Power Relations on a general (lossy)Transmission Line

The total voltage and current (i.e. combination of forward and backward) on a
lossy transmission line are written as,

V ( z ) = V + ( eg z + G L e - g z ) ,
V + gz
I ( z) =
e - G L e -g z )
(
Z0
The combination of both forward and backward waves represents the
standing wave on the line, and the total (real and reactive) power
contained by the total wave is,
*
+

1
1 + g z
V
*
-g z
gz
-g z
Pave = Re {Vz I z } = Re V ( e + G L e ) ( e - G L e )
2
2
Z0

Steps include the following,

VI =
*

jq G - (a + j b ) z
(a + j b ) z
e
+
G
e
e

L
2

+ 2

(e

(a - j b ) z

- G L e - jqG e - (a - j b ) z

Z 0*

+ 2

Z0

{(

VI =
*

VI * =

Re {VI

}=

) }

e 2a z + G L e j (qG -2 b z ) - G L e - j (qG -2 b z ) - G L e -2a z e jq z

V+

Z0
+ 2

+ 2

{(

Z0

{(

) }

e 2a z - G L e-2a z e jq z +
2

{(

) }

e 2a z + j 2 G L sin(q G - 2b z ) - G L e -2a z e jq z

) }

V+
Z0

{ j2 G
+ 2

sin(q G - 2b z )} e jq z

Re e - G L e
e
+
Re ( j 2 G L sin(q G - 2b z ) ) e jq z
Z0
2 Z0
1444442444443
1444444
24444443
2a z

-2a z

jq z

1
+ 2

{(

) }

+ 2

V
V
2 -2a z
1
*
2a z
jq z
Pave = Re (VI ) =
Re e - G L e
e
+
Re ( j 2 G L sin(q G - 2 b z ) ) e jq z
2 Z0
2
2 Z0
1444442444443 144444424444443
part 1

part 2

In the above expression part 1 is the real power, which is propagating

along the line and part 2 is the reactive power, which is stored along the
line.
Real Average Power: i.e. flow of energy along the line.

Preal ( ave )

+ 2

2 Z0

{(

e 2a z - G L e -2a z
2

)} cosq

Z0

Reactive Average Power: i.e. stored energy along the line that happens
only when Z0 is complex.
Preactive ( ave ) =

V+

2 Z0

Re

{( j 2 G

sin(q G - 2 b z ) ) e jq z = -

V+
Z0

{( G

sin(q G - 2 b z ) ) sin q Z0

For lossless line

For a lossless transmission line Z0 is real therefore, Z0 is zero and
=0, then the power relations are deduced as,

Preal ( ave ) =

+ 2

2 Z0

1- GL

),

Which is independent of the length, since Z0 is real and constant all along the
line under lossless condition.

Preactive( ave ) = 0 .

Alternate method to calculate the real (propagating) power only:

The real propagating power contained by the forward and backward
propagating waves is calculated separately by superposition, then they are
added together to have the total propagating component power on the
line as shown below,
For forward-propagating wave, the voltage and current and power are written
as follows:

V + ( z ) = V + eg z ,
V + gz
I ( z) =
e ,
Z0
+

+ 2

V
1
+ +*
P ( z ) = Re {V I } =
e 2a z cos(q z 0 )
2
2 Z0
+

Similarly, for backward-propagating wave,

V - ( z ) = V + G L eg z ,
V+
I ( z) = G L eg z ,
Z0
-

1
P - ( z ) = Re {V - I -*} = 2

+ 2

GL

2 Z0

e -2a z cos(q z 0 )

Total propagating power on the line

Pave = P + ( z ) + P - ( z ) =

V+

2 Z0

e 2a z - G L e -2a z cos(q z 0 )
2

Further, for a lossless transmission line Z0 is real therefore, Z0 is zero,

and =0, then the power relation becomes,

Pave = P + ( z ) + P - ( z ) =

V+

2 Z0

1- GL