Calculation of transmission line impedances using the ANSYS finite element program

Numerical techniques for calculating the capacitance of an arbitrary two conductor structure are discussed. For two dimensional structures the capacitance per unit length can be easily related to the characteristic impedance of a transmission line with the same cross section. Note that this is true for lines operated below their cut off frequency, i.e., TEM mode only. Thus, one can compute the impedance of an arbitrarily shaped line. The method using the ANSYS finite element program is being used to design the high voltage transmission line for the Yale streamer chamber. This line has a transition piece between two different cross sections. It is being modeled by taking several slices throughout the transition region.