Lecture 6

Capacitance of
Transmission line
Previous topics: Review
Discussed so far…
 Discussed so far…

The total shunt capacitive admittance is

YC = yC d = j 2 fcd
 Previous topics: Review
• Capacitance of a three phase line with
equilateral spacing

• Capacitance of a three phase line with

unsymmetrical spacing
 Outline
• Effect of earth on transmission line
capacitance
• Method of GMD
• Bundled conductors
• Problems
 Effect of earth on the capacitance on
transmission lines
• The capacitance of transmission line is
affected by the presence of earth.

• If we assume that the earth is a perfect

conductor in the form of a horizontal plane of
infinite extent (equipotential surface)
– we realize that the electric field of charged
conductors above the earth is not the same as it
would be if the equipotential surface of earth
were not present.
 Effect of earth on the capacitance on
transmission lines
• The electric field of charged conductors of a
transmission line is altered by the presence of
the equipotential surface of the earth.

• Hence the effective capacitance between the

conductors also changes
Effect of earth on the capacitance on
transmission lines
• A fictitious conductor is placed below each
conductor
• It is of the same size and shape as the
overhead conductor
 Effect of earth on the capacitance on
transmission lines
• It lies directly below the original conductor at
a distance equal to twice the distance of the
conductor above the plane of ground.
 Effect of earth on the capacitance on
transmission lines
• If the earth is removed and a charge equal and
opposite to that an overhead conductor is assumed on
the fictitious conductor
• The plane midway between conductor and its image is
an equipotential surface
• It occupies the same position as the equipotential
surface of earth.
 Effect of earth on the capacitance on
transmission lines
• This fictitious conductor is called image conductor
having the charge opposite to that of overhead
conductor.
 Effect of earth on the capacitance of 3-phase
transmission lines
• If the earth is removed and a charge equal and
opposite to that on the overhead conductor is
assumed on the imagine conductor .

• The electric flux between the overhead

conductor and this equipotential surface is the
same as that which existed between the
conductor and the earth .
 Effect of earth on the capacitance of
3-phase transmission lines: Recap
• The effect of the presence of ground can be
accounted for by means of image charges.

• These imaginary charges are of the same

magnitude as the actual physical charges on
the conductors of the three phase
transmission line.

• But they carry opposite charges.

 Effect of earth on the capacitance of
3-phase transmission lines
• These imaginary charges are placed as far below the
ground level as the actual physical charges are placed
above the ground.

• The electric flux between the overhead conductor and

its image is perpendicular to the plane.

• This plane forms an equipotential surface.

• The electric flux above the plane is the same as it is

when the ground is present instead of the image
conductor.
 Capacitance of single phase line: with
the effect of earth

Consider a single phase line having 2

conductors as shown in the Fig. 1
 Without earth effect

With earth effect

• Earth tries to increase the capacitance of line

by small amount.
• But the effect is negligible if the conductors
are high above ground compared to distances
between them.
Capacitance of three phase line
• Consider the three phase
charged line
• The line is transposed
• The conductors a, b, and c
carry charges qa, qb, and qc.
• In first section of transposition
cycle the conductors a,b and c
occupy position 1,2 and 3 resp.
• The effect of earth is simulate
by image conductors with
charges -qa, -qb, and -qc resp.
• The equations for the
three sections of the
transposition cycle for
the voltage drop Vab is
determined by the
three charged
conductors and their
images.
• With conductor a in
position 1, b in position
2, and c in position 3,
voltage drop is:
 Method of GMD (modified)
• Capacitance of double circuit three phase line
can be computed using GMD.

2k
Cn =
Deq
ln
Ds
Deq = (Dab Dbc Dca )
1/ 3

Ds = (Dsa Dsb Dsc )

1/ 3
 Bundled conductors
• The conductors of any one bundle are in parallel
and charge per bundle is assumed to divide
equally between the conductors of bundle.
• The composite or stranded conductors touch
each other while the bundled conductors are
away from each other.
• The typical distance is about 30 cm and more.
The conductors of each phase are connected by
using connecting wires at particular length.
 Bundled conductors
• Effects
1. Low radio interference and corona loss.
2. Reduced voltage gradient at conductor
surface.
3. Increase in capacitance.
4. Low reactance due to increase in self GMD.
Bundled conductor
 Bundled conductors
• If the charge on phase a is qa then charge on
each of the conductors a and 'a' will be qa/2.
• Same is the case with remaining two phases.
Bundled conductor

This equation is similar to the

expression we have written for
3 phase line with unsymmetrical
spacing.
Bundled conductor
Capacitance: discussed so far….

Without earth effect

With earth effect

Capacitance: discussed so far….
Three phase line

With earth effect

Capacitance: discussed so far….
Three phase line
 Capacitance: discussed so far….
• Capacitance of double circuit three phase line
can be computed using GMD.

2k
Cn =
Deq
ln
Ds
Deq = (Dab Dbc Dca )
1/ 3

Ds = (Dsa Dsb Dsc )

1/ 3
Capacitance: discussed so far….
Bundled conductor
 Assignment 2

Check CMS: Submission date Saturday Feb 11th in the class.