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The electric field and surface charges far and close to the battery for the transmission line

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2016 Eur. J. Phys. 37 025202
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European Journal of Physics

Eur. J. Phys. 37 (2016) 025202 (9pp)

doi:10.1088/0143-0807/37/2/025202

The electric eld and surface charges far

and close to the battery for the
transmission line
J A Hernandes and G T Nogueira
Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Federal de Juiz de ForaUFJF, 36036-000 Juiz
de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil
E-mail: jahernandes@sica.ufjf.br and giovana@sica.ufjf.br
Received 6 November 2015, revised 15 December 2015
Accepted for publication 22 December 2015
Published 14 January 2016
Abstract

We consider two long resistive straight parallel wires carrying opposite constant currents and calculate the potential and electric eld everywhere in space
and the surface charge densities along the wires. The problem is solved
through Laplaces equation in bi-cylinder coordinates, far from the battery. We
compare these calculations with previous known results that used different
methods. We also calculate the numerical solution for the case in which the
battery is present, and show the equipotentials and surface charges close to the
battery.
Keywords: surface charges, electric eld, transmission line, bi-cylinder
coordinates

1. Introduction
The electric eld outside stationary resistive conductors have recently been treated in a
number of works [16]. We consider the case of opposite constant currents owing uniformly
along stationary and resistive straight parallel wires. The solution for this problem is already
known [7][8, ch 8] and has been obtained through the method of images. Here
we consider a
different approach: our goal is to calculate the potential f and electric eld E everywhere in
space and the surface charge distribution along the wires that creates this electric eld, using
Laplaces equation in bi-cylinder coordinates [9, p 89].
A similar solution for this problem has been found recently by Engelen et al [10]. They
solve essentially the same problem using bi-cylinder coordinates (which they call bipolar
coordinates). But their solution supposes perfectly electrically conducting wires, for which
there is no resistivity. So their solution lack the dependency on z for the potential, electric
0143-0807/16/025202+09$33.00 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd Printed in the UK

Eur. J. Phys. 37 (2016) 025202

J A Hernandes and G T Nogueira

Figure 1. Two resistive parallel wires, with radius a and separated by b. They conduct
opposite stationary currents along the z-axis.

eld and surface charges, rendering essentially an electrostatics problem. They also do not
explore the behaviour of the potential and the surface charges close to the battery.
The cylindrical wires have both radius a and length , surrounded by air or vacuum. Their
axis are separated by a distance b > 2a and are parallel to the z-axis, located at
(x, y) = (-b 2, 0) and (x, y) = (b 2, 0). The conductivity of the wires is g and their
extremities are at z = - 2 and z = 2 . We suppose that b , so that we may neglect

border effects at their extremities. For instance, we calculate the electric potential f (r ) and

the electric eld E (r ) so that r = r = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 (see gure 1).

A constant current I ows uniformly along +z along
one wire and returns along -z
along the other wire. The current density is given by J = (I pa2 ) z and J = -(I pa2 ) z
respectively. The wires have uniform conductivity g, so Ohms
law yields the internal sta
titionary electric eld E = (I gpa2 ) z . We may then write E = -f . The electric potential
inside the wires must then be a linear function of z, and constant on any cross section of the
wires. We suppose a symmetric potential between the wires: on the rst wire the current ows
from the potential fL at z = - 2 to the potential fR at z = 2 , returning on the second wire
from -fR at z = 2 to -fL at z = - 2. This is equivalent to stating that the batteries are
located veryfar from the origin, at z = 2 . We can then write as the boundary conditions
the equations for fF (z ) and fS (z ) for the potentials on the rst and second wires respectively
[7] as:

fF (z ) =

fR + fL
f + fL
z
I
+ (fR - fL ) = R
+
z,
2

2
gp a 2

fS (z ) = - fF (z ) .

( 1)

(2)

2. Separation of variables
Due to the symmetry of the problem, it is convenient to use bi-cylinder coordinates (h , j, z )
[9, p 89]. These variables can take the following values: - h , 0 j 2p , and
- z . The relation between cartesian (x, y, z ) and bi-cylinder coordinates is given
by:
2

Eur. J. Phys. 37 (2016) 025202

J A Hernandes and G T Nogueira

x=

c sinh h
,
cosh h - cos j

(3)

y=

c sin j
,
cosh h - cos j

(4)

z = z,

(5)

where c is a constant related to the scale between the geometry of the bi-cylinder coordinates
and the geometry of the conductors.
The coordinates are related to non-concentrical cylinders, so that h0 > 0 and -h0
describe two cylindrical surfaces mirrored by the x=0 plane. We choose h0 for our conductive cylinders, and the relations between h0 , c, a and b are given by

b = 2c coth h0,
a=

(6)

c
.
sinh h0

(7)

We can also eliminate h0 from the above equations, yielding:

c=

b2 4 - a2 .

(8)

We can also obtain a set of inverse relations between the bi-cylinder and cartesian
coordinates as given by:

x2

2cx
,
+ y2 + c2

(9)

x2

2cy
,
+ y2 - c2

(10)

h = tanh-1
j = tan-1
z = z.

(11)

Laplaces equation in bi-cylinder coordinate system is given by [9, p 89]:

2f =

(cosh h - cos j )2 2f
2f
2f
.
2 +
+
2
2
j
z 2
c
h

(12)

Russell [11] proved a general theorem relating straight parallel conductors of arbitrary
cross-sections conducting stationary currents. He concluded that the surface densities on the
surface of the conductors varies linearly with the longitudinal coordinate z. He found out that
the same is true for the electric potential f inside and outside the conductors. In our case the
boundary conditions (1) and (2) have the property necessary to Russells theorem. This yields
that, outside the conductors, the potential must be of the form:

f (u1, u 2 , z ) = F (u1, u 2)(fA + fB z ) ,

(13)

where u1 and u2 are any coordinates transversal to z. In our case, u1 = h and u 2 = j , but we
also could use u1 = x and u 2 = y , and so on. fA and fB are constants to be determined from
the boundary conditions.
Equation (12), combined with (13), yields a separation of variables in the form
f (h , j, z ) = H (h ) F (j ) Z (z ), where Z (z ) = A + Bz and the functions H and obey the
following ordinary differential equations:

H - kH = 0,

(14)

Eur. J. Phys. 37 (2016) 025202

J A Hernandes and G T Nogueira

Figure 2. Equipotentials in the plane z = constant outside the conductors. The two
innermost circles represent the cross-section surfaces of the wires.

F + k F = 0,

(15)

where k is a real number. We also know that the solution must be periodic (or constant) on j,
i.e. F (j + 2p ) = F (j ), so that k 0 . For convenience, we use p = k and p must also be
a non-negative integer. Our possible solutions for H and are any linear combination of the
possible solutions:

H0 = A0 + B0 h ,

(16)

Hp = Ap sinh ( ph ) + Bp cosh ( ph ) ,

p > 0,

F0 = C0,

(17)
(18)

Fp = Cp sin ( pj ) + Dp cos ( pj ) ,

p > 0,

(19)

where we have already disregarded the linear term on j due to the periodicity of , and the
coefcients Ap, Bp, Cp and Dp are constants yet to be determined.
Our boundary conditions equations (1) and (2) state that, for a given h = h0 , the potential
f must only depend on z, from which we obtain that Cp = Dp = 0 for all p > 0 . From the
boundary conditions, we also obtain the nal values of A0 C0 = 0 and B0 C0 = 1 h0 . The nal
solution for the potential is:

f + fL
f - fL h
f (h , j , z ) = R
+ R
z .

h0
2

(20)

Here h0 can be determined from the constants b and a, equations (6) and (7) as given by:

h0 = cosh-1

b
b - 2c
,
= - ln
2a
2a

(21)

where c is given by equation (8). Figure 2 represent the potential obtained from equation (20)
for z = constant , and gure 3 represent the potential obtained from equation (20) for y=0.
4

Eur. J. Phys. 37 (2016) 025202

J A Hernandes and G T Nogueira

Figure 3. Equipotentials in the plane y=0 outside the conductors. The vertical lines

represent the cross-section surfaces of the wires.

3. Comparison with known solution

From equation (3) we can also write the inverse relation:

h = tanh-1

x2

2cx
1 (x + c ) 2 + y 2
.
= ln
2
2
2 (x - c ) 2 + y 2
+y +c

(22)

The solution equation (20) was found by a different approach: through the method of
images [7]. Supposing innite line charges of opposite charges located on the foci of the
cylinders (at c ), one can obtain the static potential f0 at the surfaces h0 . By invoking
Russells theorem, they obtained the following solution, which can be compared to our
equation (20) with (22) as given by:

f + fL
f - fL
(x + c ) 2 + y 2
1
+ R
f (x , y , z ) = - R
z
ln
.

2 ln [(b - 2c) (2a)] (x - c)2 + y 2

2

(23)

The electric eld can be obtained from the potential in bi-cylinder coordinates using
equation (20):

cosh h - cos j f
f
f
j E ( h , j , z ) = - f = z
h +
j
z
c
h
f - fL
f - fL h
cosh h - cos j fR + fL
=+ R

z h - R
z.

2
h0
ch 0

(24)

This can be directly compared to the known solution [7] by using equation (22),
cosh h - cos j = 2c 2 (x 2 + y 2 + c 2 )2 - (2cx )2 and transforming h in cartesian coordinates. The result is correct, but our equation (24) is far more simpler than the cartesian
counterpart.
4. Surface charges
The surface charges can be obtained by applying Gauss law on any interface between the
surface and the medium around (air or vacuum, with permittivity 0 ). The result in bi-cylinder
coordinates is also much simpler, calculated from (24) at the cylindrical surfaces h = h0 :
5

Eur. J. Phys. 37 (2016) 025202

J A Hernandes and G T Nogueira

Figure 4. Surface charge distribution in arbitrary units as function of j for the cylinder
described by +h0 at z > 0 .

cosh h0 - cos j f
s ( h0) = e0 E ( h)h0 = e0
h
c
h 0
cosh h0 - cos j fR + fL
f - fL
= e0

+ R
z .

ch 0
2

(25)

The line charge distribution can be obtained by integrating around j, using the scale
factor hj = a (cosh h - cos j ):

l ( h0) =

1 f

-p shj dj = h0 h h

f - fL
e0 fR + fL

+ R
z .

h0
2

(26)

Notice that and are both linear on z. Figure 4 shows the surface charge distribution as
function of j at the right cylinder described by +h0 at z > 0 . Notice that the minimum of
for j = 0 correspond to x = b 2 + a , and j = p correspond to x = b 2 - a .
5. Numerical solution close to the battery
Now, suppose that the two cylinders conducting opposing stationary currents have batteries
located at z=0. The batteries are ideally thickless. The boundary conditions are as follows:
the cylindrical wire with centre at (x, y) = (-b 2, 0) have a potential drop from
f (-b 2, 0, 0+) = fR to f (-b 2, 0, 2) = (fR + fL ) 2, and f (-b 2, 0, 0-) = fL to
f (-b 2, 0, - 2) = (fR + fL ) 2; the cylindrical wire at (x, y) = (b 2, 0) have an exactly
opposite potential: f (b 2, 0, z ) = -f (-b 2, 0, z ). The batteries causes a discontinuity in
the electric potential at z=0 given by Df = f (-b 2, 0, 0+) - f (-b 2, 0, 0-) = fR - fL .
Due to the discontinuity, we cannot describe the potential, electric eld and surface charges
by a simple linear function of z.
Unfortunately, Laplaces equation is not separable in three-dimensions [9, p 81]. For this
case, we have solved it numerically using nite element method in bi-cylinder coordinates,
with fR = -fL . We solve the system of equations given by:

(cosh hi - cos jj )2 fi + 1, j, k + fi - 1, j, k - 2fi, j, k

c2
Dh 2

fi, j + 1, k + fi, j - 1, k - 2fi, j, k

fi, j, k + 1 + fi, j, k - 1 - 2fi, j, k
= 0,
+
+
2
Dz 2
Dj

Eur. J. Phys. 37 (2016) 025202

J A Hernandes and G T Nogueira

Figure 5. Equipotentials in the plane y=0 outside the conductors, with batteries at

z=0. The vertical lines represent the cross-section surfaces of the wires.

Figure 6. Line charge distribution in arbitrary units as function of z for the cylinder

described by +h0 . Notice the discontinuity of the charges at z=0 due to the presence
of the battery.

where fi, j, k is the electric potential f (h , j, z ) calculated at the discrete bi-cylinder point given
by indices (i, j, k ), c is the scale constant, and (Dh , Dj, Dz ) are the nite but small elements
along axes (h , j, z ). We used N = 60 elements along each axis (for a total of N3 points, near
our computer memory limit).
Figure 5 shows the equipotential lines at the plane y = 0, which is very different from the
conguration far from the battery, gure 3. The equipotentials at any plane z = z 0 are very
similar to gure 2. We used h0 = 2.0 and c = 12.0 (b a = 7.52 and b = 2.89 ).
The surface charges can be obtained from the electric eld in a very similar way we
obtained equations (25) and (26). The qualitative behaviour of as function of j is very
similar to gure 4.
The interesting result is shown in gure 6, representing the line charges as function of z
in the vicinity of the battery. Notice that far from the battery, the line charges (as well as the
surface charges , not shown here) behave linearly. But close to the battery, the charges are
nonlinear with z, with a tendency to innity as z 0+ (or to minus innity as z 0-).
These behaviours of the surface charges close to the battery were expected [1, 12, 13].
7

Eur. J. Phys. 37 (2016) 025202

J A Hernandes and G T Nogueira

6. Discussion
The current is uniformly distributed along the wires of radii a. There must be also a magnetic
eld in the regions inside the conductors (x - b 2)2 + y 2 < a2 and
(x + b 2)2 + y 2 < a2 . Therefore, a magnetic force is acting on the conduction current,
radially oriented, which must be balanced by a radial electric eld. We have disregarded this
Hall electric eld because it is usually much smaller than the longitudinal electric eld which
gives rise to the current [14].
The electric eld inside the wires and the electric eld outside the wires are connected to
the surface charges maintained by the power source (a battery or any other source at the
extremities 2, far from the origin). We can see by integrating the contributions to the
potential due to the surface charges:

f (h , j , z ) =

1
4p 0

2p

hj

[s (h0) + s ( - h0)] dj dz
,

r - r

where hj = c (cosh h0 - cos j ) is the scale factor along j coordinate.

It is important to note that the two wires have opposite charges, although linear, and
therefore must have an electrostatic attraction. This electric force has been calculated, and is
108 smaller than the magnetic eld of repulsion, for typical values (1 m of copper wires with
1 mm diameter, separated by 6 mm). This shows that we can neglect the electrostatic
attraction.
The similar solution presented by Engelen et al [10] lack the dependency on z for the
potential, electric eld and surface charges, rendering essentially an electrostatics problem.
They were probably unaware of Russels theorem [11]. They also do not explore the behaviour of the potential and the surface charges close to the battery.
The battery is essential for maintaining the surface charge in its vicinity, which in turn
maintains the surface charge distribution along the conducting wires. It is the collective effect
of the surface charges, and particularly of the charges close to a particular region of the
circuit, that keeps the electric eld inside the wires guiding the electric current. These charges
also generate an electric eld outside the wires. See a more thorough discussion in [8,
pp 2326].
In this work, we solved Laplaces equation in by-cilinder coordinates, obtaining the exact
solution for two parallel conducting wires with opposite currents (a transmission line). We
calculated the potential and the electric eld outside the wires, and also obtained the surface
charges in by-cilinder coordinates. Our solution was compared to another approach that
solves this exact same problem using cartesian coordinates. We found the same results, but
our approach simplies the expressions for the potential, electric eld and surface charges.
We obtained a numerical solution for the complementary problem of two parallel conducting
wires with opposite currents but within the vicinity of opposite batteries, located at the centre
of the wires. An exact solution was not possible to obtain because Laplaces equation is not
separable in bi-cylinder coordinates in three dimensions. The numerical solution was obtained
using nite element analysis, and we have found the expected behaviour for the potential and
surface charges.

Acknowledgments
The author thanks Fapemig (Brazil) for nancial support.
8

Eur. J. Phys. 37 (2016) 025202

J A Hernandes and G T Nogueira

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