Zero sequence behaviour of a double-circuit overhead line

Positive, negative and zero sequence series impedances (in Omega/km units) are the first step for power flow and short circuit analyses and are also necessary for setting the distance relays. The paper is devoted to the computation of zero sequence series impedance (in Omega/km units) (self and mutual) in double-circuit overhead lines (OHLs) with one or more earth wires. A systematic comparison with matrix approaches demonstrates that IEC 60909-2 formula adds the zero sequence self and the zero sequence mutual impedance between the two circuits. This approximation of having a unique value of zero sequence impedance is misleading and gives great errors when phase-to-ground short circuit occurs along a circuit. It is worth noting that the zero sequence mutual impedance between parallel circuits installed on the same tower may be as high as 50% (or more) of the zero sequence self impedance of a circuit alone. Consequently, zero sequence mutual impedance between the two circuits cannot be neglected or mixed. MCA (Multiconductor Cell Analysis) shows that the simplified IEC approach underestimates heavily (more than 18%, depending upon the spacing between the circuits) the phase-to-ground fault current for a fault occurrence along one circuit of the double circuit. (c) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.