Thermal performance of an overhead transmission line under the influence of dust accumulation

The temperature distribution in the radial direction of a composite overhead transmission line in steady state is the main object of this work when a layer of dust or aluminium oxide is accumulated around the surface of the line. This undesirable dust accumulation will cause an additional rise in temperature of the line. Therefore, the hypothetical lifetime of the line will be reduced. A mathematical model has been developed, when the heat supplied to the dusty transmission line is balanced by the heat dissipated. to give the temperature of each layer of the line in addition to the dust layer temperature. A reduction coefficient of the life time of the line under the influence of dust accumulation is derived. The ampacity of the dusty line should be reduced in order that the temperature of the line doesn't exceed the maximum permissible temperature and to maintain the hypothetical life time of the line. The proposed reduction coefficient of the line ampacity will be, also, deduced. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.