2

ir x
∴ Voltage drop in section AC = volts
2

As the distance of C from feeding point B is (l − x), therefore, current fed from B is i (l − x).
i r (l − x ) 2
∴ Voltage drop in section BC = volts
2
Voltage at point C, VC = VA − Drop over AC
i r x2
= VA − ...(i)
2
Also, voltage at point C, VC = VB − Drop over BC
i r (l − x ) 2
= VB − ...(ii)
2
From equations (i) and (ii), we get,
i r x2 i r (l − x ) 2
VA − = VB −
2 2
Solving the equation for x, we get,
V − VB l
x = A +
irl 2
As all the quantities on the right hand side of the equation are known, therefore, the point on the
distributor where minimum potential occurs can be calculated.
Example 13.14. A two-wire d.c. distributor cable 1000 metres long is loaded with 0·5 A/metre.
Resistance of each conductor is 0·05 Ω/km. Calculate the maximum voltage drop if the distributor is
fed from both ends with equal voltages of 220 V. What is the minimum voltage and where it occurs ?
Solution.
Current loading, i = 0·5 A/m
Resistance of distributor/m, r = 2 × 0·05/1000 = 0·1 × 10−3 Ω
Length of distributor, l = 1000 m
Total current supplied by distributor, I = i l = 0·5 × 1000 = 500 A
Total resistance of the distributor, R = r l = 0·1 × 10−3 × 1000 = 0·1 Ω
I R 500 × 0 ⋅ 1
∴ Max. voltage drop = = = 6·25 V
8 8
Minimum voltage will occur at the mid-point of the distributor and its value is
= 220 − 6·25 = 213·75 V
Example 13.15. A 2-wire d.c. distributor AB 500 metres long is fed from both ends and is
loaded uniformly at the rate of 1·0 A/metre. At feeding point A, the voltage is maintained at 255 V
and at B at 250 V. If the resistance of each conductor is 0·1 Ω per kilometre, determine :
(i) the minimum voltage and the point where it occurs
(ii) the currents supplied from feeding points A and B
 Solution. Fig. 13.26 shows the single line diagram of the distributor.
Voltage at feeding point A, VA = 255 V
Voltage at feeding point B, VB = 250 V
Length of distributor, l = 500 m
Current loading, i = 1 A/m
Resistance of distributor/m, r = 2 × 0·1/1000 = 0·0002 Ω
(i) Let the minimum potential occur at a point C distant x metres from the feeding point A. As
proved in Art. 13.6,
V − VB l 255 − 250
x = A + = + 500 / 2
irl 2 1 × 0 ⋅ 0002 × 500
= 50 + 250 = 300 m
i.e. minimum potential occurs at 300 m from point A.

Minimum voltage, VC = VA −
ir x 2
= 255 −
1 × 0 ⋅ 0002 × 300 a f 2

2 2
= 255 − 9 = 246 V
(ii) Current supplied from A = i x = 1 × 300 = 300 A
Current supplied from B = i (l − x) = 1 (500 − 300) = 200 A

Example 13.16. A 800 metres 2-wire d.c. distributor AB fed from both ends is uniformly loaded
at the rate of 1·25 A/metre run. Calculate the voltage at the feeding points A and B if the minimum
potential of 220 V occurs at point C at a distance of 450 metres from the end A. Resistance of each
conductor is 0·05 Ω/km.
Solution. Fig. 13.27 shows the single line diagram of the distributor.
Current loading, i = 1·25 A/m
Resistance of distributor/m, r = 2 × 0·05/1000 = 0·0001 Ω
Voltage at C, VC = 220 V
Length of distributor, l = 800 m
Distance of point C from A, x = 450 m

Voltage drop in section AC =

ir x
2
=
a f
1 ⋅ 25 × 0 ⋅ 0001 × 450 2
= 12·65 V
2 2
∴ Voltage at feeding point A, VA = 220 + 12·65 = 232·65 V

Voltage drop in section BC =

b g
ir l−x
2
=
b
1 ⋅ 25 × 0 ⋅ 0001 × 800 − 450 g
2

2 2
= 7·65 V
∴ Voltage at feeding point B, VB = 220 + 7·65 = 227·65 V
 Example 13.17.
(i) A uniformly loaded distributor is fed at the centre. Show that maximum voltage drop
= I R/8 where I is the total current fed to the distributor and R is the total resistance of the
distributor.
(ii) A 2-wire d.c. distributor 1000 metres long is fed at the centre and is loaded uniformly at the
rate of 1·25 A/metre. If the resistance of each conductor is 0·05 Ω/km, find the maximum
voltage drop in the distributor.
Solution. (i) Fig. 13.28 shows distributor AB fed at
centre C and uniformly loaded with i amperes/metre. Let
l metres be the length of the distributor and r ohms be the
resistance per metre run. Obviously, maximum voltage
drop will occur at either end.
∴ Max. voltage drop = Voltage drop in half
distributor

=
F IF I
1 il rl 1
b gb g
= il rl
H KH K
2 2 2 8
1
= IR
8
where i l = I, the total current fed to the distributor
r l = R, the total resistance of the distributor
(ii) Total current fed to the distributor is
I = i l = 1·25 × 1000 = 1250 A
Total resistance of the distributor is
R = r l = 2 × 0·05 × 1 = 0·1 Ω
1 1
Max. voltage drop = I R = × 1250 × 0 ⋅1 = 15.62 V
8 8
Example 13.18. Derive an expression for the power loss in a uniformly loaded distributor fed
at both ends with equal voltages.
Solution. Consider a distributor AB of length l metres, having resistance r ohms per metre run
with uniform loading of i amperes per metre run as shown in Fig.13.29. Let the distributor be fed at
the feeding points A and B at equal voltages, say V volts. The total current supplied by the distributor
is i l. As the two end voltages are equal, therefore, current supplied from each feeding point is i l/2.
il
Current supplied from each feeding point =
2

Consider a small length dx of the distributor at point P which is at a distance x from the
feeding end A.
Resistance of length dx = r dx
 Current in length dx =
il
−i x=i l − x FH IK
2 2
Power loss in length dx = (current in dx) × Resistance of dx
2

=
LMi FH l − xIK OP 2
× r dx
N 2 Q
Total power loss in the distributor is
l
LMi F l − xI OP 2
F l − l x + x I dx
l 2
P =
z
0
N H 2 KQ r dx = i r
GH 4 2
z
0
JK 2

= i rM
2 Ll x − l x
2 2
+
x O
P
3 l
L l l + l OP
=i rM − 2
3 3 3

N4 2 3 Q N4 2 3Q
0
i2 r l 3
∴ P =
12
13.7 Distributor with Both Concentra
Distributor ted and Unif
Concentrated or
Uniform Loading
orm
There are several problems where a distributor has both concentrated and uniform loadings. In such
situations, the total drop over any section of the distributor is equal to the sum of drops due to concen-
trated and uniform loading in that section. We shall solve a few problems by way of illustration.
Example 13.19. A 2-wire d.c. distributor AB, 900 metres long is fed at A at 400 V and loads of
50 A, 100 A and 150 A are tapped off from C, D and E which are at a distance of 200 m, 500 m and
800 m from point A respectively. The distributor is also loaded uniformly at the rate of 0.5 A/m. If
the resistance of distributor per metre (go and return) is 0.0001 Ω, calculate voltage (i) at point B
and (ii) at point D.
Solution. This problem can be solved in
two stages. First, the drop at any point due to
concentrated loading is found. To this is added
the voltage drop due to uniform loading.
Drops due to concentrated loads. Fig.
13.30 shows only the concentrated loads
tapped off from the various points. The cur-
rents in the various sections are :
IAC = 300 A ; ICD = 250 A ; IDE = 150 A
Drop in section AC = IAC RAC = 300 × (200 × 0·0001) = 6 V
Drop in section CD = 250 × (300 × 0·0001) = 7·5 V
Drop in section DE = 150 × (300 × 0·0001) = 4·5 V
Total drop over AB = 6 + 7·5 + 4·5 = 18 V
Drops due to uniform loading

Drop over AB =
i r l 2 0 ⋅ 5 × 0 ⋅ 0001 × 900
=
a f 2
= 20 ⋅ 25 V
2 2

Drop over AD = i r l x −
Fx2 I
GH2 JK
Here, l = 900 m ; x = 500 m

∴ Drop over AD = 0·5 × 0·0001 900 × 500 −

FG 5002 IJ = 16·25 V
H 2 K
 (i) Voltage at point B = VA − Drop over AB due to conc. and uniform loadings
= 400 − (18 + 20·25) = 361·75 V
(ii) Voltage at point D = VA − Drop over AD due to conc. and uniform loadings
= 400 − (6 + 7·5 + 16·25) = 370·25 V
Example 13.20. Two conductors of a d.c. distributor cable AB 1000 m long have a total resis-
tance of 0·1 Ω. The ends A and B are fed at 240 V. The cable is uniformly loaded at 0·5 A per metre
length and has concentrated loads of 120 A, 60 A, 100 A and 40 A at points distant 200 m, 400 m,
700 m and 900 m respectively from the end A. Calculate (i) the point of minimum potential
(ii) currents supplied from ends A and B (iii) the value of minimum potential.
Solution.
−4
Distributor resistance per metre length, r = 0·1/1000 = 10 Ω
Uniform current loading, i = 0·5 A/m
(i) Point of minimum potential. The point of minimum potential is not affected by the uni-
form loading of the distributor. Therefore, let us consider the concentrated loads first as shown in
Fig. 13.31. Suppose the current supplied by end A is I. Then currents in the various sections will be
as shown in Fig. 13.31.

VA − VB = Drop over the distributor AB

240 − 240 = IAC RAC + ICD RCD + IDE RDE + IEF REF + IFB RFB
−4
or 0 = 10 [I × 200 + (I − 120) 200 + (I − 180) 300 + (I − 280) 200 + (I − 320) × 100]
or 0 = 1000 I − 166000 ∴ I = 166000/1000 = 166 A
The actual distribution of currents in the various sections of the distributor due to concentrated
loading is shown in Fig. 13.32. It is clear from this figure that D is the point of minimum potential.

(ii) The feeding point A will supply 166 A due to concentrated loading plus 0·5 × 400 = 200 A
due to uniform loading.
 ∴ Current supplied byA, I A = 166 + 200 = 366 A
The feeding point B will supply a current of 154 A due to concentrated loading plus 0·5 ×
600 = 300 A due to uniform loading.
∴ Current supplied by B, IB = 154 + 300 = 454 A
(iii) As stated above, D is the point of minimum potential.
∴ Minimum potential,VD = VA − Drop in AD due to conc. loading – Drop in AD due to
uniform loading
Now, Drop in AD due to conc. loading = IAC RAC + ICD RCD
−4 −4
= 166 × 10 × 200 + 46 × 10 × 200
= 3·32 + 0·92 = 4·24 V
i r * l 2 0 ⋅ 5 × 10 × ( 400 )
−4 2
Drop in AD due to uniform loading = = = 4V
2 2
∴ VD = 240 − 4·24 − 4 = 231·76 V
Example 13.21. A d.c. 2-wire distributor AB is 500m long and is fed at both ends at 240 V. The
distributor is loaded as shown in Fig 13.33. The resistance of the distributor (go and return) is
0·001Ω per metre. Calculate (i) the point of minimum voltage and (ii) the value of this voltage.
Solution. Let D be the point of **minimum potential and let x be the current flowing in section
CD as shown in Fig 13.33. Then current supplied by end B will be (60 − x).

(i) If r is the resistance of the distributor (go and return) per metre length, then,
Voltage drop in length AD = IAC RAC + ICD RCD
= (100 + x) × 100 r + x × 150 r
2
irl
Voltage drop in length BD = 2
b g
+ 60 − x × 250 r

1 × r × a200f 2
= + b60 − x g × 250 r
2
Since the feeding points A and B are at the same potential,

∴ (100 + x) × 100 r + x × 150 r =

1 × r × 200 2 a f b
+ 60 − x 250 r g
2
or 100x + 10000 + 150x = 20000 + 15000 − 250x
or 500x = 25000 ∴ x = 50 A
* Drop due to uniform loading can be determined by imagining that the distributor is cut into two at point D
so that AD can be thought as a distributor fed at one end and loaded uniformly.
** You may carry out the calculation by assuming C to be point of minimum potential. The answer will be
unaffected.
 The actual directions of currents in the various sections of the distributor are shown in Fig.
13.34. Note that currents supplied by A and B meet at D. Hence point D is the point of minimum
potential.

(ii) Total current = 160 + 1 × 200 = 360 A

Current supplied by A, IA = 100 + x = 100 + 50 = 150 A
Current supplied by B, IB = 360 − 150 = 210 A
Minimum potential, VD = VA − IAC RAC − ICD RCD
= 240 − 150 × (100 × 0·001) − 50 × (150 × 0·001)
= 240 − 15 − 7·5 = 217·5 V

13.8 Ring Distributor

A distributor arranged to form a closed loop and fed at one or more points is called a ring distributor.
Such a distributor starts from one point, makes a loop through the area to be served, and returns to the
original point. For the purpose of calculating voltage distribution, the distributor can be considered
as consisting of a series of open distributors fed at both ends. The principal advantage of ring dis-
tributor is that by proper choice in the number of feeding points, great economy in copper can be
affected.
The most simple case of a ring distributor is the one having only one feeding point as shown in
Fig. 13.36(ii). Here A is the feeding point and tappings are taken from points B and C. For the
purpose of calculations, it is equivalent to a straight distributor fed at both ends with equal voltages.
Example 13.22. A 2-wire d.c. ring distributor is 300 m long and is fed at 240 V at point A. At
point B, 150 m from A, a load of 120 A is taken and at C, 100 m in the opposite direction, a load of
80 A is taken. If the resistance per 100 m of single conductor is 0·03 Ω, find :
(i) current in each section of distributor
(ii) voltage at points B and C
Solution.
Resistance per 100 m of distributor
= 2 × 0·03 = 0·06 Ω
Resistance of section AB, RAB = 0·06 × 150/100 = 0·09 Ω
Resistance of section BC, RBC = 0·06 × 50/100 = 0·03 Ω
Resistance of section CA, RCA = 0·06 × 100/100 = 0·06 Ω
(i) Let us suppose that a current IA flows in section AB of the distributor. Then currents in
sections BC and CA will be (IA − 120) and (IA − 200) respectively as shown in Fig. 13.36 (i).
According to Kirchhoff’s voltage law, the voltage drop in the closed loop ABCA is zero i.e.
IAB RAB + IBC RBC + ICA RCA = 0
or 0·09 IA + 0·03 (IA − 120) + 0·06 (IA − 200) = 0
or 0·18 IA = 15·6
∴ IA = 15·6/0·18 = 86·67 A
The actual distribution of currents is as shown in Fig. 13.36 (ii) from where it is seen that B is the
point of minimum potential.

Current in section AB, IAB = IA = 86·67 A from A to B

Current in section BC, IBC = IA − 120 = 86·67 − 120 = − 33·33 A
= 33.33 A from C to B
Current in section CA, ICA = IA − 200 = 86·67 − 200 = − 113·33 A
= 113 ·33 A from A to C
(ii) Voltage at point B, VB = VA − IAB RAB = 240 − 86·67 × 0·09 = 232·2 V