IEC 61865:2001
Overhead lines - Calculation of the electrical component of distance between live parts and obstacles - Method of calculation

Standard No.

IEC 61865:2001

Release Date

2001

Published By

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

Latest

IEC 61865:2001

Scope

This International Standard provides guidance for the calculation of electrical distances between live and earthed parts required to prevent air-gap breakdown which may endanger members of the public who legitimately come close to live parts. It is applicable only to overhead lines designed to operate at more than 45 kV phase-to-phase a.c. It deals with the electrical component of distances between conductors and movable objects - vehicles on the ground, vessels on water, persons on top of objects or on the ground, wildlife on the ground (but not airborne), etc. This standard does not deal with the following public and worker safety aspects: · stationary objects - structures beneath or next to lines, trees, ground contours, etc. These, in general, require consideration as to whether the structure can be climbed on, the extent to which the tree will grow, etc; · minimum approach distance for live working, which is dealt with in IEC 61472; · capacitive coupling or magnetic induction by overhead lines, such as voltages induced in vehicles under a line, or in pipelines buried alongside it; · currents flowing in the ground that originate from lines and result in step and touch voltages around structures during line faults or lightning strikes; · flashover of line insulators or spark gaps, or a phase-to-phase discharge, resulting in audible and electrical noise and intense arcs; · dielectric breakdown of the air between the conductors and the ground due to large fires beneath conductors; · minimum electrical distances required to prevent discharge to adjacent overhead power or communication circuits. This standard does not give the electrical distance requirements for the design of overhead line structures. Neither does it give the distance requirements for overhead line structures which need to be accessible to workers while the line is energized (for example, distances to line workers or painters). Distances between conductors and the structure of the tower are normally chosen to meet the required operating reliability of the line. It is possible that this distance may not always be adequate to allow live working or, in some cases, access for workers to parts of the structure near to live conductors.

IEC 61865:2001 history

• 2001 IEC 61865:2001 Overhead lines - Calculation of the electrical component of distance between live parts and obstacles - Method of calculation