Optimal selection and positioning of conductors in multi-circuit overhead transmission lines using evolutionary computing

Abstract This paper presents a new approach for designing transmission lines to transmit more power in a narrower space. Multi-circuits lines are a good alternative to attain this objective. However, the optimum solution is not obtained by just positioning several regular single-circuit transmission lines in a single tower structure. Although double-circuit and multi-circuit transmission lines have been used over the last years, there are not many studies about non-conventional multi-circuit transmission lines. Thus, in this research a mathematical model to represent the problem related to increasing the surge impedance loading level of each circuit, and reducing the costs, the ROW and the height of the towers by optimizing their bundle geometry and conductor type by applying genetic algorithms is proposed. The overall transmission lines presented as examples have an improvement between 52% and 149% in the objective function.