High voltage substation

Sag & tension

introduction
Sag and tension are calculated to
have three basic principles :
Safety
Reliability
economy
Influence on Sag and Tension

Conductor behavior:

Weight of conductor

Creep

Additional Loads:

Iced or snow

Wind

Change in Temperature:

Ambient

Load flow

Fault current

Short circuit Force

Span Length

Conductor stringing type

Level Span
Inclined Span

Inclined Span
Calculation Method

The calculation has two methods:

1- Catenary method
This method is used for span length
more than 500 metres
2- Parabola method
This method is used for span length
less than 500 metres
Free body diagram of Level span
:Where
wc = Conductor weight per unit
length [kg/m]
T = Conductor tension [kg]
H = Horizontal component of
tension [kg]
L = Actual conductor length [m]
D = Conductor sag [m]
X1,X2 = Distance along X-axis (X-Y
Coordinate) [m]
S= Span length [m]
Centenary &parabola method calculations
What is a ruling span
Transmission lines are normally designed in
line sections with each end of the line
section terminated by
a strain structure that allows no longitudinal
(along the line) movement of the conductor,
. Structures within each line section are
typically suspension structures that support
the conductor
vertically, but allow free movement of the
conductor attachment point either
longitudinally or transversely
Effect of Tension
Stress = Conductor tension to cross section area ratio
T/A [kg/mm2]=

Strain = Elongation to original length ratio

Strain==/ L

E= Stress/strain =(T/A)/( L/L)

=TL/AL
Then elongate conductor length which is due to
tension is L= TL/ AE
Creep

Creep is the plastic deformation that occurs

in metal at stresses below its yield strength.
Metal that is stressed below the yield point
will normally return to its original shape and
size when unloaded because of its elasticity.
However, if the metal is held under stress for
a long period of time ,permanent deformation
will occur. This deformation is in addition to
the expected increase in length resulting from
the stress-strain characteristics of the metal.
Effect of Temperature

In case of high temperature and/or an

increase of power flow, the temperature of
conductor will be higher causing the
elongation of the conductor and more sag.
In case of low temperature and/or an
decrease of power flow, the temperature of
conductor will be lower causing the shrinking
of the conductor and less sag.
The elongation of the conductor which is
due to temperature:
L th = Lt
Conductor Elongation

Elastic elongation (springs)

Settlement & Short term creep
(before sagging )
Thermal elongation
Long term creep (After sagging, over the life of the line)
Thermal Elongation
Effect of suspension insulator

For short spans, such as substation strain

buses, the suspension insulators can have an
appreciable effect on span sags.
The following procedure can be used to
calculate the insulator effect, which is added to
Where :
C i= Insulator catenary constant [m]
C c = Conductor catenary constant [m]
Xac = Horizontal distance from insulator support point to
center of insulator catenary [m]
X bc= Horizontal distance from connection point of insulator
string and conductor to center of insulator catenary [m]
X bd= Horizontal distance from connection point of insulator p
string and conductor to center of conductor catenary [m]
L ab= Length of insulator string [m]
L ac= Arc length from insulator support point to center of
insulator catenary [m]
D= Total bus sag
Dac = Sag from insulator support point to center of insulator
catenary [m]
Dbc= Sag from connection point of insulator string and
conductor to center of insulator catenary [ m]
D I = Insulator sag [m]
D c= Conductor sag [m]
T= Horizontal conductor tension [m]
w= Insulator string weight [N/m]
w i = Conductor weight [N/m]
S = Span length [m]
Effect of Wind Load

The effect of wind pressure on conductor is to increase the transverse

wind load. It can be calculated by
wp = 0.0047 x Aero xV 2xD
Give :
wp= Wind force [kg/m]
Dc = Overall diameter of conductor [m]
Aero. = Aerodynamic Factor = 1.0 for
Dc 12.5mm
Dc 15.8 mm
= 1.1 for 12.5
= 1.2 for Dc 15.8 mm
V = Wind speed [km/hr]


Effect of iced or snow

If ice loading has to be considered

in the design it is usual to consider
that this is of a uniform radial
thickness with a density of 900 kg /m3
Wi=2.87*10^3r(Dc+r)
Where :
w i = Iced weight [kg/m]
r= Radial ice thickness [m]
Dc = Conductor diameter [m]
Total conductor pressure
The total conductor pressure consist of
wind pressure, ice loading and
conductor weight. It can be calculated
according to
Where :
w= Total conductor pressure [kg/m]
wc= Conductor weight [kg/m]
wi= Iced weight [kg/m]
wp= Wind pressure [kg/m]
k= NESC constant
Tension Calculated

Where:
Where :
T1= Initial conductor tension at t1 [kg/m]
T2= Final conductor tension at t2 [kg/m]
A = Cross section area conductor [mm2]
E = Final Modulus Elasticity of Conductor [kg/mm2]
= Coefficient of linear expansion
t1= Initial temperature
t2= New temperature
Dc = Conductor diameter [m]
wc = Conductor weight [kg/m
wp1= Wind pressure on conductor at temperature
t1 [kg/m]
wp2= Wind pressure on conductor at temperature t2 [kg/m]
w1= Total pressure on conductor at temperature t1 [kg/m]
w2= Total pressure on conductor at temperature t2 [kg/m]
Tension Limits
Tension Limits
The NESC recommends limits on the tension of conductors
based on a
percentage of their Rated Breaking Strength (RBS).
Tmax < 60% RBS @ NESC Loading, Initial.
Tinitial < 35% RBS, upon installation, 16 oC.
Tfinal < 25% RBS, unload after maximum loading, 16 oC
Effect of Short Circuit (Fault)

If fault current flowed in conductor, it will be swing that

may be flashover.
The designer will consider this event.
Conductor Swing under fault current
flow in conductor
Short circuit force can be calculated
according to below equation

Where:
Fsc = Short circuit force [kg/m]
0=4 x10^7
Isc Symmetrical fault current (RMS)
D = Distance between stringing point conductor
[m]
S = Span Length [m]
Li = Insulator length [m]
g = Reach of conductor [m]
What is the cascade fault?
One place have fault and this cause will be occurred
to follow fault
in the another. This event is called cascade fault. The
cascade fault
cannot occurred when sag allowable shall be less
than maximum sag.
The sag allowable can be calculated according to
below equation
Where:
Salw = Sag allowable [m]
R = Reach [m]
Fsc = Short circuit force [kg/m]
n = The number of conductor per phase
wc = Conductor weight [kg]
The reach can be calculated according to below
equation.
Where:
R = Reach [m]
D = Distance between stringing point conductor [m]
Dc = Conductor diameter [m]
Da = Minimum phase to phase clearance [m]
Ds = Spacer distance [m]
The cascade fault cannot occur when
Dmax Dalw
Line characteristics
Sag-Tension Tables
Tension Stringing Equipment and Setup
Stringing equipment typically includes bullwheel or
drum pullers for back-tensioning the conductor
during stringing and sagging; travelers (stringing
blocks) attached to every phase conductor and shield
wire attachment point on every structure; a bullwheel
or crawler tractor for pulling the conductor
through travelers; and various other special items of
equipment. This Figure illustrates a typical
stringing and sagging setup for a stringing section and
the range of stringing equipment required
CONCLUSION

. sag calculations of two different overhead

lines are presented. The results
show, that the sag behaviour of the close-by
spans is affected by the deflection of the
tension insulators
The sag of the span with the largest
distance between the rods will increase
much more than in smaller spans. The
safety distance will reduced by the
elongation of the overhead conductors.