TRAINING

Lightning Studies

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Background

BACKGROUND:

Lightning induced over voltage can be a result of a direct strike to a

phase conductor (shielding failure) or due to back flashover resulting
from a lightning strike on a shielding (ground wire) wire. Both events
would cause transient voltage escalations at the terminals of station
equipment. The study will identify the severity of such transients. It
will also identify the required rating and location of surge arresters to
ensure that such over voltages do not exceed the insulation strength
of the main equipment.

A lightning overvoltage study requires the detailed modeling of the

substation equipment (including natural or stray capacitance of
equipment), the station bus bars, and a few spans of the adjacent
transmission towers.

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Background

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

 Lightning Studies

Direct strike on a phase

conductor:
Vt Vsys > gap flashover voltage?
This is due to smaller lightning
strokes that escape the shielding. Vt = f(Ix,Zt,Zg)
Typically, the magnitude of the
lightning current surge is in the 8 kA
12 kA peak.

Back Flash over:

Lightning strikes (surge current) the
ground wires. The current discharges
to ground through the tower and the
tower footing resistance. The
resulting potential rise of the tower
stresses the line insulation. If the
voltage stress exceeds thresholds,
flash over happens.

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Lightning Studies

Why perform Lightning studies?

How often will a line flashover per year?

Do we need Transmission Line Surge Arresters (TLSAs)?

At the end of the line, what overvoltage levels are

experienced by the station equipment?

How to choose an adequate surge arrester and where

should it be located?

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

 Lightning Studies

PSCAD Model Developments

Impulse magnitude and the shape Lightning

can be set by multiple run. Impulse Station ground resistance
616.5 [ohm]

616.5 [ohm]

10 [ohm]

10 [ohm]
Mid-span representation (Total span length = 188 m)

Line surge impedance 188 m 188 m 188 m 94 m 94 m 60 m

for line termination G1 G1 G1 G1

Phase C G2 C G2 C G2 C G2 C
Voltage T5_T6 T5_T6 T3_T4 T3_T4 T2_T3 T2_T3 T1_T2b T1_T2b T1_T2a T1_T2a T1_G T1_G Eentrance
phase B B B B B
530.6 [ohm] T5_T6 T3_T4 T2_T3 T1_T2b T1_T2a T1_G
Mag Generator A A A A A
418.0 530.6 [ohm]
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
= 380*1.1 530.6 [ohm]

Source to represent power BRKs BRKs BRKs BRKs

frequency bias Represents the last 'gantry
Tower 4 Tower 3 Tower 2 Tower 1
section'.

GIS representation

BUST771
40 m

Power Transformer
ETF

0.2 2[uH] 2.6[nF]

300[pF]
Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.
Lightning Studies

How do we represent the lightning stroke in a simulation study:

Typically modeled as an injection of a current impulse.

Impulse magnitude will impact the over voltage experiences at station
transformers and other equipment.
Impulse rise time (di/dt) will impact the over voltage impressed at
station transformers and other equipment.

Thus, it is important to judiciously select the impulse parameters for the

study.
- IEEE and CIGRE guidelines

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Lightning Studies

How do we represent the lightning stroke

Lightning
in a simulation study: Impulse

Direct strike 8 -15 kA peak impulse current Impulse

magnitude and
Strike on ground wires- 80kA 200 kA the shape can be

- 200 kA is considered highly unlikely.

In a study, the Lightning impulse is modelled as
a current source with a typical wave shape.

1 Sky1
Sky2
A 1
B
C
A
T1_T2 B
C T1_G

For direct stroke and back flashover, the peak

current is estimated based on guidelines
provided in IEEE/CIGRE documents.

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Lightning Studies

How do we represent the lines and towers:

Typically only a few tower spans needs to be included in a lightning

over voltage study model
- The tower sections are represented as traveling wave line sections
(surge impedance based on tower type 150 Ohms for 380 kV
typical)
- Tower spans modeled based on tower/conductor geometry/data.
- Insulators represented by an equivalent capacitance
- Tower footing resistance is a important parameter for the study
- Sensitivity check for 5 Ohm 25 Ohm typical.

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

 Lightning Studies

How do we represent the lines and towers:

Sky1 Sky2

INSULATOR CAPACITANCE 400 [mohm] 400 [mohm]

0.476 [pF] uF

Vstring_1 Vstring_4
Note: Back flashover is modeled by
closing the (fictitious) circuit breaker

BRK4
BRK1
0.476 [pF]

0.476 [pF]
Ain Vline_1 Vline_4 A2in
when the voltage across the insulator
Vstring_2 Vstring_5
crosses a threshold.
Lightning
BRK5
BRK2

Impulse
0.476 [pF]

0.476 [pF]

Impulse
magnitude and
the shape can be

Bin Vline_2 Vline_5 B2in

Vstring_3 Vstring_6
BRK6
BRK3

1 1 Sky1 1 1 Sky1
0.476 [pF]

0.476 [pF]

Sky2 Sky2 1
1082 [ohm]
A A 1 1082 [ohm]
T
T2_T3 B B
T
C T1_T2
C
A A
T2_T3 T2_T3 B T1_T2 T1_T2 B T1_G
T1_G T
Cin Vline_3 Vline_6 C2in C C T1_G

Represents the last 'gantry section'.

T Zsurge = 150 , = 3.448 x10-

3 s/m
T4

Line model to represent tower vertical section

Rfoot = 3 20
C-ins = 0.476pF

Tower spans
This should be a variable study parameter
Rft

(through multiple run / variable resistor)

+

Tower Representation

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Lightning Studies

How do we represent the lines and towers:

1
1082
1082
T
300 T5_T6
300
300
T5_T6
300
300
300
Ph
0.00001

Ph
F

60.0
Note: After about 5 spans, the rest of the
V

420.0
line is represented by a resistance
approximately equal to the surge
impedance of the conductors (phase and
ground).

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Lightning Studies

Volt-Time Method: Lead Progression Method:

If the voltage across the Back flashover occurs when a
insulator exceeds the insulator leader propagating from one
voltage withstand capability, electrode reaches the other, or
back flashover occurs (simulated when leaders propagating from
by closing the parallel switch). both electrodes meet in the
middle of the air gap.
Breakdown of air as an insulator dl v(t )
is mostly a function of k v(t ) E0
environmental conditions, in dt dG l
addition to the fast-front voltage
build-up.

An expression for the insulator

voltage withstand capability:

K2
Vf0 = K1 +
t 0.75

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Lightning Studies

Station and equipment representation:

a1

EARTHING SWITCH
25 [pF]

25 [pF] a2

25 [pF]

DISCONNECTOR
T T T

DISCONNECTOR
D28R D28Y D28B
T T T
D30R D30Y D30B

T
CB10R
T
CB10Y
T
CB10B

25 [pF]

25 [pF]

25 [pF]

25 [pF]

25 [pF]

25 [pF]
BREAKER

OPEN DISCONNECTOR
2.4 [pF]

2.4 [pF]

2.4 [pF]
EARTHING SWITCH EARTHING SWITCH

b1

Station model top level view Station model Model details

Sub station buses and equipment should be represented in a manner

suitable for this high frequency phenomena
- Bus sections represented by traveling wave line models
- Equipment represented by respective stray/bushing
capacitances
- Typical values available in IEEE publications.

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Lightning Studies

Station and equipment representation:

Sub station buses and equipment should be represented in a manner

suitable for this high frequency phenomena
- Transformer represented by respective stray/bushing capacitances
- Surge Arrester V-I characteristics and lead inductances

x
0.2

ETF
MOV
300[pF]
2[uH] 2.6[nF]

Power
Transformer

Alternative representation of station

transformer

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Lightning Studies

Study Outcomes:

Critical Backflashover Current.

Surge arresters location and energy capability.

Transient induced overvoltage at the transformer and other

major equipment.

Adequacy of tower design (i.e. clearance, grounding, etc.)

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

Lightning Studies

PSCAD Simulation Example

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.

 Thank you

Manitoba HVDC Research Centre | a division of Manitoba Hydro International Ltd.