Revolutionary Transmission Line Design for Maximized Power Density

Transmission lines serve the purpose of the vital linkup between the electric generation and the distribution sectors. (Extra) high-voltage (EHV) AC underground cables are expensive and are limited in length due to the higher charging currents resulting from their large line capacitances. EHV AC overhead lines are a suitable alternative in that they cost three to ten times less than cables and can transmit power over long distances. Generally, EHV AC conventional lines consist of bundled subconductors in each of the three phases, where the subconductors are symmetrically arranged in a circular arrangement. However, changing the structure of the line such that the line loadability, often implied as the surge impedance loading (SIL), increases while decreasing the corridor width (CW) can be highly beneficial to solve challenges faced in the power transmission. This is often possible by arranging the subconductors unconventionally, which moves a bundle away from its traditional circular shape to a more asymmetric structure. In this paper, such a compact, optimal unconventional line configuration is designed and shown to produce higher power density than the existing conventional lines.