Power System Protection and Control EE486

Instr: Dr. Sulaiman Elsaid & Mr. Zakariya Rajab & Mr. Saad Ashiebi Spring 2017

Underground
Transmission Lines
Objectives:
This exercise will investigate the investigate the inherent limitation of high voltage,
underground cables because of the shunt capacitive effect and will simulate typical
corrective measures in present us.

Introduction:
Electric power can also be transmitted by underground power cables instead of overhead
power lines. They can assist the transmission of power across:

 Densely populated urban areas

 Areas where land is unavailable or planning consent is difficult
 Rivers and other natural obstacles
 Land with outstanding natural or environmental heritage
 Areas of significant or prestigious infrastructural development
 Land whose value must be maintained for future urban expansion and rural
development

Some other advantages of underground power cables:

 Less subject to damage from severe weather conditions (mainly lightning, wind and
freezing)
 Greatly reduced emission, into the surrounding area, of electromagnetic fields (EMF).
All electric currents generate EMF, but the shielding provided by the earth
surrounding underground cables restricts their range and power. See section
below, health concerns.

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Power System Protection and Control EE486

Instr: Dr. Sulaiman Elsaid & Mr. Zakariya Rajab & Mr. Saad Ashiebi Spring 2017

 Underground cables need a narrower surrounding strip of about 1–10 meters to

install, whereas an overhead line requires a surrounding strip of about 20–200 meters
wide to be kept permanently clear for safety, maintenance and repair.

 Underground cables pose no hazard to low flying aircraft or to wildlife, and are
significantly safer as they pose no shock hazard (except to the unwary digger).
 Much less subject to conductor theft, illegal connections, sabotage, and damage from
armed conflict.

Some disadvantages of underground power cables:

 Undergrounding is more expensive, since the cost of burying cables at transmission

voltages is several times greater than overhead power lines, and the underground/
overhead installation cost ratio can exceed 10/1 in many cases.
 Whereas finding and repairing overhead wire breaks can be accomplished in hours,
underground repairs can take days or weeks.
 Underground power cables, due to their proximity to earth, cannot be maintained live,
whereas overhead power cables can be.
 Operations are more difficult since the high reactive power of underground cables
produces large charging currents and so makes voltage control more difficult.
The advantages can in some cases outweigh the disadvantages of the higher investment
cost, and more expensive maintenance and management.

Most high voltage cables for power transmission that are currently sold on the market
are insulated by a sheath of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE). Some cable may have a
lead or aluminum jacket in conjunction with XLPE insulation to allow for fiber optics to
be seamlessly integrated within the cable.

Before 1960, underground power cables were insulated with oil and paper and ran in a
rigid steel pipe, or a semi-rigid aluminum or lead jacket or sheath. The oil was kept under
pressure to prevent formation of voids that would allow partial discharges within the
cable insulation.

There are still many of these oil-and-paper insulated cables in use worldwide. Between
1960 and 1990, polymers became more widely used at distribution voltages,

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Power System Protection and Control EE486

Instr: Dr. Sulaiman Elsaid & Mr. Zakariya Rajab & Mr. Saad Ashiebi Spring 2017

mostly EPDM (ethylene propylene diene M-class); however, their relative unreliability,
particularly early XLPE, resulted in a slow uptake at transmission voltages. While cables
of 330 kV are commonly constructed using XLPE, this has occurred only in recent
decades.

A significant characteristic of all underground cables is the high capacitance resulting

from the close phase to neutral spacing at high voltages. For a typical 115 KV system this
capacitive reactance in modest amounts is beneficial to compensate for low power factor
loads. However, at 345 KV the capacitive current at no load (charging current) can
approach the current carrying capacity of the cable. At 345 KV, this occurs at a cable
length of approximately 25 miles at this voltage must employ compensating shunt
inductive reactors at appropriate intervals. Since the inductive current is 90° lagging it
will be 180° out phase with the 90° leading capacitive current and thus will cancel it.

This experiment will simulate the effect of shunt capacitance on a cable at its critical
distance by introducing phase to ground capacitance. The compensatory effects of a shunt
inductive reactance connected phase to ground will also be shown.

Line D1-11 will be used to simulated a 345KV pipe type cable of a length equal to its
critical distance. Source voltage (E) will supplied from station 11. In part I, the effects of
line parameters at no load will be observed. In part II after compensation at no load,
normal load currents will be allowed to flow.
Procedure
Part I
1. Se board to simulate line D1-11 as a pip-type cable as discussed. Assume
the maximum ampacity is about one ampere.
2. On each phase of line D1-11, insert impedances as follows:
• Series:

R=25 ohms

X=15.7 ohms at 50HZ

• Shunt:

Insert 8𝜇𝜇𝜇𝜇. To ground from each phase.

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 Power System Protection and Control EE486

Instr: Dr. Sulaiman Elsaid & Mr. Zakariya Rajab & Mr. Saad Ashiebi Spring 2017

3. Open disconnects at station 1 to simulate no load conditions.

4. Set voltage (Es) at station 11 at 600 volts and energize line.
5. Read following values and enter in Table (1) :
• Receiving voltage (ER) at station 1.
• Line watts at station 11
• Line amperes at station 11
• Calculate power factor
• Load amperes at industrial load (IR)
6. De-energize line.

Part IIA
1. Simulate parallel resonance by inserting 0.9 HY from each phase to ground.
2. Keep line at no load conditions, set Es at 600 volts and energize line.
3. Read value as in part I, 5 above.
4. De-energize line.

Part IIB
1. At industrial panel set load as follows:
RL= 500Ω
XL=250Ω at 50Hz.
2. Again, read values as in part I, 5 above and record in data table.
Table (1)

Part Set load Set line Z Measure

Z Series Series Shunt Shunt Set ER Watts IL PF IR
RL XL Xc XL Es DI-II
I open 25ohms
15.7 8 mfd 600
ohms
IIA open 25ohms
15.7 8 mfd 0.9 Hy 600
ohms
IIB RL=500 25ohms
XL=j250 15.7 8 mfd 0.9 Hy 600
ohms

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 Power System Protection and Control EE486

Instr: Dr. Sulaiman Elsaid & Mr. Zakariya Rajab & Mr. Saad Ashiebi Spring 2017

Questions:

Q.1. In part I, was power factor leading or lagging?

Q.2. Did you measure a voltage drop at no load? Explain the difference between part I
and IIA.

Q.3. Explain the variation in measure watts at no load and full load between parts II A
and II B?

Q.4. what problem might one foresee when adding a large iron-core inductive reactor to a
system at frequent intervals?

Q.5. Discuss the basic differences between series and parallel resonance?

Q.6. Why shunt reactors are used for at no loads?

Q.7. Calculate the shunt compensation factor.

References:

[1] Roger C. Dugan / Mark F. Mc Granaghan, Surya santoso / H. Wayne Beaty, Electrical
power systems quality; Second Edition, 2003.

[2] Handbook of Electrical Installation Practice, Fourth Edition.

[3] Distribution System Automation, 2002.