Arranging Overhead Power Transmission Line Conductors Using Swarm Intelligence Technique to Minimize Electromagnetic Fields

Although there is no certain known mechanism of how the electromagnetic fields (EMFs) at power frequency (50/60 Hz) can affect human health, it has been epidemiologically shown that they have many hazards on human health. Also the power frequency fields may interfere with the nearby electrical and electronic equipment. In response to the precautionary principle, it might be needed in some situations to reduce the magnetic and electric fields of a high voltage line segment when it passes in close proximity to a populated area or may interfere with sensitive equipment. In other words, new arrangements of high voltage “green lines” are needed. This paper introduces a numerical solution based on Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique, to reduce both magnetic and electric fields of high voltage overhead transmission line by rearranging the conductors. The horizontal, vertical, and triangular configurations of both single circuit and double circuit transmission lines were investigated. The examples presented in this paper show that the rearranged line configurations can introduce up to 81% reduction in magnetic field and up to 84% in electric field when the effects of ice and wind are considered, and up to 97% reduction in both magnetic and electric fields when these effects are neglected. A comparison is made between the cost of reducing EMFs of a line segment in a suburban area in Amman in Jordan, and the cost of not-reducing EMFs, where it is found that the cost of reducing the fields is outweighed by the “possible health costs” otherwise. Received 21 August 2010, Accepted 13 October 2010, Scheduled 21 October 2010 Corresponding author: M. S. H. Al Salameh ([email protected]). 214 Al Salameh and Hassouna