Study on the Effect of Altitude on the Corona Inception Field and the Ground-Level Total Electric Field Under HVdc Lines Using Bipolar Test Lines

With the growing public awareness of environmental protection, the dc ground-level total electric field (TEF) is attracting increasing attention. Especially in high-altitude areas, it has become a key technical factor in deciding conductor types and the height of the transmission line. To determine the altitude effect and correction of the ground-level TEF for HVdc transmission lines, four short bipolar test lines with bundle conductors with the same parameters were built in China at altitudes of 50, 1700, 3400, and 4300 m. Using the test facilities, the dc ground-level TEF was measured over a long period of time, from Jan. 2010 to Nov. 2015. Through a statistical analysis of a large amount of data, the ground-level TEF characteristics of short bipolar test lines at different altitudes were obtained. By comparing the statistical results from different altitudes, it is determined that the dc ground-level TEF and corona inception field strength are linearly dependent on the altitude. Finally, the ground-level TEF and corona inception field strength altitude correction formulas of HVdc transmission lines are proposed.