2014 International Conference on Lightning Protection (ICLP), Shanghai, China

Analysis of current distribution among long-flashover

arresters for 10 kV overhead line protection against
direct lightning strikes
D.O. Belko1, G.V. Podporkin2
Streamer Electric Company,
Saint-Petersburg, Russia
1
[email protected] [email protected]

Abstract — The paper presents ATP-EMTP software simulation

of a direct lightning strike (DLS) into the one phase conductor of
10 kV overhead line (OHL). The model takes into account the
influence of induced overvoltages (IOV) from the lightning
leader. There have been obtained distributions of surge current
among modular long-flashover arresters (LFA-M) mounted on
the poles depending on the lightning strike location and pole
footing resistance. The three principal types of impulses flowing
through the arresters of each phase have been revealed. It has
been discovered that a current impulse shape at arresters can
greatly differ from that of lightning.

Keywords: direct lightning strike; induced overvoltage;

lightning protection; current through the arresters; 10 kV
distribution line.

I. INTRODUCTION Figure 2. Arrangement of LFA-Ms on poles near substation for protection

against DLS
6-10 kV overhead distribution lines (OHLs) are exposed to
frequent lightning strikes that can cause short circuits and Voltage-time curve (VTC) of a LFA-M lies lower than the
tripping of the line. Traditionally, in order to protect lines of one of an insulator (e.g, ShF20 being used in Russia), that is
110 kV and higher against direct lightning strikes (DLS), why upon lightning strike into the phase conductor the arrester
overhead shielding wires are applied. However, in case of 6-35 flashes over earlier and undertakes the whole surge effect, thus
kV lines, this method is not used, as a rule, since upon protecting the insulator. After establishment of the impulse arc
lightning strike into the conductor the back-flashover occurs and passage of the short circuit follow current, the arc will be
due to low strength of air insulation [1]. In order to ensure the quenched upon the first current zero crossing, thus protecting
required lighting protection, it is possible to use shielding wires the line from tripping.
jointly with nonlinear surge arresters [2], but the cost of such
technical solution is rather high. To ensure the high-quality protection, it is required to
mount a LFA-M on each phase of each pole (Fig. 2).
For protection of 10 kV OHLs against DLSs, modular long-
flashover arresters (LFA-M) shown in Fig. 1 can be The objective of the analysis is the search of adequate
recommended [3, 4]. actions in order to test arresters for quenching (breaking
capability). After lightning strike into the conductor, the
current passes along the line being distributed per phases and
poles unevenly. At that, the impulse shape (front time and time
to half-value) of the current passing through the arresters
differs from the lightning current impulse shape.
II. DESIGN MODEL DESCRIPTION
As a calculation tool for the current distribution analysis,
ATP-EMTP (Electromagnetic Transients Program) software
package was used. The advantages of ATP-EMTP are its
reputation, friendliness and powerful capabilities. It provides a
possibility of assembling calculation models on the basis of
programming of totally new elements and modules that
Figure 1. LFA-Ms on 10 kV OHL allowed considering the arresters' VTCs required for the
lightning overvoltage analysis and statistical data of lightning the conductor of one phase. At the same location, the
impulse parameters. neighboring conductors are supplemented with branches with
surge voltage sources imitating induced overvoltages. The
The design models are shown in Fig. 3. The study covers study does not consider a three-phase sinusoidal voltage
the DLS cases off (a) and near (b) the substation. The model supply, since it will have little effect on the results upon direct
represents a series connection of three-phase line's integral lightning strike. At the ends of line 400 Ω active resistances
units with pole branches and LFA-M arresters mounted on equal to the surge impedance are added, in order to exclude
each phase. The lightning, represented as a source of surge impact of the reflected surges. The length of the whole line is
current and the lightning channel surge impedance, strikes into 10 km.

Figure 3. Design model of 10 kV OHL in ATP-EMTP

(a) in case of off-substation lightning strike;
(b) in case of near-substation lightning strike
 The study covers two cases of lightning strike into the
conductor: in the middle of the span and close to the pole
(point of fixation of the conductor to the insulator). Since the
height of conductors suspension at 10 kV line is h=9÷10 m and
the span length is l=70 m, then the probability of lightning
strike close to the pole can be estimated as P≈4∙h/l≈0.5 [5];
therefore, these cases are equally probable and require the same
attention.
The design model includes the following elements:
A. 10 kV OHL module
Design module LCC (Line/Cable Component), inserted in
ATP-EMTP, represents a model of a long-distance line; the
line parameters will be set by means of location of conductors
relatively to the ground and to each other. The following values
were applied in the study:
Figure 4. Current and voltage oscillograms when testing a LFA-M for
 JMarti model type that is the best for transient quenching capability
processes upon impulse actions [6].
 Span length is 70 m. enough for LFA-M discharge, but not too high to bring high
current from the supply to the neighboring phases. The selected
 Ground resistivity is 100 Ω∙m. value was 100 kV with impulse shape of 1.2/4 µs [9]. The
voltage supply also represents surge voltage with Heidler form
 Conductor radius is 0.5 cm. and a block for voltage sign change, because IOV values have
 Active resistance per conductor length is 0.3 Ω/km. the opposite lightning current sign.
 Conductors' coordinates as per the pole type. E. Arrester module
The model of arrester represents a connection of a switch
B. Pole
and a nonlinear element with a control programmable unit. As
The study describes the 14 reinforced concrete poles 10 m soon as the difference in potential at the arrester reaches the
high, with horizontal conductor s layout. The distance between voltage as per the voltage-time curve (2), the switch will close
neighboring conductors is 1.2 m. The pole cross-arms and and a current impulse will run from the conductor to the pole
bodies are represented as concentrated inductances calculated through the arrester. The arrester arc resistance has a nonlinear
based on the inductance per unit length 1 µH/m [7]. Footing nature and is set by (3) obtained by means of processing the
resistance (RF) of all poles ranged from 10 to 30 Ω. laboratory testing data from oscilloscope of LFA-M current
C. Lightning source and voltage as R=U/I (Fig. 4).
The current supply generates a current impulse with Heidler
form [8]:
(2)
t – flashover time, µs

(3)
  (1)
I – current through the LFA-M, A.
tf – lightning impulse front time, µs
t50% – lightning impulse time to half-value, µs F. MOV arrester
Im – peak lightning current, A MOV arrester is defined by nonlinear resistance with VTC
n=5 – parameter defining current form steepness. [10]. For the study, a MOV arrester with classification voltage
D. Source of induced voltage surges of 21 kV at the in-phase current component of 1 mA was
chosen.
In case of lightning strike far from the line, the well-known
formula UIOV=28∙I0∙heff /y [1] is not applied for determination of III. CALCULATION RESULTS
induced overvoltages (IOV), since it is resulted in implausibly
Let's review a special case of a DLS with the lightning
high values of overvoltage, up to 5 MV at a distance of 1 m to
current of 40 kA, front time of 6 µs and time to half-value of
the strike point. Had such IOV values existed, that would have
75 µs. The lightnings with parameters not exceeding the above-
caused flashover of the whole insulation of the pole in 110 kV
said ones are registered in 70% of cases [11, 12]. The study has
line upon lightning strike into the cable even at minimum
an assumption that the lightning strikes into the outer conductor
lightning currents, but this does not occur in real situation. The
(phase А).
model used an assumption that the IOV value should be
 TABLE I.
PARAMETERS OF SURGES THROUGH THE ARRESTERS IN CASE OF MID-SPAN
DLS
Im (kA)
RF (Ω) Phase tf / t50% (µs)
Pole 1 Pole 2 Pole 3 Pole 4 Pole 5 Pole 6
16.4 6.3
A — a
— — —
5/43 20/80
-0.6
10 B — — — — —
2/10
-4 4
C — — — —
25/100 25/100
16 4.7
A — — — —
5/33 10/120
-2.4 2.4
20 B — — — —
10/50 10/50
-3.6 1.2 2.4
C — — —
10/50 4/13 10/110
15.8 3.8 3.2 1.4
A — —
5/40 6/50 15/60 30/140
-2.8 2.8
30 B — — — —
12/60 12/60
-4.2 2.1 1.7 2.8
C — —
10/60 4/12 6/15 18/70 Figure 5. Surge currents through LFA-M upon mid-span DLS for RF=20 Ω
a. The arrester did not operate on the pole of this phase.
It should be noted that dangerous cases are those when two
or three arresters on one pole flash over; it can lead to two- or
A. Lightning strike far from substation three-phase short circuits with high fault currents. Other cases
Since the calculation is being made for the lightning strike result in current faults through the poles' footing resistances or
into the middle of the line, then current distributions among the in phase-to-ground faults.
arresters relative to the point of strike are symmetrical. Additionally, a peculiarity of arresters discharge "next
Therefore, the results from one side of the line only can be nearest" is observed, when a flashed over arrester on one phase
reviewed. The poles numbering starts from the point of transfers the potential to this pole, thus reducing voltage
lightning strike. between the pole and the other phases and preventing flashover
of the other arresters.
Table 1. shows the results of calculations of current
distribution in case of a mid-span DLS, i.e.: current peak, front Oscillograms of currents through operated arresters for the
time and time to impulse half-value, non-flashed over arresters mid-span DLS and RF=20 Ω are shown in Fig. 5.
are marked with “—”. Table 2. shows the results of calculations in case of
Traditionally, in lightning protection it is customary to lightning strike into the conductor close to the pole.
calculate an impulse duration as time until the moment of In case of strike in close vicinity to the pole, the situation is
reaching the current equal to half of maximum value of this identical, save that the peak current value ~30 kA is almost
impulse. It is reported that the current surge through the twice higher than in the previous case. This means that the
arresters mounted on phase A of the poles closest to the point closer to the pole the lightning strikes, the larger fraction of
of strike will be shortened in 1.5÷2 times from the impulse current runs out through the nearest arrester. Current
shape of 6/75 µs. Moreover, current peak value here is 16 kA. electromagnetic surge runs to the neighboring pole twice
In arresters of phases В and C of this pole, there occur back- longer; therefore, less current flows down through it than in the
flashovers with currents of 2÷4 kA (negative values in Table case of a mid-span strike. This impulse is 1.5÷2 times
1.) with no significant impulse reduction. Surges in other shortened relative to the reference one. Currents in distant
discharged arresters either have similar duration, or "elongate" arresters also elongate and in general align in values with the
up to 120 µs with front time of 15÷20 µs, but at the same time ones from the case of the mid-span DLS. Oscillograms of
having lower current values of 2÷3 kA. In real situation, full currents through operated arresters for the DLS close to the
impulse duration corresponds to the time of the lightning pole and RF=10 Ω are shown in Fig. 6.
current passage, but due to flowing of current through the poles
and running of its principal part out through the nearest Upon lightning strike with currents higher than 40 kA, the
arrester, the surge "top" in distant arresters is cut off, the picture of currents distribution among arresters is generally the
current drops slower there, thus technically "elongating" the same. Due to operation of large amount of arresters far from
reference lightning current shape. However, within the the strike, currents therein will not exceed 3÷4 kA. For
framework of usual terminology, where an impulse duration is arresters of pole 1, Im at lightning currents in the range of
determined as time of reaching a current value equal to 50% of 30÷100 kA can be evaluated in proportion by means of
the peak one, its "elongation" is observed here. changing values in Table 1 and Table 2 relative to 40 kA
lightning current.
 TABLE II.
PARAMETERS OF SURGES THROUGH THE ARRESTERS IN CASE OF DLS CLOSE
TO THE POLE.

Im (kA)
RF (Ω) Phase tf / t50% (µs)
Pole 1 Pole 2 Pole 3 Pole 4 Pole 5 Pole 6
31.2 6.4
A — a
— — —
5/40 15/130
-6 2.9
10 B — — — —
18/75 15/70
-8.5 2.6 3.2
C — — —
10/55 5/12 25/90
29.7 4.6 4.2
A — — —
5/33 6/150 25/85
-7.5 1.2 2.5 2
20 B — —
8/42 5/20 12/35 30/100
-9.5 2 2.8
C — — —
10/50 5/20 12/80
29 4 3.4
A — — —
5/40 4/170 14/75
-8 1.4 3.2 2.3
30 B — —
12/70 4/12 12/25 25/100
-10.3 2.2 2.3 2.6
C — —
8/60 4/12 5/60 20/85
a. The arrester did not operate on the pole of this phase. Figure 6. Currents through LFA-M upon 40 kA DLS close to the pole for
RF=10 Ω

All impacts received due to 40 kA lightning strike with Therefore, influence of the substation proximity on the
impulse shape of 6/75 µs can be divided into 3 types: current distribution is felt on one side from the point of
lightning strike only. On the opposite side of the line the
a) Shortened impulse: with current peak value of 16 kA correlation with results of the off-substation strike is observed.
(mid-span strike), 30 kA (strike close to the pole) and current This very case determines more dangerous impact;
shape of 5/35 µs. consequently, it must be determinative.
b) Elongated impulse: with peak value of 2÷4 kA
current shape of 15/110 µs. It shall be noted that the current surge distribution in case of
no arresters will have a qualitatively similar picture. Instead of
c) Back-flashover impulse: with peak value of 3÷4 kA arresters discharge, there will occur flashovers of insulators,
(mid-span strike), 7÷9 kA (strike close to the pole) and current which the surge currents of design values and forms are
shape of 10/65 µs. flowing through.
B. Lightning strike near substation IV. CONCLUSION
Design model for this case is distinguished by the presence
(1) The paper presents the results of mathematic simulation
on one side near the substation of surge arresters grounded via
of 10 kV OHL upon direct lightning strike into the phase
0.5 Ω low resistance of the substation. A part of lightning
conductor. There have been obtained surge currents'
current is now flowing out through surge arresters, thus
distributions among arresters mounted on the poles depending
reducing the impact to the arresters from the substation side.
on the point of lightning strike and the footing resistance.
The study includes calculations of lightning strike at different
distances from the substation. As an example, Table 3 contains (2) Thee principal types of impulse actions that can be
the results for the case of DLS into the mid-span between poles recommended for running adequate tests and evaluating
2 and 3. The poles numbering starts from the substation. arresters' operational efficiency have been revealed.
In case of a near-substation DLS, current distributions are  Shortened impulse with maximum current (it can be
asymmetric relative to the point of strike. Table 3 shows that named “main”). It has current peak value of ~40% of
the impulse on the side of substation in the arrester nearest to maximum lightning current upon mid-span DLS and
the strike is being shortened more than on the side of the line, ~75% in case of lightning strike close to the pole. Time
since a part of the current runs to the substation. The current to half-value is 1.5÷2 times less than that of lightning
impulses' shape on the side of the line is generally preserved, as current impulse.
in the case of the off-substation strike. The same can be said
about maximum currents. Poles 4÷7 suffer flashovers by one  Elongated impulse with current peak value of 3÷4 kA
insulator per pole with phase rotation. and time to half-value 1.5 times longer than the
reference one.
 TABLE III.
PARAMETERS OF SURGES THROUGH THE ARRESTERS IN CASE OF MID-SPAN DLS BETWEEN POLES 2 AND 3 NEAR SUBSTATION.
Im (kA)
RF (Ω) Phase tf / t50% (µs)
MOV Pole 1 Pole 2 Pole 3 Pole 4 Pole 5 Pole 6 Pole 7
3.2 4 16.1 16.1 6.5
A — a
— —
50/120 10/170 6/29 6/48 12/75
1.4 -1.5
10 B — — — — — —
20/60 18/70
2.6 2.2 -4 -3.6 4.1
C — — —
20/70 6/20 18/55 25/100 20/100
5.5 5 14.2 15.3 6 2.5
A — —
40/130 8/30 5/33 5/50 8/34 25/130
2.5 -5.2 2.6
20 B — — — — —
25/70 20/75 18/85
4.5 -5.2 -3 3.6
C — — — —
25/70 16/62 16/7 13/55
6.4 3 15 15.2 5.4 3
A — —
35/140 8/40 5/40 5/35 80/200 16/60
4.2 -3.4 -3.4 2.6
30 B — — — —
20/80 18/55 20/50 12/45
5.1 1.7 -4.6 -4.4 -4.7 1.8 2.6
C —
20/80 8/12 18/60 15/40 60/170 80/200 17/70
a. The arrester did not operate on the pole of this phase.

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