2010 Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility, April 12 -16,2010, Beijing, China

Radio Interference of Ultra HVDe Transmission

Lines in High Altitude Region
Zhanqing Yu
#
\ Rong Zeng
#
, Min Li
#
, Ruihai Li*, Lei Liu*, Dawei Yang
#
, Zheng Zhang
#
, Bo Zhang
#
, Feng Tian
#
#
State Key Lab of Control and Simulation of Power Systems and Generation Equipments
Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua Universit, Haidian District, Beiing 100084, China
`_ZQLHlDQHU3.6UU.D
*Technolog Research Center, China Southern Power Grid Co. Ltd China
b5lr0Cl~ Corona phenomenon of Ultra High Voltage DC in
high altitude region is more serious, and corresponding
electromagnetic environment is more severe as well. Radio
Interference is the most important consideration during the
design and operation. Characteristics of RI and its infuence
factors were studied based on an UHVDC test line with an
altitude of ZI00 m in the National Engineering Laboratory for
UHV Technology, located in Kunming, China. The measuring
system of RI long term tests was introduced. Lateral and
longitudinal distribution and spectrum of RI near the
transmission line were analysed at various voltages, weather
conditions.
I. INTRODUCTION
The Ultra High Voltage DC power transmission technique
is developed quickly in China but used barely in the world.
Several UHVDC projects are uder construction or been
planned these yeas. The frst 800 kV DC transmission
project has already operated at monopolar state since the end
of 2009. The corona perforance and the electromagnetic
environment (EM) of the transmission system are key issues
in the design and operation. Radio Interference is the most
important consideration of them. Ultra HYDC test line in
National Engineering Laboratory for U Technology with
an altitude of 2100 m, located in Kunming China, has been
completed. electromagnetic environment feld has been
built under the line to carr out a system study on EM in
high altitude region.
Corona of power transmission lines refers to the discharge
phenomenon accompanied with light emission, produced by
the ionization of air around the conductors, when the
conductor surface potential gradient exceeds a critical value,
namely the corona onset gradient
[I
.
3]
. The corona effect would
not only cause corona loss (CL) but also infuence the
environment, which includes electric feld effect, b and
audible noise (AN), etc. b is the most importat factor. The
b level is strictly limited by relative standards which may
var in different countr.
From the 1970s, many countries such as USA and Canada
have caied out experimental researches on the
electromagnetic environment of HYDC lines
[4]
.
[5]
ad brought
forwad many empirical formulas for the calculation of CL, b,
AN, etc. China Electric P ower Research Institute is also
conducting a research on EME of HYDC under different
altitudes. However, most of these researches were caried out
under either lower voltage levels or sea-level altitudes. The
corona perforance of the lines with the voltage level above
800kV and at an altitude of more than 2000 m has never been
researched and is still a blank feld before this research
program performed in this paper. The measuring system of b
long ter tests was intoduced. Lateral and longitudinal
distribution and spectrum of b near the transmission line
were analysed at various voltages, weater conditions.
b distribution is measured in a long term of about 5
months uder voltage fom 0 - 1000 kV, minimum conductor
height for 16 - 22 m. Test results involved good weather
condition and bad weather condition such as wind, rain, fog,
etc.
II. MEASUREMENT INSTALLATION
(b) DC voltage generators
Fig. 1 Test line ad generators
The test line has 4 towers and a length of 800m (Fig. 1 ). Te
length of the segment between the two towers in the middle is
410m and the other two segments at each side are 195m
respectively. Te distance between the two poles is 22m and
978-1-4244-5623-9/10/$26.00 201 0 IEEE 1672
the minimum height of the lines at mid-span is 18m. The type
of the mounted bundle is 6xLGJ-630/45, with a diameter of
3.36 cm of a single conductor and a distance of 45cm between
nearby sub-conductors in the bundle. The EM test feld is a
40m 260m square area with concrete groud under the
lowest point of the middle segment. The DC generators can
outut up to 1200kV voltage with a maximum current of 500
mo Two capacitance-resistace dividers are used to measure
the DC voltages. The other terinals of lines are open ends
(a) R measuring device
IOlc
:.=1
~~~~
bI0uHU
bu8
--....._g
--
-----<
--- ---
|
I0
(d) Arragement of R measuring devices
Fig. 2 Measurement feld ad measuring devices
b is measured with an aray of 8 loop antennas with radio
receivers, permanently arranged in the test feld (Shown in
Fig.2). The height of the atenna canter is 1.5 m, and the
bandwidth is fom 9 kHz to 30 Mz. The surface of the
antenna is parallel to the conductor and perendicular to the
ground. All equipments are verifed according to the
IECICISP R 18:1983 '`'. The system can perform long term,
online test under different weather conditions. The b
spectrum can be measured at 8 diferent points simultaneously,
together with voltage and other EM paraeters. All devices
are controlled by a computer automatically. b levels are
represented by quasi-peak values. To consider the radomness
of measuring, b values are measured in a long time ad
represented by 50% statistical values.
When test lines ae energized by the DC generators, b
noise may be inected into the lines due to the switch
operation of silicon stacks in generators. Two wave trappers
are installed between generators ad test lines to suppress b
noises. Te trappers are designed to provide 35dB attenuation
fom 150k to 30Mz.
b was measured at 20 m away fom the projection of the
positive pole on ground. Results (Table I) show that the
differences due to b noise are up to 8.9dB at O.5Mz and
l.4dB at 1 Mz. With trapper installed, both two terminals of
a pole can be considered as open ends.
Fig. 3 Wave trapper on test line
TABLE l
R MEASURlNGKESUlTSBElOREANDAlTER1RAPPERlNSTAllATlON
Frequency RI (dBJV/m) Diference
(MHz) Without trappers With Trappers
.J Z .1 8.9
1 J1.+ J 1.+
III. MEASURG RESULTS
A. Lateral Distribution
The lateral distribution is measured at different states
including bipolar state, positive monopolar state and negative
monopolar state under good weather in fall. Fig. 4 shows the
b distribution at 800kV, the zero point of the horizontal axis
represents the cente of the two pole lines and the positive
direction represents te direction towards the positive pole.
The fequency under test is 0.5Mz. According to the fgure,
the measued b cuve has tow peak values beneath the
positive pole and te negative pole. b decreases with the
distance to poles. The maximum value is 66.3dB under the
positive pole. The b at 20 m fom the positive pole is 60.0 dB.
b generated by positive line is larger than the negative line.
Because the strength of the corona dischage pulse at positive
line is bigger. b at bipolar state is 6-8 dB higher than that
under monopole state, and is closed to the addition of b at
two single poles.
90
HIuIc
80 u8IIIVc

C
70 ---
~
" PcguIIVc

3
60

'
C
50
40
-30 -10 10 30 50
ISIdHCc (m)
Fig. 4 Lateral Distribution of R at 800kV under Diferent states (O.SMHz)
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Fig. 5 shows the b distribution at 800kV and different
fequencies. It can be seen that patters of b distribution are
similar to each other. b decreases fom the positive pole to
both sides. b values on the positive side decrease linearly
with increasing of fequency. On the negative side, b values
also decrease with increasing of fequency. But the
distribution patters are more complex due to the infuence of
metal architectures nea negative pole.
_-0.5MHz
80
_IMHz
70 ..-2MHz
] o0

4MHz
~
C

50

40

`
30
Y
20
-30 -10 10 30 50
Distance (m)
Fig. 5 Lateral Distribution of R! at 800kV and Diferent Frequencies
B. Longitudinal Distribution
The longitudinal distribution is also measured along test
lines, 20m away fom the projection of the positive pole on
ground. The zero value of the horizontal axis indicates the
stat terinal of the middle segment. It ca be seen that te b
values fuctuate periodically with the distance. A peak value is
just near the midpoint of the segment. The maximum value is
near the stop terminal due to the uneven ground.
. .
4u
c :u |uu |:u zuu z:u 1uu 1:u 4uu
i(m)
Fig. 6 Longitudinal Distribution of R! at 800kV
C Spectrum
Fig. 7 shows te b spectrum measured at 20m away fom
the positive pole at bipolar, positive monopolar and negative
monopolar state. The patters ae similar to each other under
different states. Generally speaking, b decreases
exponentially with fequency. The difference between b at
0.5 Mz and 1 Mz is about 5 dB.
90
-0_ Uo la:
80
|os!\e
]'
70
~
60
C

50

40
30
20
0.1
Fig. 7 Spectrum of R! at 800kV ad Diferent States
Obvious peaks can be seen at 8 Mz to 30 Mz, which is
generated by communication systems near the base. Other
several peaks can be seen fom 0.1 Mz to 30Mz due to the
standing wave effect. The b electromagnetic wave may
refect on two open ends. Stading waves generate when the
length of test lines is an integral multiple of the wave lengt at
certain fequencies. This is a major difference of b
measurement between test lines and practical lines. To
eliminate the measuring error, the b value is represented by
the geometric average value of pea and trough envelops. Fig.
8 shows the curve afer corecting.
80
70
E60
:
50
*Mcaund
_e_ Loncctcd
"
40
30
20
0.1
Fig. 8 Corrected Spectrum of R!
l
Rl(MHz)
10
IV. EFFECTS OF INFLUENCE FACTORS
A. Minimum Height of test lines
60
0 --
0

---

E
0-----
0~~

~~
0
0.
Frequenc, MHz)
Fig. 9 R! spectrum at diferent minimum height of test lines

1674
Fig. 9 shows te RI spectrum measured at 20m away fom
the positive pole at different minimum height of test lines
under the bipolar state. When test lines go lower, two reasons
may cause the decrease of RI values, on one hand, the
distance between measuring positions to positive pole
becomes bigger, thus RI will reduce; one the other had, the
surface feld strength of conductors becomes lower, the
corona phenomenon goes weaker. But patters are similar.
B. Voltage
Fig. 10 shows RI values measured at 20m away fom the
positive pole at diferent voltage values. When test lines ae
energized by higher voltage levels, the surface feld strength
of conductors goes higher, RI values rise linearly with voltage.
75 'J-.-.5MHzI
7O
65
: 6O

55
5O
45
4O
O 2OO 4OO 6OO 8OO IOOO
VolIagc(kV)
Fig. 10 RI at diferent operation voltages
V. COMARISON OF MEASURED AD CALCULATED RESULTS
70
40
-4 -
Mcasmo
Calculaic
U 4 b U
Dstanccm)
Fig. 10 Comparison between measured and calculated RI
CISP R proposed a semi-empirical formula as following ''.
K= 38 + 1.6(gm -24)+ 46/og(r)+ 5/og(N)+ A +33/0g()+Aw
D_ = 5[1- 2{log{lOf))2]
Where, RI is RI value, dB; gma is the max suface feld
strength of conductors, kV/cm; l is radium of sub-conductors,
cm; ^ is number of sub-conductors; D is the distance fom
calculated position to the positive line, m; = is the
correcting factor of altitude, 3.3dB per 1000m refer to 500m,
dB; = is the correcting factor of fequency; f is the
calculating fequency, Mz.
Fig. 10 shows the difference between measured and
calculated RI. Te maximum value of measured results is
about 5 dB higher than the calculated value. This is caused by
the difference of corona inception and develop mechanism.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
A long term measurement study of the RI characteristics of
HYC transmission lines wit the nominal voltage of 800kV
was carried out at altitude of 2100 m. The test line and the
measuring system are introduced.
(1) Wave trappers are necessar for RI measuring.
(2) RI generated by positive line is larger than the negative
line. RI at bipolar state is 6-8 dB higher than a monopole, ad
is closed to the addition of RI at two single poles. RI curve has
tow pea values beneath the positive pole and the negative
pole. RI decreases fom the positive pole to both sides.
(3) RI values on the positive side decrease linearly with
increasing of fequency.
(4) P ea values are generated by the standing wave efect,
when the length of test lines is a integral multiple of the
wave length.
(5) Test lines go lower, RI values decrease, but patters are
similar. RI values rise linearly with voltage, the surface feld
strength of conductors goes higher, because the surface feld
strength of conductors goes higher.
(6) Te maximum value of measured results is about 5 dB
higher tha the calculated value by CISP R.
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
REFERENCES
Zheng Zhang, Rong Zeng, Zhanqing Yu. Measurement of Corona
Characteristics ad Electromagnetic Environment of 800kV HVDC
Transmission Lines Under High Altitude Condition. Proceedings of
Progress in Electromanetics Research Symposium, PIERS 2009,
Moscow, Russia, August 18 - 21, 2009.
P. Sarma. Maruvada, Corona Performace of High-Voltage
Transmission Lines, Research Studies Press Ltd, Baldock, Herfordshire,
England, April 2000.
HVDC Trasmission Line Reference Book, published by EPRI, Palo
Alto, Califoria, USA, 1993.
Transmission Line Reference Book HVDC to 600kV, published by
EPRI, Palo Alto, Califoria, USA, 1977.
P. Sarma. Maruvada et m, EPRI Report EL-1l70, Bipola HVDC
Trasmission System Study Between 600kV ad 1200kV: Corona
Studies, Phase I, published by EPRI, Palo Alto, Califoria, USA, 1979.
CISPR 18, Radio Interference Chaacteristics of Overhead power Lines
and High-Voltage Equipment. CISPR Standad. 1983.
P.S.Mauvada, et m,Electrostatic feld efects fom high voltage power
lines and in substations, ClORE Report No.36-04, 1976.
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