Question on the differentiation between a Network line from Radial

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EverGreen1231
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I have been told that if the line connects breaker to breaker, it is considered to be radial; but, this doesn't make sense to me. If a line is connected by two feeders then there would be two sources of power, hence "Radial". I'm not sure if I'm missing some minute detail that makes the whole issue clear itself, or if I'm simply being overly dense. Admittedly, circuit diagrams have always given me pause, even after having spent enough hours studying them to make a preacher cuss.

Again, I'm not sure that I'm not trying to get to my thumb through my elbow.

I have attached an image of what I'm talking about.
 
Attachments
  • Four single-line diagrams of power distribution feeders: two networked layouts with interconnected feeders and distribution transformers, and a radial layout with a feeder from each end supplying a single line. Labels read Feeder from 1st Transmission Station and Feeder from 2nd transmission station.
    questiononpowersystems.jpg
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Discussion

The feed is radial if there is only one path for power to flow from sources to the load.

One path at a time. The U shaped schematic shown in your attachment could feed from two directions if all switches and breakers were closed, but it is operated such that some switch or breaker is open always so that the U becomes two radial feeds.

The opposite of radial is mesh. Think of the crisscross grid of copper window screen.
 
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