A COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR DETERMINING ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE

AND REACTANCE OF ANY TRANSMISSION LINE

Enrico Comellini, Angelo Invernizzi, Giancarlo Manzoni
Ente-Nazionale per l'Energia Elettrica (ENEL)
Milan, Italy

Abstract - The paper describes a mathematical model for calculating

electrical resistance and inductance of a conductor of any form
(ground included), by taking into account the actual distribution of
current inside its section.
Each actual conductor is divided into a great number of cylindrical
circular conductors of very small size. The model makes it possible to
take into simultaneous account skin effect, proximity effect, eddy
currents in cable sheaths, and current through ground. It not only
simplifies the numerical approach to these problems, but also improves theoretical understanding, by clarifying some problems that
had not so far been fully understood.

The sum of the currents entering one section of the line is assumed to be zero, which condition is always met in practice, provided
that earth is also considered as a line conductor.
In the proposed model, the section of each actual conductor is
divided into a great number of parts, and each of these is represented by
the circular area inscribed (Fig. 1). The set of cylindrical circular conductors so obtained is assumed to represent the actual conductor.
Actual conductor 1
Elementary conductors: 11,12,...ln

Actual conductor 2
Elementary conductors: 21, 22,...2n2

INTRODUCTION

Several phenomena related to current distribution in conductors,

which, from a theoretical standpoint, can all be studied by Maxwell's
equations, are from the practical standpoint of resistance and reactance
calculations, however, dealt with according to different approaches.
These phenomena are:
skin effect
- proximity effect
eddy-currents in cable sheaths
losses in overhead line earth wires
currents through the soil.
Even historically they were dealt with by different authors at
different times. In 1912, E.B. Rosa and F.W. Graver [1] gave some
Tables for skin effect computations, followed by H.B. Dwight [2] and
A.H.M. Arnold [3], who examined also proximity effect.
As regards the problem of current distribution in soil an approximate solution was given by Rudenberg in 1925, while, in 1926,
Carson [4] gave a more accurate solution.
ft is worth emphasizing that by the adoption of automatic computation techniques, all these phenomena, even irom a practical standpoint, can all be reduced to the same mathematical model.
In this model, each actual conductor (phase-conductor, cablesheath, earth wire, or soil) is subdivided into a great number of elementary conductors of small, though finite, size. This procedure
is not entirely new in the range of some of the above mentioned
phenomena [5], but it is now extended to cover simultaneously all
of them.
The advantage of doing this is twofold, in that it makes it possible
both to set up one computer program only in order to solve all the
problem above, and to conceive all these phenomena within a simple
well defined logical framework, which is invariable for all of them.

Actual conductor K
Elementary conductors: K, KZ,...Kn K

Fig. 1.

Subdivision of actual conductors into elementary conductors

Each of these elementary conductors has been given the d.c.

resistance corresponding to the area it represents, so that the whole
bundle of elementary conductors has the same d.c. resistance as the
actual conductor.

Fig. 2.

THE MATHEMATICAL MODEL

Example of loops mutually coupled, as considered by the

model

Let us assume, as is generally done in these kind of problems,

that the line is composed of cylindrical conductors with parallel
axes and of indefinite length, so that end-effects can be disregarded,
but let us consider only an infinitesimal length of this line, so that the
transversal currents can be ignored. However no limitation is made as
regards the form and size of conductor sections.

Taking one of the elementary conductors, as a reference for

measuring voltages (Fig. 2), the following relationship can be written:

Paper T 72-507-2, recommended and approved by the Insulated Conductors

Committee of the IEEE Power Engineering Society for presentation at the IEEE
PES Summer Meeting, San Francisco, Calif, July 9-14, 1972. Manuscript submitted February 17, 1972; made available for printing May 4, 1972.

where:

308

AV.1
-

(R i

)
r

d
I +
i
dt

..

M.. I.
13 i

AVi is the voltage drop, per unit length of line;

Ri and Rr are dc resistances per unit length of

(1)

conductors

i and r respectively;
- I. is the current flowing conductor j;
- M.. is the mutual inductance per unit length between the
two loops formed by conductors i and r and by conductors j and r

ill

Z iT

Mii

ln

ln(

jr

D... r r
1j
D.
D.ir
~~~~ir
r.

I21

IK1

IKnKj

(x:, Y) =

dt

_(xy)
I

5(x)

K
-i YlnlKnK
Yin,Kl

Yln1ln1 Yln121

**-

Yinl2n2

*..

Y211n,

Y2121

*..

Y212n2 .

*--

Y2n2ln,

Y2n221

*-- Y2n22n2 ..... Y2n2Kl

...

YK1ln, YK121

...
*.

YKn Kl .*

.YKnKln,

Y21K1 .-.

YKn K21

...

YKnK 2n2

...

*
.

*----

--

AV1 n,

AV21

Y2n2KnK

AV2 n2

YKn, Kl

a^ll

Y21KnK

YK1K1 .*. .YKIKnK

* - -YK12n2 .
.

Y1lKnK

AVK1

YKnK KnK LIVKnK

LV ii =AV i2 =..=AV.in. =AV.

1

It may also be observed that current Ii flowing in the actual conductor I, is the sum of the currents flowing all the elementary conductors of the actual conductor i:

INk
M
(xM y x, y) . 5(x, y) d x d y

Iil + Ii2

+ ...... +

where:

- dv (x, y5) is the voltage drop between two points having

(-y) coordinates in the conductor section and belonging to two
sections at a distance dz along the conductor axis;
- p(-, y) is conductor resistivity at the point of coordinates

6(x, y) is current density at the point of coordinates (x, y);

M(x, y; x, y) is the kernel of the linear integer equation of the
second kind, whose physical meaning is that of the mutual inductance
between the two loops formed by the two conductors of infinitesimal
section through the points (x, y) and (x, y) respectively and the return
path.
The only inaccuracy in the procedure is therefore that of substituting an element of infinitesimal dimensions by one of finite, though
very small, dimension; this inaccuracy is inherent in whatever method
makes a numerical integration of Maxwell's equations.
The set of simultaneous equations (1), which has many equations
as there are elementary conductors in the line, can also be written in
the following more compact form:
-

12.

ni

nl n2

n2

nl

n2

Zi

*7i1XY
* ~

nK nl

EJ
1 i 1l

AV1

n, nK

37i y2iliI E j i
*

yY2 i 2

17 i

37

2iKi

AV2

nK n2

YKilJZ1iZ1EJ YKi2t

iKJ

AVK

(5)

From which, by inversion of the matrix [ZI, for a griven frequency, it may be obtained:

Let us write these simultaneous equations (3) in a more extended

form, by utilizing the index notations shown in Fig. 1.
Each elementary conductor has been given two indices: the first
refers to the actual conductor to which the elementary one belongs;
the second characterizes the elementary conductor within the actual
one. As a consequence, the currents and voltage drops in the relation-

ni

E7 i E7 y1yil17
Ii E E yli2 ^

I1

(2)

(3)

Ii. 1

Taking into account these two last relationships it is possible to

reduce the set of equations (4) to the following more simple set.

(_-);

['1= [Y] [AV]

*.

four indices.
It may be observed that all the elementary conductors constituting
an actual conductor are in parallel in all its sections and consequently:

x h

[v] = Lz] [I]

YI1KI

(4)
ship (4) are affected by the two indices characteristic of the elementary
conductor they are referred to, while the admittances Y are affected by

ri is the radius of the conductor;

rr is the radius of the reference conductor;
Dii is the distance between conductors i and j;
- Dir Di are the distances between reference, conductor r and
conductors i and j respectively.
It may be interesting to note that this approach is nothing but the
solution by finite elements of Maxwell's equations, transformed into
the following integer equation of the second kind:
-

dz

YKl11
*

where:

dv

Y2111

12n2 Y2n2ll

Yllln, Y1121 *-. Y112n2

*--

Yin, 1

respectively.
As well known, for cylindrical circular conductors with current
uniformly distributed inside the section, the following relationships
hold:
D.ir . D.
1
Mi -T

Y1111

In this way, a reduced set of simultaneous equations has been obtained, in which only currents and voltage drops in actual conductors
are left. Such a set enables the electrical behaviour of the actual conductors to be studied, taking into account all the effects related to the
non-uniform distribution of current within the section of each actual
conductor. As has already been said, even the effect of soil may be
taken into account in this way.
Of course this procedure can also be continued by eliminating in
matrix [Y] or [Z] all the actual conductors where current or voltage
drop is zero. For instance, for underground cable sheaths grounded
at many points along the route, or for overhead-line earth-wires
grounded in correspondance of every tower, it may be assumed, in the
relationship (5), that AV=O, thus obtaining current in active conductors as functions of voltage drops in active conductors only. Similarly,
for underground cable sheaths grounded in one point only of their

309

route, or for over-head line earth-wires insulated from towers and

grounded in correspondence of one tower only (which configuration
is sometimes used in order to eliminate losses in earth wires) it may
be assumed, in relationship (5) that I = 0, thus obtaining voltage drops in
active conductors as functions of currents in active conductors only.
If some actual conductors are transposed, before eliminating inactive conductors in matrix (5) the order of rows and columns must
be changed, and matrices referring to each section of line summed up.
The set of simultaneous equations thus obtained enables the
electrical behaviour of the line to be studied in terms of electrical
quantities related to active conductors only, taking into account
both the effect of non-uniform distribution of current and the effect
of inactive actual conductors.

Skin Effect

Skin effect has been studied by means of the model, by dividing

the actual conductor into many elementary conductors and by assuming as reference return-path a conductor sufficiently far from the
actual one, so that the effect of its magnetic field can be disregarded.
On this assumption, skin-effect can be considered apart from the effect
of proximity to the return-path.
Naturally, the main problem is that of determining the number of
elementary conductors in order to obtain sufficient accuracy in calculation.
In order to show the effect on calculation results of the number
of elementary conductors, two copper stranded conductors with circular sections have been studied.

MAIN FEATURES OF THE COMPUTER PROGRAM

The electrical model here described has been used in a computer

program for determining the electrical resistance and reactance of any
underground or overhead electrical line.
The program was written in Fortran V language and is now
working on a UNIVAC 1108 computer. Electrical models with 130
elementary conductors, which may be considered sufficient in most
cases, require no more than 35,000 words of core storage.

a)
27.02

bJ

RESULTS

Some results obtained by the - Program are shown here with

reference to the phenomena listed in the introduction.
Before examining these results it may be interesting to observe
that the study of these phenomena does not differ, apart from its
greater complexity, from the study of the simple case of the! two loops
formed by two conductors 1 and 2 with a return conductor r, a case
that also be followed directly by intuition.
If the two conductors 1 and 2 are equidistant from conductor r,
for the voltage drop between the initial and final sections the following
relationship is obtained:
2

AV =(

+R
R) I+ j

11

22

4I

3---

c)

40-

---}--

b)

40

27.02

7X)-40
2

--A1

/y

Lead

'I

where:

- AV1=AV2=zV is the voltage drop of the two conductors,

which are in parallel
- R1=R2=R is the dc resistance of the two conductors
Rr is the dc resistance of the return reference conductor
Xm is the mutual reactance
- XI 1 and X22 are the self-reactance of loops 1 and 2 respectively, which reactances, in the case of equal distances, are equal.
If the distances between each of the conductors 1 and 2 and the
return conductor r are different, the following expression is obtained:
2~~~~

4 R+

Xl + X2 + 2 X

(X

(x11

(xl

)2
-X
x22)
4

x11

(X11

+(X2 +X
~

+ X22

11

X2
22
2 X

2X
2

2m2~~
xl)l
2

This expression shows how electrical resistance and reactance are

influenced by the geometry of the circuit: similar effects will be found
in the much more complex cases that follow.

Fig. 3.

Round conductors studied bylhe model (Cross section area

of each conductor: 431 mm . Dimensions are in mm).

Consideration was initially given, to conductors with circular

sections, in order to be able to compare the results obtained by the
program with those given by the Bessel functions, though it is apparent
that the most interesting field of application of the program is that of
non-circular section conductors, to which the Bessel functions cannot
be applied. The first conductor (Fig. 3-a) has a 27.02 mm diameter, a
431 mm2 area, and is composed of 61 wires 2.99 mm in diameter.
The second conductor has a 38.8 mm diameter, a 894 mm2 area, and is
composed of 127 wires 2.98 mm in diameter. Each of these conductors
was represented in the model by a different number of elementary
conductors, namely 19, 37, 61 and 91 for the first conductor, and
19, 37, 61, 91 and 127 for the second. We may observe that the subdivision of the first conductor into 61 elementary conductors and of the
second into 127 elementary conductors makes the elementary conductor coincident with the individual wire, thus enabling closer ac-

310

count to be taken of the effect of individual wires than in case where

Bessel's functions are employed.
This effect, is however,very slight and we have ignored it, taking
the values obtained through Bessel's functions as the reference results.

Kse

1.20-

a)

038.8 mm

1.18-

1.161.14-

027.02mm

1.05-

1.041.u3

Hse
1.01

0 02 mm
2j37

0.9 -J

0 38.8mm

0.8-

0.7
Fig. 4.

19

37

61

127

91

Skin effect ratios Kse and Hse) as evaluated by the model for
different numbers n of elementary conductors. (Dotted lines
are reference values obtained through the Bessel's functions).

ber of elementary conductors, and is compared with the value obtained through the Bessel's functions.
The ratio Hse between internal inductance at 60 Hz and internal
inductance calculated on the assumption of a uniform current distribution is shown in Fig. 4-b, and compared with the value obtained by the
Bessel's functions, though, as is well known, the effect of the internal
inductance of conductors on the electrical behaviour of the line is
generally very small.
The difference between the values by the computer program and
those obtained by Bessel's functions for the resistance of the 38.8 mm
diameter conductor is of the order of 50/00 of the whole resistance of
the conductor and 3% of the skin effect only, when 127 elementary
conductors are assumed, and of the order 90/oo of the whole resistance
and 5% of the skin effect only, when 61 elementary conductors are
assumed. Similar considerations hold good for the ratio Hse between
internal inductances and for the 27.02 mm diameter conductor.
As a conclusion to these considerations, it may be said that the
accuracy of calculation is generally sufficient for practical purposes
when in the model the elementary conductors are assumed to be coincident with the individual wires of the actual conductor.
In the case of non-circular section conductors which, as had
already observed, is the most interesting field of application of the
program, the sector-shaped conductor employed in the underground
cable shown in Fig. 5 has been studied.
When considering 37 elementary conductors, the following result is obtained:
Kse =1.0577

Proximity Effect

a)

The circuit shown in Fig. 3-b, which was studied as first example,
is composed of two parallel, stranded circular conductors and a return-path having an electrical resistance of 0.0493Q2/km and situated
at a distance of 1,500 m.
The conductor is the same 27.02 mm-diameter-conductor
examined in the previous paragraph, and was assumed to be composed of 19, 37 and 61 elementary conductors. For 37 elementary
conductors the following impedance matrix has been obtained:

b)

[0. 10215 +
0.

0.89386

04920 + j 0. 79377

0. 04920 + j 0. 79377
0.10215 + j 0.893861

where:
Z21
for reciprocity
-=22 because the return path has been assumed to be

Z12
-

c)

very

Z1

far from the two conductors.

Assuming that:
I

we may

t2

Fig. 5.

Sector-shaped conductors studied by t.e model. (Cross

section area of each conductor: 431

in mm).
,

The ratio
shown in

Kse between ac-resistance

Figure

41-a

mm

Dimensions

are

at 60 Hz and dc-resistance

for the two conductors under study,

versus

the

is

num-

(z
(

(6)

deduce that:

LWX

that is:

AV

(Z

l-

11

ZI)II
12)
12)

Z I, where Z

Z1

Z12

The impedance Z obviously depends on the assumed sharing of

current (6) between the two conductors.
Of course Z1
Z12 and Z simultaneously account for the skin
and proximity effects. We may introduce a coefficient Kac for resistance and a coefficient Hac for internal inductance, representing the
ratio between the value obtained at 60 Hz and that obtained on the assumption of there being uniform current distribution inside the sections.
311

Of course the values of Kac and Hac referred to the terms Z1I
and Z are independent of the sharing of current between the two
conductors, while the values referred to Z depend on it.

The same calculation was also performed for the three circular
conductors shown in Fig. 3-b' each of which is exactly the same
27.02-mm-diameter conductor considered in the previous example with
the same return-path.
The axes of these conductors were located at the vertices of a
40-mm equilateral triangle.
Each of these actual conductor was assumed to be divided into
37 elementary conductors, thus obtaining the following impedance
matrix for the circuit:

1.10-

1.098

0. 1046 +
0. 0504 +
0. 0504 +

40 mm ;

1.07-

j
j
j

0.0504

0. 8924
0.7931
0.7931

0. 1046
0. 0504

+ j
+ j
+ j

0.7931
0. 8924
0.7931

0.0504 + j 0.7931
0.0504+ j 0.7931
0. 1046 + i 0.8924

(7)

1.06 Let us observe that in the matrix above:

Kpe

1.051

1.04I

l.0-_,,

61

37

19

Kpe1=-I 2)

and

In Fig. 6, the values of Kac referred to Z and valid for 12 = - II are

given versus the number of elementary conductors considered.
In order to separate proximity from skin effect, Kpe = (Kac/Kse)
and Hpe = (Hac/Hse) factors may be introduced. In Fig. 6, the values of
Kpe referred to Z are also shown, still with 12 = -II l It may be seen,
from this figure, that by increasing the number of elementary conductors the values of Kpe increase at a very low rate, when considering
numbers of elementary conductors as high as those shown in Fig. 6.
Therefore it may be deduced that the accuracy obtained by considering
the individual wires for each stranded conductor is generally sufficient also for determining proximity effect.
As for the ratio Hpe, the same consideration already made for
Hse is valid; the decrease of internal inductance due to proximity effect
is light (Hpe = .953 in the case of 61 elementary conductors) and may
be disregarded when calculating total reactance, of which the internal
reactance is generally only a very small fraction.
50
Current density

27.02 mm

(mA/mm')

ACTUAL CONDUCTOR 1

30-

@t

-40mm
l

40b

.-

ACTUAL CONDUCTOR 2

20

Skin and proximity effect

Skin effect only
10'
X 27.02 I

11

-40

-3o

Fig. 7.

-20

-10
-10

=z

z
-=z333 = Zs

222

21

12

Skin effect ratio Kse, proximity effect ratio

total ac/dc resistance ratio Kac=Kse Kpe (for

Fig. 6.

11

13

20

Z+ =Z- = 0. 05420 + j 0. 09938 (Q2/km)

Zo =
0. 2053 + j 2. 47856 (Q2/km)

which take into account both proximity and skin effect. In the case of
positive sequence for example, the resistance so calculated shows an
increase Kac+ = 1.1269 with respect to dc resistance and an increase
Kpe+ = 1.076 with respect to the ac resistance obtained when considering skin-effect only.
We may note that the two symmetrical components Z+ and ZO
give as complete a picture of the impedance matrix (7) of the circuit
as the two elements Z and Zm If we compare this with the previous
example of the two-phase circuit, we may say that symmetrical components Z+ and ZO in the case of the three-phase circuit are similar to
impedances Z1 1 and Z12 (in the case of the two-phase circuit) and
not to the impedance Z, since like Z1 1 and Z12 they are independent
of the sharing of current in conductors. This outcome is exactly
opposite of what is generally believed, and the subject is certainly worth
of more consideration so that it is considered in greater detail in the
Appendix.
Finally, the same calculations have been performed for the
three-phase circuit composed of sector-shaped stranded conductors
shown in Fig. 5-b, with the same return path as that considered in the
examples above.
By considering each actual conductor divided into 37 elementary
conductors, the following impedance matrix has been obtained:
0. 0496

0. 1052 + j 0. 8877
0. 0496 + j 0. 8026
0. 0496 + j 0. 8026

.1
30

32

This is due to the fact that the actual conductors are equal, and
equally spaced and that the return path is far apart from them. The
same relationships make it possible to obtain the symmetrical components of the impedance matrix (7):

t%-0 27.02-i.
10

(8)
23

31

40

Distances (mm)

Trend of current density along the line passing through the

0. 1052
0. 0496

0. 8026
0.8877
j 0. 8026

+ j
+ j
+

0. 0496
0. 0496
0. 1052

+ j
+ j
+ j

0. 8026
0.8026
0. 8877

The following symmetrical components have been derived from

this matrix:

axes of the two conductors

Fig 7 shows the trend of current density along the line passing
through the axes of the two conductors, obtained by considering each
of the two actual conductors composed of 37 elementary conductors.
As was to be expected, proximity effect, produces an increase in current density in the two conductor halves which are face to face and a
decrease in the two other halves.
312

Z+

ZO
and, for the
K

=
=

0. 05566 + j 0.08517 ( Q/km)

0. 20433 + j 2. 49286 ( Q/km)

case of

positive sequence currents, the following ratios:

+ = 1.1571

+ =

1. 094

Eddy-Currents in Cable Sheaths

Cuffent Distribution in Soil

Here the object of study was a circuit composed of an underground cable and a return-path having an electrical resistance of
0.0493Q2/km and situated at a distance of 1,500 m. The underground
cable had as phase-conductor, the same 27.02 mm-diameter conductor,
previously considered and, as a sheath, a lead tube (Fig. 3-c).
Each phase conductor was divided into 37 elementary conductors and the sheath into 8, 14 and 20 elementary conductors, placed
along the average radius of the lead tube in one strand only, since skin
effect is certainly negligible in this case.
For each of the different sheath representations, following the
general solution already described, the matrix impedance of the actual
conductors was calculated; then the matrix was reduced by the elimination of the sheath and the symmetrical components were determined.
For 14 elementary conductors the following values are obtained:

The soil is considered as just another conductor in the model here

described. The main problem is the choice of a suitable set of elementary conductors to represent an actual conductor of indefinite section.
The problem was solved by considering a given part of the section
to be less and less important as its distance from the phase conductors
increases and its effect, beyond a certain distance, to be virtually negligible.
Consequently, the soil was represented by a set of elementary
conductors whose diameter increases as the distance from phase conductors increases. A set of elementary conductors, valid in the case of
a soil resistivity of 300 Qm and a frequency of 50 Hz, is shown in
Fig. 9. For different values of soil resistivity and of frequency, the
dimensions of the set of conductors were varied in proportion
to Vp/f.

Z+

0. 05791 + j 0. 09812 ( Q/km)

0.

76752 + j 0. 36235 ( Q /km)

which take into account proximity and skin-effect in conductors and

the effect of eddy-currents in the sheath. In order to show the increase of a.c. resistance, only due to the presence of the sheath, a
ratio Kshe = (Kac/Kac) may be introduced, where Kac and Kac are the
ac/dc resistance ratios respectively in presence and absence of the sheath.
1.21-

Kac+
1.20 -

1.19

,I

1.07

_-

102..
Kshe

Strand

1.06 -

1.05

Fig. 8.

14

20

Ratios Kac+ and K he+ as a function of the number n of

elementary conductors adopted to represent the sheath.

In Fig. 8 the values Kac and Kshe are shown, in the case of positive
sequence, versus the number of elementary conductors considered for
the sheath. It may be observed that their trend varies at a very low
rate for numbers of elementary conductors as high as shown in Fig. 8,
which is an indication of a high degree of accuracy.
In addition, a study was made of another circuit (Fig. 5-c) equal
to that already considered but with sector-shaped phase conductors.
The following results were obtained:

Z+
ZO

0. 05870 + j 0.8398 (Q2/km)

0. 86154

0.

41013(Q2/km)

The following table summarizes all the results obtained in the

of positive sequence currents:
K

se

Kpe

|Kshe

Kac

1.045

1.078

1.068

1.204

1.058

1.094

1.055

1.220

case

Fig. 9.

D
m

m-

1.010

20

14

1.037

34

16

60

14

1.085
1.169

106

12

1.313

182

10

1.560

310

1.971

512

2.633

910

3.632

1.188

10

4.991

1.532

11

6.562

1.610

12

Elementary conductor lattice for 300Q2m soil resistivity and

50 Hz.

The most interesting cases that can be studied by the program are
obviously those in which soil resistivity varies from point to point according to any given law. However, in order to be able to compare the
results with those obtained for cases already studied, we have examined the case of uniform soil resistivity, which can be dealt with by
Carson's equations.
313

Table 1 - Soil Electrical Characteristics

Re sisti
vity

Resistance

by

Reactance

by

AR

Q /km

Program Carson

APPENDIX

by
by
Program Carson

Q m

Q/km

0.0408

0.0407 0.30 0.1090

0.1086 0.40

30

0.0460

0.0461 0.15 0.1743

0.1738 0.-30

300

0.0485

0.0483 0.40 0.2444

0.2437 0.30

3000

0.0485

0.0490 0.90 0.3147

0.3152 0.18

Q /km

Q/km

It is generally believed that "The method of symmetrical components cannot be applied to determine proximity effect during unbalanced system conditions" (see Page 17 of 6)
It is of interest to follow the line of reasoning leading to this
conclusion.
The text referred to in the above parenthesis states that the
method of symmetrical components, "which depends upon superposition, can be rigorously applied only when impedances and admittances are constant. It cannot be applied to the determination of
proximity effect during unbalanced system operations, because proximity effect depends upon the relative magnitudes and phase relations
between the actual currents in the conductors. An illustration of this
is a solidly grounded three-phase system in which a line-to-ground fault
occurs on an unloaded circuit, where the three conductors are very
close to each other. The current in the faulted phase may be very high,
while the currents in the two unfaulted phases are zero; and if the
return-path for current in the faulted phase is at a distance from that
phase, there will be no appreciable proximity effect. If the proximity effect resistance ratios for currents of each sequence were calculated and applied, an appreciable proximity effect in this circuit
would be obtained, whereas there is actually no proximity effect."
The point that the method of symmetrical components depends
on superposition is certainly valid. However, superposition can still be
applied, also when dealing with proximity effect.
If reference is made to the model here proposed, it is quite clear
that superposition holds good when the elementary conductors are
considered, for which current may be assumed to be uniformily distributed inside each section.
On the other hand, matrix impedance of actual conductors is
obtained by performing only, on the aforementioned matrix, linear
transformations which, as is well known, maintain the linearity.
When considering two actual conductors 1 and 2, proximity effect
depends upon the mutual impedances between elementary conductors
belonging to 1 and 2, so that proximity effect on 2 depends only on
the currents flowing in the elementary conductors of 1 and viceversa.
Even if total current in the actual conductor 2 is zero, currents
circulate on the elementary conductors due to their mutual couplings
to the currents in the conductor 1. Conversely currents in 2 react on
the currents in 1, so that proximity effect exists in conductor 1 too.
This explains how a proximity effect actually exists in the faulted conductor of the three-phase circuit in the example under reference.
It is felt that the proposed model is helpful in dealing with these
complicated problems, even on a purely theoretical basis.

AX
%

Such a comparison is shown in Table I for different values of

soil resistivity and it may be deduced that the differences are never
higher than 1%.
In Fig. 10 the trend of current density in soil is given on the
straight line perpendicular to soil surface and passing through the
phase-conductor.

Fig. 10. Trend of current density 6 in soil (having assumed 6=1

at the surface).

REFERENCES

[1]

CONCLUSIONS
The paper describes a mathematical model that unifies the procedures for calculating resistance and reactance in a transmission line
in all cases where currents are not uniformily distributed in a conductor
section. These cases are: skin effect, proximity effect, eddy currents
in cable sheaths, effect of soil.
The model is strikingly simple, from a logical stand-point and can
be applied in general to conductors of any section while conventional
methods, being much more complicated, always require a greater or
lesser degree of symmetry.
From the practical stand-point of the calculations involved, the
model requires the solution of a rather large set of linear simultaneous
equation. However, this solution is well within the range of the possibility of existing computers, even those of average size.

314

[2]

[3]
[4]

[51
[6]

E.B. Rosa and F.W. Graver, "Formulas and tables for the calculation of mutual and self inductance", Nat. Bureau Standards (U.S.) Tech. News Bull., Vol 8, 1912.
H.B. Dwight, "Skin effect and proximity effect in tubular
conductors", AIEE Trans., Vol. 41, 1922.
A.H.M. Arnold, "Proximity effect in solid and hollow round
conductors", JIEE., Part II, Vol. 88, 1941.
J.R. Carson, "Wave propagation in overhead wires with ground
return". Bell System Technical Journal, Vol. 5, 1926.
P.Silvester, "AC Resistance and reactance of isolated rectangular conductors", IEEE Trans. Power Apparatus and Systems, Vol. PAS-88, pp. 770-774, June 1967.
E. Clarke, "Circuit analysis of A-C power systems", Vol. II,
New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1963.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to express their thanks to ENEL for
permission to publish the present paper.