Traveling-Wave Voltages in Cables

BY H. G. BRINTON,t
Associate, A.I.E.E.

F. H. BULLER,*
Member, A.I.E.E.

and

W. J. RUDGE, JR.t
Associate, A.I.E.E.

Synopsis.-The problem of lightning protection of cables is more active at the present time than it has been in the past. This is du-e largely to the fact that cables of higher voltage connected directly to overhead lines are becoming very common; cables in the form of short sections are especially liable to need protection. The cost of the cable, the importance of the line from the operating standpoint, and the cost of protective equipment all enter into the picture. In the present paper the factors which determine whether or not a cable will require protective equipment are discussed, and new and

simplified formulas, representing with considerable precision any of the standard coordinating waves are developed. These formulas can be used for open-ended cable lines, or cable sections in transmission lines. Where cables terminate in station apparatus, the assumption of an open-circuited cable end may be safely used, since it always gives a calculated value of voltage that is somewhat above the true value. The effect of cable length and surge impedance and of line surge impedance are illustrated in detail. Tentative data on the impulse strength of cable insulation are also included.

which is at present on foot makes it particularly deINTRODUCTORY IN the earlier days of the electrical industry, com- sirable to insure that a cable shall not prove to be a paratively little attention was paid to the protection weak link in a system. It is because of this movement of cables against lightning surges. Where cable that formulas have been developed in terms of exlines were not connected to overhead lines, or where ponential wave shapes which approximate closely to they were connected to such lines through transformers, the actual shapes of the coordinating waves. These special devices for the protection of cables were un- formulas, incidentally, afford a method of calculation necessary, since the lightning surges impressed on such which is very much simpler than the "step-by-step" cables were seldom if ever of great severity. Further- method usually used for such work.: Moreover, calmore, the high impulse ratio of cable insulation, to- culations can be made by these formulas in a much gether with the inherent tendency of cables, especially shorter time. The factors which determine whether a cable needs long ones, to reduce the magnitude of an entering wave has tended to make cables lightnin gnprotection ornothare asifollows: to a relatively low value, a.The magnitude of the incoming wave. This is self-protecting. These factors still make protection lly limited by the impulse flashover coordinatunnecessyinumany cases.lusua ycae.insulation or cable terminal, or possibly by aof the line inm unnecessary During the last decade, however, the maximum voltage at which cables have been successfully operated ing gap. b. The effect of the cable and line surge impedances in commercial service has steadily increased; and there is reason to believe that this voltage will increase yet on the traveling wave. C. The effect of the impedance at the far end of the further in the future. This fact has resulted in an increasing use of short cable sections on high tension cable. d. The length of the cable, and its dielectric constant. transmission lines; both at the end of a line, where e. The impulse strength of the cable. overhead transmission is often impractical, and at These last four factors are discussed in more detail points along the length of a line. Such links, being Again, the inthefollowingparagraphs. short, are not necessarily self-protecting. EFFECT OF THE CABLE ON THE TRAVELING WAVE great advances made during this period in the art of incable manufacture have resulted in a considerable W When a traveling wave on an overhead line reaches a crease in the life of cables, and in their dielectric strength at operating frequencies; this improvement has been cable, a wave of reduced voltage passes into the cable. greater than the corresponding improvement in impulse This reduction is due to the fact that the surge imstrength. Finally, the cost of a high-voltage cable sec- pedance of a cable is less than that of an overhead tion is by no means negligible, and its importance from lIne. In a traveling wave the electrostatic energy is equal the operating standpoint is usually very great. On the other hand, the cost of high-voltage protee- to the electromagnetic energy and the constants of a tive equipment is often an appreciable item in the total cable are such that the voltage of a traveling wave has cost of the cable section or cable line. It becomes in- a lower ratio to the current than in the case of a wave the and on an overhead line. creasingly important, therefore, to determine with there are voltage andAfter the wave enters back cable current reflections
ta

whe

etis

forth from each terminal. If the length of the original and when it can safely be dispensed with. The movement for the coordination of insulation wave is great enough there will be several superimposed ________ ~~~~~~~~~waves at each point in the cable. The sum of these several waves will be dependent upon the shape of the *G-eneral Electric Co., Schenectady, N. Y.
IGeneral Electric Co., Pittsfield, Mass.______ Presented at the Middle Eastern District Meeting of the A.I.E.E., Baltimore, Md., October 1O-1S, 193fi.
XThe "step-by-step" method is successfully used by Beck (Bibliography, reference 1) and other writers.
121

32-118
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122

BLRINTON, BULLER ANO) RUDGE

Transactions

A.l.E.E.

original wave as well as the reflection from each end of the cable. The reflection at the cable terminal depends upon the surge impedances of the cable and of the connected line or apparatus. In this paper, calculated values of voltage are given for a range of cable surge impedance from 20 to 150 ohms and line impedances of 300 and 500 ohms. The calculations include the case of similar lines connected to each end of the cable, and the case

X~ KY

i |

With these waves entering the cable the voltage at the cable terminals will rise to its maximum value and W l l* E g mthen decrease in a series of steps by successive reflections, each step having a vertical front. UTnder these conditions, it is possible to derive a simple formula for the maximum voltage at either cable terminal for the Inth step, and also to determine the step at which the voltage will be a maximum (Fig. 6). This method was used because the principal interest in this paper is the maximum value to which the voltage rises in the cable rather than its rate of rise. (See Appendix I.)
COMPARISON WITH FIELD TESTS

waves.

TYPICAL WAVES USED IN CALCULATIONS Three different waves have been used in various coordination studies. They are the Y2-5, the 1-10 and the 1 M-40, in which the first figure is the time in microseconds to reach crest, and the second figure the time to reach half value on the tail of the wave. However, since both tests and calculation show that short wave fronts do not greatly affect the ultimate voltage resulting in the cable, and since turn-to-turn stresses in apparatus due to steep wave fronts are not being considered here the mathematical treatment of the problem in this paper has been simplified by using the 0-5, 0-10 and 0-40 waves. The waves have respectively the following formulas: Ee- .1.381, EE-.01921 and E'E - .01731, and will give slightly higher values for ultimate cable voltage than would be obtained from the first mentioned

Results obtained by the above method check closely the field measurements obtained by Messrs.McEachron, Hemstreet and Seelye, in the Michigan tests on cables.2 Oscillographic measurements from the Michigan tests are shown in Fig. 1. The following table gives the relation between the calculated and measured values for approximately the same conditions. The line surge impedance was 500 ohms, the cable impedance 50 ohms and a 2-50 wave arriving over the line.
TABLE I

FIG. 1--OSCILLOG RAMS OF TRAVELING WAVE VOLTAGES 'MEASURED AT "FAR" END OF CABLE
(a) Line wave (b) "'ar" end of 500-ft. cable open at "far" end (c) "Far" end of 500-ft. cable between two lines (d) "Far" end of 1,000-ft. cable open at "far" end (e) "Far" end of 1,000-ft. cable between two lines
Line to 500 ft. cable open at far end ............. 142% ... 150% 124% Line to 1,000 ft. cable open at far end .............82% 120% 87% 82% Line to 100 ft. cable to line .....................74% Line to ft. cable to_ line l,o0 _72%. 47c__
.....................

of a line connected to one end of the cable only and a free terminal at the other, which is the case giving the highest voltage. The traveling wave is assumed to enter at the "near" end of the cable and the voltage at the "far" end calculated, since in general the maximum voltage will be found at that end. Reduction of the wave by cable losses was neglected, as tests have shown the losses to be small in 500- and 1,000-foot lengths of cable.

EFFECT OF WAVE SHAPE As pointed out, the voltage resulting in the cable is dependent on the shape of the incident wave. This is shown in Fig. 2 where voltages at the "far" end resulting from the three waves are plotted for lengths of cable up to 20 microseconds.* The line impedance was taken as 500 ohms and the cable impedance 50 ohms. The "near" terminal of the cable is connected to the over2. For numbered references see Bibliography. *See Appendix II.

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TRAVELING-WAVE VOLTAGES IN CABLES

123

head line and the "far" terminal is free, i.e., having no electrical connections. To make the curves general, the cable length is plotted in microseconds since the wave propagation velocity varies in different cables. The length of the cable in microseconds is approximately equal to the cable length in thousands of ft. multiplied by VK, the sq. root of dielectric constant of the cable insulation. This relation is due to the fact that the propagation velocity of electric waves is inversely proportional to the sq. root of the permittivity or dielectric constant of the insulating medium. It may be noted (Fig. 2) that cable voltage is greater for the waves which decrease more slowly with time. This difference is more pronounced for the shorter lengths of cables. For example, in a two-microsecond cable which might be approximately 1,100 ft. in length, a 0-40 wave rises to 117 per cent, a 0-10 wave rises to 72 per cent and a 0-5 wave rises to 54 per cent. These values are referred to the crest of the incident wave or original wave arriving over the line, which is 100 per
cent.

was varied from 20 to 150 ohms while the other factors were kept constant. In practise the cable surge impedance varies over a relatively greater range than the line impedance. These curves show a wide difference of cable voltage for the eight values of cable surge impedance examined. For example, with an 8-microsecond cable, the voltage varies from 40 per cent to about 120 per cent for impedances of 20 and 150 ohms

respectively.
200 Li 160 160 .-140 120 . 60
-

__________I
a5 LNVCE

CABLE

b300

40

|
-

bb

-l
l
- -

6 ID 2 18 0 10 12 14 16 18 20 MICROSECOND =1000 FEET FIG. 3-MAXIMUM VOLTAGE AT "FAR" END OF CABLE 2 2

200

- - -

C6

L4

Resutlting from a 0-40 wave on lines of 300 and 500 ohms suLrge impedance 200i__________________ l l l i I I | ! |Cable open at "far" end

HO180

--

Where a line is connected at the " far" end of the cable, as shown in Fig. 5, the reflected voltage, and 100 therefore the resultant voltage, is less than that for an XI ] o4>; j 1 1 open-end cable where full reflection occurs. This may 60 b 1\S-41- 4 WFf 4 .e 4 , 1 ~ ~ E" 4 0 ef <$ 9-be seen by comparing the curves in Fig. 5 with the cor_ responding curves in Fig. 4. Take the case of a 20L t I I I 4 2 0 microsecond cable of 30 ohms surge impedance, the 8I 012 14 16 1SEC2O0 6CLE CBELENGTH NMICROSECONDS voltage is about 33 per cent in Fig. 4 and about 28 per IMICROSECOND = 10i00, FEET cent in Fig. 5. This difference is small. But if the FIG. 2-MAXIMUM VOLTAGE AT 'FAR" END OF CABLE

_ E

EFFECT OF IMPEDANCE AT "FAR" END OF CABLE

wI60

_ZX zcS

0 <312IttX

LINE1WAVE L

t_I

CABLE

->zo

Resulting from (a) 0-5, (b) 0-10 and (c) 0-40 line waves. "far" end20

Cable open at

Although the curves cover a range of lengths up to 20 microseconds only, it should be noted further that where the cable is sufficiently long the voltage at the "far" end is equal to the first entering wave plus its reflection, the effect of further reflections being negligible. Since in this case the terminal at the "far" end of the cable is disconnected, the minimum value of voltage is twice the first entering wave.
EFFECT OF LINE SURGE IMPEDANCE To show how surge impedance of the line affects the cable voltage, curves are given for two values of line impedance, 300 and 500 ohms, with the 0-40 wave and 50-ohm cable impedance as shown in Fig. 3. These curves show that a higher surge impedance of the line results in a lower voltage in the cable. The effect is greater with longer cables.

1C 40 2 t 3: 12C1

w= 160

LIN WAVEE

=5i'

8
Z

u-,

60 -

20

--

1-

CABLE LENGTH IN MICROSECONDS

FIG. 4-MAXIMUM VOLTAGE AT "FAR" END OF CABLES OF

I to6 8 10 12 14 MICROSECOND = I000-0K FEET

40
20

16

18

Cable open at "far" end

Resulting fromn a 0-40 wave on a line of 500 ohms surge impedance.

VARIOUS SURGE IMPEDANCES

cable length is decreased to 2 microseconds, the eable voltage is about 97 per cent in Fig. 4 and nearly 63 per cent in Fig. 5. These curves show that the impedance connected at the "far" end of the cable is more important in the case of shorter cables. As the cable length approaches zero, the cable voltage approaches 100 per cent in Fig. 5 where the "far"' end of the cable EFFECT OF CABLE SURGE IMPEDANCE Fig. 4 shows how cable surge impedance affects the is connected to a line, and 200 per cent in Fig. 4 where resulting v7oltage. In this case the cable impedance the "far" end of the cable is an open circuit. When
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BRINTON, BULLER AND RUDGE

Transactions A.I.E.E.

G apparatus is connected to the "far" end of the cable and Z (cable) =n/K the cable, the has a high impedance compared with condition is approximately that of open circuit at the "far" end. This assumption always gives a value of Where K = dielectric constant of cable insulation. voltage in the cable which is slightly higher than the n = number of conductors. value which actually will occur where the cable terG = geometric factor. minates in station apparatus.* Curves of G have been published in several places by IMPULSE STRENGTHS Simmons.6'10 Table II gives working values for the Data on the impulse strength of cables are very cable dielectric constant. meager at the present time, although a test program is
TABLE II

,0

LINE i= 500

~~~~~CABLE

Type of insulation
LINE

Working value of K
3.4

+ A

5;

6l

z B0X > < _ _ _ _

Varnished cambric ...............

Paper (solid).3 . 3.5 Paper (oil filled) ...............

AXERubber ..................4.................

4.2 4.4

F < 9 i m $ m $h $ 6 _ =40 _ __ _ _ - _a_2C 6 1 I I I _1 8 o1 20 0 2 4 C6BLE LENGTH IN MICROSECONDS MICROSECOND =1000 JK FEET FIG. 5-MAXIMUM VOLTAGE AT "FAR" END OF CABLES OF

40 ~

ohJ_

VARIOUS SURGE IMPEDANCES

Resulting from a 0-40 wave on a line of 500 ohms surge impedance. Cable connected between two lines

enough to greatly affect the resulting voltages. However, for long cables it is possible that attenuation of the voltage wave due to dielectric losses will result in lowering maximum voltage. Further test data are needed to determine how much attenuation alters the
problem.

Dielectric losses in the cable were neglected when preparingthat curves. Results from the Michigan great indicate the for short cables this loss is not tests

LIMITING HIGH VOLTAGE IMPULSES under way which should go far in extending the knowlTaking the crest voltage of the assumed incident edge now available. The curve given in Fig. 7 is based on somewhat limited data, taken with the three coor- waves as limited by the lightning fiashover of the condinating waves previously referred to. The curve I- 1 JIIJ17Vf11 i I actually represents an average value of all the data 14 7i_ l}-i[ii1dd1LIJ1L ['obtained, since it appeared from the tests that the , difference in wave shape did not greatly affect the value of breakdown. The curve is suggested tentatively for CABLE - I _ LINE use in connection with the present formulas as a guide Zz=50 - Z1500 to a decision as to whether protection is or is not re- It should, of course, be used with a suitable quired. ND NE ENI factor of safety. The data was taken on impregnated - 1 . 4- 4 of both the solid and the oil-filled types; paper cable, A E Iused with a good degree of confidence for and it may be 1 data were taken these types of cables. No corresponding Ji2 4L 1L 6 on varnished cambric or rubber cable. Fig. 7 should 0 Iil 12 14 16 II 20 CABLE LENGTH IN MICROSECONDS caution when considering therefore be used with great MICROSECOND= 10001k FEET these types of cable. 6-NUMBER OF STEPS TO REACH MAXIMUM VOLTAGE AT giving line flashover valuesforvariFIG. ENDS OF CABLE AS FUNCTION OF CABLE LENGTH Tables giving line fiashover values for various numCable open at "far" end bers of standard 534j by 10 in. disk insulators have been published in a number of places by F. W. Peek, Jr.1'4 The impulse strength of wood pole lines may be esti- nected line, these curves and formulas may be used to mated from the length of wood in circuit to ground.5'6 determine the maximum voltage to which a cable and connected apparatus will be subjected. This value can CABLE SURGE IMPEDANCE be compared with the insulation strength of the cable, The surge impedance of the cable can be determined pothead, and connected apparatus to determine the protective requirements. from the formula. Where a cable of comparatively low voltage rating *The matter of terminal impedances has been covered in more and correspondingly low impulse strength is connected See Bibliography 12. detail by Bewley.
Tables

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TRAVELING-WAVE VOLTAGES IN CABLES

125

to a wood pole line having high insulation level, the application of lightning arresters at the junction of cable and line becomes especially important, since without an arrester the first transmitted wave in the cable may exceed the cable strength. Assuming that the wave entering the cable is thus limited by an arrester at the line end of the cable, it may still be necessary to use an arrester at the "far" end of the cable to prevent further rise of voltage by reflection, particularly if connected apparatus at the "far" end would not withstand reflection (approaching double value) of the voltage wave passed by the arrester at the junction of cable and line, For shorter lengths of cables where several reflections occur in the cable before reaching a maximum value, the crest value of voltage will be approximately the same at both ends of the cable. Under such conditions the application of a single arrester may be sufficient protection. Where there is apparatus at the "far" end of the cable, location of the arrester at that end will conform to the general recommendation that the arrester be located within 50 circuit feet of the apparatus for circuits below 69 kv. and within 100 circuit feet for

The first transmitted wave at the junction of the cable and line may be obtained from the formula:
212 kv. + Z2 Since the cable strength is below this value of the first entering wave, an arrester is warranted at the junction of the cable and line. The first transmitted wave through the cable will approach double value at the "far" end of the cable when the "far" end is open eircuited or connected to a transformer or other apparatus of high impedance. An arrester located at the junction of the overhead line and cable, limits the transmitted voltage, but the voltage appearing'at the "far" end approaches double arrester voltage. This value should be compared with the strength of connected apparatus and also with cable and_pothead
1

E2 = 2E1

Z2 +

circuits above 69 kv.

1400 1200
I00

K.V. -

-1111
/
-

PRACTICAL EXAMPLE

The application of the curves can be illustrated by r 1calculation of a specific problem. A wooden pole line -600having an impulse flashover of approximately 1,500 kv. 400 - - - / _ _ 400 - - is connected to a 2,000-foot section of belted-paperinsulated three-conductor cable terminating in a - - - 200 1substation. 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 It is assumed that equal waves are arriving on each INSULATION THICKNESS, INCHES conductor of 1,500 kv. Under these conditions the surge impedance of each line is taken as 500 ohms. The FIG. 7-APPROXIMATE WORKING VALUES OF IMPULSE BREAKDOWN OF CABLE INSULATION cable has the following characteristics: From data on solid and
Paper insulation thickness: a. Between conductors ................0. 16 in. b. Between conductor and sheath .0.12 in. 0000 conductors (diameter) .0.46in.
and type h three-conductor cables

impregnated

paper,

oil-filled

single-conductor,

There may be cases where the cable strength and pothead flashover are somewhat greater than the first 3 .5 Dielectric constant transmitted wave, and the point of weakest insulatlon is The surge impedance of the three conductors in the in the connected apparatus. In such cases, an arrester should be used to limit the voltage to a safe value for cable in parallel is: the apparatus, and located at the apparatus end of the 1.2 cable. In this case additional protection would not seem Z=0.0169 X 3 X +/3.S =3 12.6 0.0169 warranted at the junction of the line and cable except for the case of direct stroke at or near that point. or 38.0 ohms per conductor. There are so many ramifications to the problem of Tncable protection that it becomes very difficult to formu2 X V/3.5 3.75 microseconds late general rules for their protection which will cover Referring to Fig. 4 the maximum unprotected cable all cases. voltage as built up by wave reflections is given as 83 However, it may be said that where low-voltage per cent of the traveling wave voltage on the line which cables with corresponding low-impulse strength are conwas 1,500 kv. Therefore, the voltage in the cable nected to highly insulated lines such as a wooden pole would be 1,245 kv. Considering that the impulse structure having ungrounded hardware, safe practise strength of the cable is approximately 200 kv., pro- requires the use of adequate arrester protection. Probtective equipment for the cable is necessary. lems where the comparative strengths and lengths have
..

Impulse strength ...................... 200 Geometric factor (Simmons) .1.2

...

kv.

that point.

strengths to determine the necessity for an arrester at

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BRINTON, BULLER AND RUDGE

Transactions A.I.E.E.

If this value of n is not a whole number, then the two other values may be examined to determine the degree of protection warranted for any particular installation nearest whole numbers should be tried to determine which gives the maximum value. Usually, but not in question. always, the nearest whole number gives the maximum Appendix I value. The time at which the maximum value occurs is front wav of vertical e and sloping tail found by formula log T is the number M is always n E reprsened y ' andtraelig o a lne fX srgethe above multiplying M bynegative sinceof steps. In impedance Z1 into a cable of surge impedance Z2 with a line of surge impedance Z3 at the "far end." The front less than one. for The formula E12 at the near cable junction is 2Z2deieinasmlrwy derived in a similar way. of the first wave entering the cable is: ZlZ2 F. ~ Let + This front is reflected at the "far end" of the cable, Z3- Z2 F = z3 + z2 producingatotalinstantaneousvoltageAEwhere 2Z2 r Z3-Z22 A Z1+Z2 L l-I-I2Z2 1 Z3+Z2 AlZ+z The reflected wave travels back to the "near end" of the cable where it is reflected again, thus producing a Then the initial voltage is A'E. The voltage at the second step is: second entering wave which is M times the first wave and which results in an additional voltage at the far A1Ee-BT + A1E (M + F) end of M times that produced by the first wave. Thevoltageatthenthstepis: Similarly there is a third entering wave, M times the the first wave, etc. M is the E12(n) = A1E[E-(n-lI)BT + (M + F)e-(n-2)BT second wave or M2 times product of the two reflection factors. + M (M + F) e -(n -3)BT +.. + M( -2) (M + F)] (n 2)BT (1 + M EBT = A1E[G-(nI)BT+ (M + F) Zl- Z2 Z3 - Z2 + M-2 E(n-2)BT)] + M2 62BT Zl + Z2 Z3 + Z2 r -( 1F7' and is always less than 1. Therefore, each entering wave is less than the preceding entering wave, part of = A E the wave having been lost by transmission back into the -m(it-1) C(n-1)BT line. Each of these waves has a vertical front and falling -(n 2)B 1-M eB' 1 +( + )e tail. Thus the voltage at the "far end" of the cable rises and then falls in a series of steps. At each step the r M -1 (M + F) - -nBT - F E-(n-1)BT voltage rises vertically and then falls until the next ] A'E M-e-BT step. Therefore, the maximum voltage occurs at the of one of these steps. If T is the time rebeginning The value of n for maximum E12 is: quired for a wave to travel twice the length of the - BTM (1 + F EBT) the beginning of the nth step the voltages cable, then at waves at the "far end" of the cable log of the preceding (M + F) log_M have been reduced by the factors E -BT E-2Bt etc. BT + log M at the nth step is: Therefore the total voltage Fig. 6 shows how the value of n varies with the cable E23 (n) = AE[M`-1 + Mn-2 E-BT -n + . . . Mnt -(n -1)B T length for case of a cable at the end of a line, the far end This series is equal to the equivalent fractional ex- of the cable being open. pression: Appendix II

Asprsuente ay

The traveling wave energy passing a given point in the infinitesimal time dt is: E -BT Ml _ e -BT El dt = E dQ The formula value for n to give maximum value of F - instantaneous voltage F23 is determined in the usual way: d eB)=0I= instantaneous current dn electrostatic energy that shifts from one side of this point to the other during time dt and is associated - BT log logMwith the infinitesimal length ds is: 1/2 Cds E2 = 1/2 EdQ since Q = CE n (for max E23) = BT +logflM

E23(n)

- AE

mn

6- nBT

~~~~~~~~~~The

1g

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March 1933

TRAVELING-WAVE VOLTAGES IN CABLES

127

S1 = S VK Therefore, the electrostatic energy in a freely travel- and ing wave is one-half the total energy and is equal to the also S1 = Z Cs electromagnetic energy. where C = capacitance per unit length Cs = capacitance of length S. L = inductance per unit length
Then
1/2 CE2 = 1/2 LI2

References

IZ

1. "Short Cable Lines Require Lightning Arresters," by E. Beck, Electrical World, Nov. 29, 1930. 2. Effects of Short Lengths of Cable on Traveling Waves, by McEachron, Hemstreet and Seelye, A.I.E.E. TRANS., Vol. 49,
p. 1432.

where Z = surge impedance Since ds = vdt where v = velocity of propagation

EI = C dsEl El dt = C ds E2 dt Cv dt E2
=

CE

CZ

-,/LC

3. Lightning, by F. W. Peek, Jr., A.I.E.E. TRANS., Vol. 50, p. 1077. 4. The Transient Voltages on Dielectrics-IV, by F. W. Peek,Effect of TRANS., Vol. 49, p. 1456. Jr., A.I.E.E. 5. Lightning Investigation on Wood Pole Transmission Line, by Pittman, Torok, A.I.E.E. TRANS., Vol. 50, p. 568. 6. Cable Geometry and the Calculation of Current Carrying Capacity, by D. M. Simmons, A.I.E.E. TRANS., Vol. 42, p. 600. 7. Dielectric Field in an Electric Power Cable-I, by R. W.

and

cv

If Lo is inductance when the permeability is one and Atkinson, A.I.E.E. TRANS., Vol. 43, p. 966. 9. "Calculations of Electrical Problems of Transmission by CO is the capacitance when the permittivity is one, then Underground Cables," by D. M. Simmons, Elec. Journal, 1925, p. 366. Vo = ___=Velocity of light 10. "Underground Systems Reference Book," pp. 297, 298. LoCo 11. "Electrical Engineering," by E. J. Berg, p. 133. In cables the permeability is one but the permittivity 12. Traveling Waves on Transmission Systems, by L. V. Bewley, TRANS. A.I.E.E., Vol. 50, p. 532. or dielectric constant has the value K. 1 1 Vo VLC C Discussion a,/LC VK v\KLo Co Edward Beck: The writer desires to register his accord with

Atkinson, A.I.E.E. TRANS., Vol. 38, p. 971. 8. Dielectric Field in an Electric Power Cable-II, by R. W.

VO=

Since

Cv

z =

\IK
Cvo

tance in microfarads per 1,000 ft. we have

Z a

V* is approximately equal to 1,000 feet per microequalso second (atally984and if 1,000etC, beethper capai- Electric Journal. second (actually 984) and so if we let C1 be the capaciThere is a phase of the behavior of traveling waves in cables

the observations of Messrs. Brinton, Buller, and Rudge about the improbability of low voltage cables connected to highly insulated lines such as those on wood poles being self-protecting; also those regarding the possibilities of high-voltage cables being self-protecting. As the authors remark, it may pay to examine specific installations for the degree of protection economically warranted. The writer has expressed such views in the reference cited in the bibliography and recently in the

vK Cl

approximately
surge

Thisis convenient formula for calculating the This iS a convenient formula for calculating the surge impedance of a cable. In plotting curves involving traveling waves it is convenient to state the cable length in microseconds as the velocity varies in different cables. The actual length S

which, so far as we are aware, has received little attention. The usual treatments of surges in cables consider the cable sheath grounded throughout its length. For this assumption the simple relations usually given are quite correct. It is not necessarily a fact, however, that in practise the cable sheath is grounded

,eqatth les, t

te

throughout its length. Often there may be a considerable ungrounded length of sheath between the entrance and the first sheath ground. It may even be the case that the sheath is entirely ungrounded or grounded through high resistance. The cable potentials in such cases are of practical importance. Some theoretical considerations led to the suspicion that a cable whose

velocity in feet per microsecond.

Therefore
S S S

voltages internally.

sheath is not grounded at the entrance may be

subjected to high

Zc1

C = capacitance in ,uef. per 1,000 ft. S = length in 1,000 feet.

S1
+/K
=

The writer has made a series of tests on cables which shed some light on the subject. The cable set-up used was aJs shown inFig.1 To lead up to the situation let us first consider a cable whose sheath is completely isolated from ground. Theoretically, such a

thle effect on the distributed constants. It was found to be so by test. The measured surge -impedance of the cable with ungrounded sheath was 492 ohms, the ~~~~~~~and velocity of propagation 890 feet per microsecond.

cable should act very much like an open line with the same order of surgeungrounded and velocity of propagation since the presence impedance sheath has little of

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