Effect of Altitude on the Audible Noise Level of AC Power lines

The audible noise (AN) induced by corona discharge of AC transmission lines is more severe at high altitudes than at low altitudes; this has become a crucial limiting factor for the structural design of power lines and their environmental impact assessment. To determine the altitude effect and correction of AN level for AC power lines, a corona cage test system was used to measure the acoustic power level of four bundled conductors at five elevations, namely Wuhan (23 m), Tianshui (1100 m), Xining (2261 m), Gonghe (2943 m), and Yangbajain (4300 m). We obtained the AN characteristics for different altitudes, bundle numbers, and subconductor diameters through a statistical analysis of measured data. The analysis and comparison results indicate that the actual AN correction values are slightly less than the Bonneville Power Administration term of 1 dB/300 m at altitudes below 3200 m. Above 3200 m, the difference increases gradually. A correction term 2.85 dB/1000 m is recommended for more accurate evaluation.