Mutual Impedances of Ground-Return Circuits Some Experimental Studies

This paper describes some of the results of the work of the Joint Development and Research Subcommittee of the National Electric Light Association and Bell Telephone System on the mutual impedances of ground-return circuits. The first part of the paper deals with some experiments which were performed to establish an experimental background for the testing of theoretical ideas. Different theories, one involving an ``equivalent ground-plane,´´ a second a d-c. distribution in the earth, and a third an a-c. distribution in the earth, are discussed in the light of the experimental results. While none of these is adequate to explain all the observed phenomena, each has a field in which it can be made useful. The second part of the paper is devoted to a description of practical means for predetermining the mutual impedances of power and telephone lines. This involves an experimental determination of a curve of mutual impedance as a function of separation in the region of the proposed exposure and the calculation of the over-all mutual impedance between the proposed lines from this curve and the dimensions of the exposure. The results of trials of this method in two locations are given which indicate that it should be of sufficient accuracy for engineering purposes.