights the
dependence of power losses due to the corona effect by the
different line parameters. The formula has been developed
by elaborating a considerable amount of available
experimental data.
The same experimental data have also been used to
make a comparison with the other semi-empirical formulae
available in the literature.
11. EVALUATION OF dc CORONA LOSSES.
A. Parameters that inJuence the corona phenomenon.
In a dc line, the presence of free charges in a space
which can extend to several hundred meters from the
conductors, influences the magnitude of the corona effect,
as opposed to what takes place in an ac line, where the
space concerned is limited to the immediate vicinity of the
conductors.
The presence of free charges alters the electric field
around the Iine and as a result the conductor surface
gradient assumes different values from those calculated by
traditional methods; moreover they cause conduction
currents between conductors of different poles and between
conductors and the ground.
The corona losses in a dc line, therefore, must be
expressed as a function of the following line parameters:
- maximum surface gradient value of the subconductors;
- diameter of the subconductors;
- number of the subconductors;
- distance between the poles;
- average height of the poles from the ground.
It is to be remembered, moreover, that atmospheric
conditions (fair weather, rain, snow, etc.) have less
1476

influence on the llosses in dc than in ac. Tests have also The corona losses can, therefore, be expressed through
shown [12] that there is a seasonal variation in the losses the following monomial function
which is connected to the different water vapour content
and the amount of dust in the air.

El. Experimental results.

where
The experimental results available in literature are P power losses logarithm in dE3 above 1 kwlcircuit-
related to a large field of voltages (from +/- 150 kV to +/- km;
1200 kV). In Table 1the voltage levels, maximum gradient Po power losses logarithm, in dJ3 above 1 kW/circuit-
values and geometric line characteristics whch were km, assumed as a reference.
referred to for the study, are summarized. The determining of each of the a, exponents is carried
out in the following steps:
a) experimental data of corona losses versus surface
-
TABLE I VOLTAGE LEVEL, MAXIMUM GRADIENT LEVEL AND gradient variation are interpolated in order to
GEOMETRY OF BIPOLAR OVERHEAD LINES FROM WHICH THE
EXF'ERIMENTAL DATA HAVE BEEN OBTAINED. determine the al exponent associated; the other
parameters are maintained constant;
b) the experimental data are modified according to the al
exponent; as a result all the data no longer depend on
600 30.5 the surface gradient, but only on the other parameters;
c) steps a) and b) are then carried out for each of the other
parameters (subconductor diameter and number, height
above the ground, etc.) in order to obtain a2 ,.., a5
I 1 400- 1 40.2- 10.5
550
9
61.0 19.8 I 1
14.0 20-30

I 1 0 I600 12-4122.4-110.5-1 14.0 1 2 0 - 3 0

1 -1 1 1I exponents; at each step, experimental data are modified
according to the a, exponents already determined.

I
I 25.3 I 19.8 I I 111. ANALYTICAL EXPRESSIONS OF CORONA
11 450 I 2 I 40.6 I 13.2 I 16.0 I 10-24 LOSSES.
-
I 12 I600 I6 -81 40.6 - I 15.5 I 15.2 - I 22 - 30 I
6&1
16.6
::::
13.7- 15.5 - 22-30 1 On the basis of the method illustrated in the previous
section, the following semi-empirical formulae are
obtained:
for fair weather

39.2 24.0
&12 39.3 7.0 13.0 13 - 30
I 18 1200 - 1 1 120.4 -I 10.4 1 9.2 I 12 -35 1 for foul weather

20 - 33

The reference values assumed for the other parameters

C. Synthesis of experimental data.
The direct evaluation of the corona losses in a line
during the design phase is particularly complex due to
their dependence on all the main line parameters. To
simpllfy the calculation one can determine, instead of the
absolute value of the losses, their relative value calculated
with respect to the known value of a line that is assumed as
a reference [6].
are as follows:
go= 25 kV/cm, do= 30.5 mm, no= 3, Do= 15 m, Ho = 15 m.
The reference values assumed for the power Po depend
on both line parameters and uncertain elements which are
micult to evaluate. So it is suitable to choose the values in
order to minimize the arithmetical average of the
differences between the calculated losses and the measured
ones. So the reference values assumed for the power Po
have been Po = 2.9 dE3 for fair weather and Po = 11 dJ3 for
foul weather. In (2) and (3), the seasonal variations of the
losses are not taken into account.
 1411

IV. COMPARISON WITH THE EXPERBENTAL. V. COMPARISON WITH THE EXPERIMENTAL

RESULTS.
The corona loss values obtained by means of (2) and ( 3 )
have been compared to the experimental results. The
synthesis of these comparisons, carried out for good
weather and bad separately, is reported in Fig. 1 and in
Fig. 2 respectively. As can be verified by these figures, the
error is, in most cases, limited to +/- 2 dB,both in the case
of fair and foul weather.
RESULTS OF OTHER SEMI-EMPIRJCAL
EXPRESSIONS.
On the basis of the same experimental results used for
the development of (2) and (3), a comparison was made
with other semi-empirical formulae available in literature
for the approximate calculation of corona losses in dc
bipolar lines [3], [6].
The formulae used for the comparison are the following:

I I I I I

(4)
15 -

10 -
1.5
r' n
5 -

0 -
P=2.V.
-5 -

3
&
8
-$j-10
c.l
0

2 -I5 I,
-20 I ' I
+2dEv

I
1

-20 -15 -10 -5

/

I
0
I
/

/
/-2dB

5
:/

I
:y

I
10 15
I
p = 0 dB
0=2.8 dE3
Fair weather

I
20 P = Po +c, .(g -go)+ 20. log-
d
+ cn*log-n (7)
Measured corona losses (dI3 above 1 k W h ) d0 %
Fig. 1 - Formula (2): comparison between calculated data and experimental [25], that takes account of the seasonal l'oss variations,
results for fair weather. was not considered because of the shortage cnf experimental
results. In the above mentioned formula the factors Po , Cg
I I I I I I I ' and C, assume the values indicated in Table 11.
/
Po= 11 dB (above 1 kW/circui-km) / /
/ /
TABLE I1 - PARAMETERS FOR EQUATION (7) #UGIVEN BY
MARWADA 1251.
do = 30.5 mm
no =3 Season Atmospheric I Po I C , m ]
Ho = 15. m
Do= 15. m summer
spring,

spring, foul weather I I I

17.9 0.72 12.8 I
/ /-2dB Foul weather
/ /
/
/ I I I I I 1 I
1 5-5 10 15 20
0 25 30
Measured corona losses (dBabove 1kWikm)
-
Fig. 2 Formula (3): comparison between calculated data and experimental
results for foul weather.
1478
A.Formulae (4) and (5) [63.
I I I I I I I / I
The values of go,ro and no are the ones adopted for
formulae (2) and (3), while for Po , determined according dB (above 1kW/circuit-km) ///I
to the above mentioned criterion, the following values have
been assumed:
- for the formula (4): Po = 4.8 dEl for fair weather and 11
dB for foul;
- for the formula (5): Po = 6.1 dB for fair weather and 12.2
dB for foul.
The most evident characteristic of such formulae, which
22 210 1
are independent of seasonal variations, is made up of the
definition of the equivalent radius r' which is a function of G" 5
the number, the diameter, the distance between the
subconductors, the distance between the poles and the
average height of the poles from the ground. The
calculation of such a parameter is reported in [6] only in
the case of 2 and 4 subconductors. /
The results of the comparison between the experimental -10 ' I I I I I I I
data and the calculation results are reported in Figs. 3, 4, -10 -5 0 5 10 25 15 20 30
5, and 6. In these figures the arithmetical average p and Measured corona losses (dl3 above 1 k W h )
the standard deviation o of the differences between the Fig. 4 - Formula (4):comparison between calculated data and
calculated and the experimental values are also reported. experimental results for foul weather.

20 I I I I I I I I ' I 20 [ I I I I I I I

A
p=o dB
/ * / a=3.9 dB
/ /-2& Fair weather

I I I I I I I I I I I I
-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20
Measured corona losses (dB above lkW/km) Measured corona losses (dBabove lkW/km)
Fig. 3 - Formula (4):comparison between calculated data and experimental Fig. 5 - Formula (5): comparison between calculated data and
results for fair weather. experimental results for fair weather.
 1479

30 r
The formula is valid only for fair weather.
25 .
k VI. CONCLUSIONS.
2
Two new semi-empirical formulae have been proposed,
one for fair weather and one for foul weather, which supply
corona losses of dc bipolar lines. These formulae combine
an extreme simplicity of use to a technically acceptable
precision as can be verified by comparing a large amount
of experimental surveys derived from experimental and
operating lines.
The formulae proposed provide better results in foul
p = o dB weather than in fair.
0 = 2 . 6 dB The results obtained from other semi-empirical
Foul weather formulae, available in the literature, have bleen compared
to the same experimental data. From these comparisons, it
-10 I ' I I I I I I I has been possible to verify the good result of such
-10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 formulae, especially in foul weather. However, in fair
Measured corona losses (dB above 1kWflun) weather the differences obtained are higher on the average
Fig. 6 - Formula (5): comparison between calculated data and than those obtained with the new fonnulae herein
experimental results for foul weather. proposed.

B. Formula (6)[15]. VII. SYMBOLS.

With this formula, the absolute loss values are P power losses by corona effect in dE3 above 1
determined, not the relative ones. In the formula, P is kWflun;
expressed in kwlcircuit-km. V nominal line voltage [kv];
The comparison with the experimental results, reported g maximum gradient on the subconductor's
in Fig. 7, shows that the predicted values are surface FVIcm];
underestimated (p = - 4.4 a).For convenience of H average height of conductoirs above the
representation, in the above mentioned figure the power ground [m];
loss values are reported in dl3 above 1 kwlcircuit-km. D distance between poles [m];
20 d subconductor's diameter [mm];
I I I I I I
r' equivalent radius of subconductors' bundle
[61;
arithmetical average of the differences
between calculated values and experimental
results;
0- standard deviation of the differences between
calculated values and experimental results.

VII. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
fi -5 The authors express their thanks to Prof. I,. Paris for his
constructive collaboration and the constant help offered in
3 the writing up of this paper.
a -10
3
0
-15
pc
I I I I I I I
-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20
Measured corona losses (dB above 1kWUn)
Fig. 7 - Formula (6): comparisonbetween calculated data and
experimental results.
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Paolo Pelacchi received the electrical
engineering degree from Pisa University,
Italy, in 1976. In 1979 he joined the
Electrical Research Center of ENEL, where
he was engaged in the 1000-kV Project.
Since 1983 he has worked in the Department
of Electrical Systems and Automation of Pisa
Uicversity as a researcher aid,from 1992, as
associated professor of power systems
operation and planning. He is secretary of the
Italian National Subcommittee 1143 "Over-
head lines" and member of the TC 11 of
CENELEC. He is a meniher of the Italian
National Research Council.
His research interests are mainly in
Umberto Corbellini received the electrical
engineering degree from Rome University,
Italy, in 1987. and the Ph. D. in Electrical
Engineering from Pisa Thliversity in 1991
discussing a thesis on corona effects in HVdc
lines. From 1993 he is member of Italian
National Subcommittee 1I-A "Under-ground
cables". His fields of interest include also
grounding systems and safety in clinical
installations.