PI-39

ELECTROMAGNETIC ENVIRONMENT OF THE EHV

TRANSMISSION LINE AND ITS EFFECT
Quan Zhou, Caixin Sun, Lifeng Liu, Wenxia Sima, Wendou An
The Key Laboratory of High Voltage Engineering and Electrical New Technology, Ministry of
Education, China, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
ABSTRACT: Based on the characteristic of
electromagnetic field around the EHV transmission line,
this paper discusses the effect of electromagnetic
environment of the EHV transmission line by analyzing
power frequency electric field, magnetic field, radio
interference and audio noises. Then this paper studies
the lasting effect and transient electric breakdown effect
by power frequency electric field to zoology, corona
discharge to radio interference, power frequency
magnetic field and audio noises to nearby environment.
At last, example some limits rule and propose the steps
to minish its effect to the environment by analyzing the
transmission line electric field distribution rule and its
affected factors.
KEYWORDS:
EHV;
Transmission
line;
Electromagnetic interference; Power frequency electric
field
INTRODUCTION

With the development of electric power industry, the

capacity of power grid is getting larger and larger, the
transmission length is getting longer and longer, and the
voltage grade is getting higher and higher. It is
inevitable that the high voltage, even EHV line have
introduced the densely population area, such as
metropolis. So people have paid more attention to the
electromagnetic environment of the EHV transmission
line and its effect. The effect include many aspects, such
as electric beat and probably zoology effect to people
and livestock due to electromagnetic field of the
transmission line, radio interference due to high
frequency electromagnetic waves which produced by
corona discharge, effects and interference due to audible
noises, and so on [13.
This paper discusses and studies the effect of
electromagnetic environment of the EHV transmission
line by analyzing power frequency electric field,
magnetic field, radio interference and audio noises and
proposes the steps to minish its effect to the
environment.
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD FEATURES

According to the high voltage grade, transmission line

classify into three classes normally, high voltage, which
is 220 kV, EHV, ranged from 330 to 750 kV, UHV,

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ranged from 1000 kV to more higher. The power

frequency is 50 Hz or 60 Hz. Electromagnetic effect
of transmission line acts by three types, electric field,
magnetic field and corona [2].
Electric Characteristic of Transmission Line

The 'voltage of running transmission line would produce

electric field in its nearby environment. Although it is
alternative electric field, it is often considered as static
electric field for its lower frequency. So it has the
characteristic of static electric field, such as electric
field intensity has the proportional with the line voltage,
the conductor under the electric field, e.g. construction
and trees, would distort the electric field, which would
produce shield function.
In the analysis as follows, we consider the condition one
meter higher than ground. The maximum ground
electric intensity is from 5 to 10 kV/m under the EHV
transmission line. Table 1 is the ground electric
intensity under different voltage grade.
Table 1 Relation between Voltage and Intensity
Voltage Grade (kV)
Max Intensity (kV/m)
220
330

<3
5-8

500

7-10

1000

9-15

As we known, the every loop of alternative transmission

line composes three conductors. The value of these
three phase voltage are same, while difference of phase
is 120" . So the ground intensity of transmission line
also depends on the conductor layout mode effect. The
plane layout mode has the maximum intensity and the
broadest effecting coverage. Next is triangular layout,
the upside-down triangular has the minimum effects [3).
Fig. 1. is cross section ground intensity distribution that
locates center of span, under the condition of 500 kV
single loop transmission line which adopts different
layout mode. For arc drop between every center of span
is nearest to the ground due to conductor's self weight,
the maximum ground intensity distributes the very small
area around the center of span.

We could decrease the ground intensity by elevating the

installed height of line. It gets the sound results between

daily life are larger than that of former, such as

television or electric cooker' is about 0.5 or 1.0 mT. So
we can draw the conclusions that the magnetic field
produced by transmission line is weak.

Voltage
500kV
Phase distance 1Om
Lead Height
10.6m

E *VI,,,)

Horizontally layout
Positive triangle layout
everse triangle layout

10-

5-

Corona Characteristic of Transmission Line

'

;o (m)
Distance
Fig. 1. Ground Distribution Under Different Layout
ten to fifteen meters. The results would have obvious
improve when the installed height is higher than fifteen
meters.
0

10

20
I

Magnetic Characteristic of Transmission Line

The magnetic would be produced as current flows

through the transmission line. Magnetic field has some
unique features, the magnetic intensity value has the
relationship with current, while not with voltage, the
power frequency penetrates through most object and no
interference by these object, such as construction and
people.
The three phase current have the same value and phase
difference is 120" . So the magnetic field is zero or
very weak for the counteraction of these three current,
from faraway, even very near the transmission line. But
it has not the same result for 500 kV transmission line,
who increases the distance between the neighboring
poles, in order to improve the line insulation capability.
Then these three lines would no longer think as one line
that is apart fiom 200 or 300 meters to the transmission
line, where the magnetic intensity increases notably.
Fig.2 is calculated curve of ground magnetic intensity
near the transmission line. The maximum ground
magnetic intensity value under the 500 kV transmission
line is 0.035 mT, while that of some appliances used in
0.040

500kV twin loop

220kV twin loop

0.010

20

40

60

80

The characteristic of line would affect the corona

discharge. The corona discharge would increase by
increasing line voltage. The corona discharge would
decrease by increasing the diameter of line or polishing
the line surface. The environment factors would affect
the corona discharge too. The corona discharge would
increase when the air relative humidity increases, air
polluted more severity, rainfall and snowfall.
Corona discharge of transmission line produces radio
interference, which is the most important result. Its
frequency band ranges from 0.1 to 100 MHz, which has
reaches the broadcast frequency of radio and television.
ELECTROMAGNETIC REDIANT EFFECTS OF
EHV TRANSMISSION LINE
Zoology Effects to People

The maximum electric field value is much higher near

the EHV transmission line. This large enough electric
intensity affects or not to people, and if do, how it
affects draw people's attention.
The transmission line electromagnetic effects to people
could classifL into two classes, one is short effect, the
other is long effect. The former is the probable effect
that people stay in the electromagnetic field during a
short time, the latter is the probable effect that people
live or work in the electromagnetic field during a
relative long time [4].
The short effect is more obvious than the long effect. In
fact, when people stay in the area that near the high
voltage transmission line or equipment, which have
higher electric intensity, they would react to the
phenomena that hair stands up or skin stimulates sense.
Furthermore, in some cases people would feel obviously
pain due to spark discharge and electric beat between
people and other object. Fig.3 shows some situations
about people feel electric beat in electric field. Fig.3 (a)
shows the situation when people touch the object that
insulate to the ground. Fig.3 (b) shows the situation
when people touch the object that earth to the ground.
Fig.3 (c) shows the situation when people touch the
objects that have different faradic potential to the

0.030
0.020

The surface electric field of line would produce corona

discharge phenomena when the surface electric intensity
of transmission line exceeds air breakdown intensity.
The surface electric field of line would be 30 kV/m or
more high.

(m)

Distance
Fig.2 Calculated Curve Of Ground Magnetic
Intensity Near Transmission Line

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transmission line

(a)

(b)

field that ranged from 0.1 to 0.3 mT. While other

research insists that child is more easily induces cancer
than others who live nearer high current source, such as
transformer. They ascribe the phenomena to the current
nearby transformer and then produce the magnetic field
by this current.

National Electric safety Code (NESC) of U.S.A.

regulates the faradic current produced by transmission
line is no longer large than 5 mA, namely cast off
current. Some NESC rules of the maximum 500 kV
transmission line power frequency electric intensity
value describe in table 2.

(c)

Fig.3 Situations About People Feel

Electric Beat in Electric Field
ground.
There are two type of electric beat, transient electric
beat and steady electric beat. The former phenomena
occurs when faradic object touches earthed object. At
that time, the electric beat occurs for the accumulated
charge of faradic object releases instantly, namely
sparkle discharge. The latter depends heavily on the
discharge value. Inside the area, where is 35m from the
center of 500 kV transmission line, if people touch the
car that insulates to ground, people would feel obvious
sting. Due to capacitor coupling between faradic object
and electrified object, when people touched the faradic
object, which produce durational power frequency
current that flow through people. Thus the steady
electric beat produces as description above. The steady
electric beat depends on short current value. People
would be hurt when the short current gets 6 to 9 mA,
where people could cast off. This short current also is
cast off current, as we known. The maximum ground
intensity under the EHV transmission line is smaller
than 9 kV/m. The short current of people is only 0.144
mA, which could not felt by people self.
It is a complicated problem that to know the long-term
zoology effect to people under the EHV transmission
line. If we want to know the function mechanism and
effect degree, we need do long-term and systematic
experiment.
Former Soviet Union completed the first report about
probable zoology effect of people under the electric
field on 1960. This report studied the operators health
who working in the EHV switchgear. They draw the
following conclusions, the operator who effects by the
electric field ranged from 2 to 26 kVIm, has headache,
tired, sex function decay, compared to those who are not
exposure to this condition. Wuhan high voltage institute
of China has done two experiments, one is for health
effects of 500 kV substation operators, the other is for
intellect effects of pupils under power frequency. These
two experiments are both show that there is no effect.
The magnetic field has little zoology effect to people for
its value is much more small. Some research show that
there is no harmful effect to people under the magnetic

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Table 2 Some Examples of NESC Rule

Region
Max. Value (kV/m 1
Snan Road
<5
Span Plaza Park
C3.5
Span Industrial and
/-I e
1L.J
Commercial Park
Within Line Corridor
<9
Skirt of Line Corridor
<5
The procedure of overhead transmission in Japan
regulates that the ground intensity not exceeds 3 kV/m
under the EHV overhead transmission line. The
procedure of switchgear in Former Soviet Union
regulates that the operator activity time should obey
some limitation under the condition of the electric
intensity smaller than 5 kV/m, while no limitation under
other condition.
Interference to Communicate Line

There effects of transmission line to communicate line

could classify into two class, static electric induction
and electromagnetic induction.
The electric field of transmission line would produce
faradic voltage on the nearby communication line due to
static coupling function, which is static electric
induction, as we known. The value of faradic voltage
has the positive proportion with transmission voltage,
and has the relationship with static electric capacity,
which depends on the distance between them.
As described above, the magnet field of communication
line would produce faradic voltage on the nearby
transmission line, whose value has the positive
proportion with transmission current and length of
neighboring segment, which is parallel to it. The
magnetic effect of transmission line mainly comes from
harmonic of transmission line. Because the frequency of
communication line range from 300 to 3400 Hz,while
many transmission line harmonic just locate in this
range, commonly regulates the equivalent disturb
voltage of system harmonic should no more than one
percent of system rating voltage.

China begins to study dangerous interference effect of

transmission line to communication in recent years.
Some regulations have put into use, such as Design
Procedure on Interference Effect of Transmission Line
to Communication Line, namely as DWT5063-1996.
These regulations regulate the specific rule to prevent
the dangerous interference effect of transmission line to
communication line.
Effects of Radio and Television Interference
The radio interference of transmission line mainly
induces by corona discharge on the conductor and
hardware surface and sparkle discharge on insulator
come from local intensity is higher [5]. The frequency
range basically lower than 30 MHz. The transmission
line radio interference mainly effects to the receiving
quality of radio signal, while no effects to people.
According to the procedure of standard High Voltage
Alternative Overhead Line Radio Interference Value,
namely GB15707-1995, which formulate under the real
condition of China, ranging fiom 110 to 500 kV
transmission line. This procedure regulates the
maximum value on the power frequency shown in table
3, and could correct its frequency as follows,
E = E o +5(1-21g(10f)L)

where Eo determine by the maximum value shown in

table 3,f is fiequency.
Table 3 Maximum Value of Electromagnetic Field
Voltage (kV)
110
220-330
500
Max. Value (dB) 46
53
55
Effects of Audio Noises
Only 500 kV or more high voltage could induce
transmission line audio noises caused by coronas.
Corona discharge may produce wide bandwith noises,
which compose high frequency weight that
distinguished the ordinary environment noises. These
audio noises have closely relationship with weather. We
can neglect the noises in sunshine day or conductor
dryness, while must take into count in bad weather days,
such as rainfall, fog, snowfall. In these days, there are a
great deal of corona source distribute on the line, which
easily produce a great deal of noises. The research work
shows that it is reasonable to control EHV audio noises
between 56 and 58 dB.
Safety Measure
In order to prevent electromagnetic radiant effect to
environment and hurt to people of transmission line, we
should not pay attention to only the location select but
also the line structure and personnel protection. Some
specific limited rules describe as follows.

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(1) Elevating conductor height, laying twin loop line

conversely, spanning high and low voltage line in
different level in design period, all of which can minish
the ground intensity.
(2) Planting low and short plant strap under the line,
which can shield the electric field. So even not changing
the line structure, also can minish the ground intensity.
(3) Adopting split lead to 500 kV or higher transmission
line, so decrease lead surface intensity. Then can minish
corona radiant.
(4) Adopting protection measurement to running
personnel, such as local shield and work time limitation,
so minish electromagnetic radiant effects.
CONCLUSION
The power electric field, magnetic field, radio
interference and audio noises are harmful to people
safety and neighboring establishment to some extent,
which produced by EHV transmission line. The effects
include some aspects,
1. The electromagnetic field zoology effect to people
mainly includes the short time effect and long time. The
short time effect is more direct, while the long time
effect should do more systematic and long-term
experiments in order to know the function mechanism
and effect degree.
2. The EHV transmission line electromagnetic field
could induce harm and interference to nearby
communication line.
3. The corona produced on the EHV transmission line
would interfere ground radio to some extent.
Although the electromagnetic field produced by EHV
transmission line are dangerous to people and
environment to some extent, we could minish these
danger and effect by adopting the regulated protection
measurement.
REFERENCES
[l] Fuyan Su. The High Voltage Environment
Protection, Water and Electrical Publication, China,
1995.
[2] Leguan Gu, Caixin Sun. Extra High Voltage
Equipment and Its Environment Protection, Chongqing
University Publication, China, 1996.
[3] J. G. Anderson, et al. Extra High Voltage
Transmission Line, Water and Electrical Publication,
China, 1979.
[4] Qiong Wu, et al. Electromagnetic Environment of
the Overhead Transmission Lines and Electromagnetic
Pollution, High Voltage Engineering, Vo1.26, NOS,
pp.24-26,2000.
[ 5 ] Lin Zhu. The Electromagnetic Radiant and
Environment Effect Evaluation of The High Voltage
Transmission Line, Electric Environment Protection,
V01.16, No.1, pp.35-38,200