Moving from latticed steel to full-composite pylons could cut line weight by 50 %, ease right-of-way demands and slash lifetime maintenance—but only if the electrical performance measures up. Electrical Design Of A 400 kV Composite Tower (Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering 557, Springer, © 2020) walks you through that challenge step-by-step, blending finite-element simulations with high-voltage lab tests. Authored by Tohid Jahangiri, Qian Wang, Filipe Faria da Silva and Claus Leth Bak of Aalborg University, the book is the first monograph dedicated to the double-circuit 400 kV all-composite transmission tower concept.
Table of Contents
Book at a Glance
| Full Title | Electrical Design Of A 400 kV Composite Tower |
| Series / Vol. | Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering 557 |
| Authors | T. Jahangiri • Q. Wang • F. Faria da Silva • C. Leth Bak |
| Publisher / Year | Springer • 2020 |
| Length | 260 pp. (9 chapters, 100+ figs.) |
| ISBN-13 | 978-3030178420 |
| Formats & Price | eBook US $84.99 • Hardcover US $109.99 |
| Intended Readers | Transmission-line engineers, HV researchers, composite-materials specialists |
What Problems Does the Book Solve?
- Material selection for the cross-arm core – compares glass-, basalt- and carbon-FRP candidates, reporting tensile, creep and corona ageing results.
- Air-clearance & insulation coordination – derives minimum phase-to-tower and phase-to-phase clearances for 400 kV by FEM field plots, then validates them in a 1:5 scale model.
- Full-tower electric field dimensioning – optimises GRP mast diameter and leg geometry to keep surface gradients below corona-free thresholds.
- Lightning shielding & back-flash evaluation – applies CIGRE EGM and verifies shielding angles for double-circuit layouts.
- Failure-mode risk ranking – quantifies erosion, water-induced corona and flashover probability using IEC 60815 pollution curves.
Chapter-by-Chapter Snapshot
| Ch. | Theme | Key Take-Away |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overview of Composite-Based Pylons | Market drivers, weight comparisons vs. steel |
| 2 | FRP Selection for Cross-Arm Core | GFRP emerges as cost-effective; CFRP wins on stiffness |
| 3 | Air Clearances of Fully Composite Pylon | 4.2 m min. phase–tower gap, validated at 15 mm/kV BIL |
| 4 | Electrical Dimensioning | Corona ring optimisation, grading ring layouts |
| 5 | High-Voltage Lab Verification | 850 kV impulse withstand achieved with no flashover |
| 6 | Lightning Shielding Performance | 99.2 % interception probability with twin OPGW |
| 7 | Environmental & Audible Noise | Composite mast cuts RIV by 6 dB over steel lattice |
| 8 | Failure-Risk Assessment | Weibull analysis of FRP ageing under humidity |
| 9 | Conclusions & Future Work | Path to 765 kV designs and hybrid steel-FRP towers |
Strengths
- First of its kind – No other source assembles all electrical-design aspects (clearance, corona, lightning, RIV) for a composite tower in one volume.
- Simulation + experiment – Finite-element field plots are backed by high-voltage lab data, adding design confidence.
- Standards-linked – References IEC 60071-1/2, IEC 60815 and CIGRE TB 640 throughout—great for spec sheets.
- Readable engineering prose – Equations are balanced with practical design tables and photos of test rigs.
Limitations
| Issue | Impact | Work-around |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanics only briefly covered | Structural buckling & wind load analysis deferred to other texts | Pair with mechanical companion volume (Mechanical Design of a 420 kV Composite Tower, LNEE 558) |
| Pricey for individuals | > 100 USD may deter freelancers | Use institutional SpringerLink access or eBook rental |
| Focus on northern-Europe pollution | Site factors may differ for tropical coastal lines | Re-calibrate pollution design using IEC 60815 distance factors |
How It Compares
| Feature | This Book | Tower Design & Construction (IEC TR 60826) | CIGRE TB 766 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite-material focus | ★★★★★ | ✖ | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Electrical-field FEM detail | Extensive | Basic | Moderate |
| Lab testing data | Yes | No | Limited |
| Lightning shielding method | EGM + validation | Traditional rolling-sphere | EGM only |
| Best for | R&D & prototype design | Code compliance | Shielding studies |
FAQ
Is Electrical Design Of A 400 kV Composite Tower beginner-friendly?
A solid grounding in high-voltage engineering is assumed; senior-undergrad level is adequate.
Does it include software models?
Yes—the appendix lists COMSOL parameter files; request from authors via Springer.
Can I use the clearances for 220 kV or 765 kV lines?
Scaling guidance is provided, but direct recalculation with the included formulas is recommended.
Where can I buy the book?
SpringerLink sells the eBook for US $84.99 and the hardcover for US $109.99 (ISBN 978-3030178420).
