Proceedings o f 2005 International Symposium on Electrical Insulating
Materials, June 5-9, 2005, Kitakyushu, Japan
THE EFFECT OF THE SECONDARY LOADS ON THE VOLTAGE SURGES
TRANSFERRED
THROUGH DISTRIBUTION TRANSFORMERS
Mohamed A. Abdallah
Alexandria University - Egypt
abdallahma@hotmail.com
Abstract: Over voltages associated with nearby or
direct lightning discharges on distribution networks
have a great effect on the power quality. The surges
transferred from the primary to the secondary via
transformers should be correctty evaluated having in
mind the protection of the installations and equipment
connected to the low-voltage network. Thus a
transformer model adequate for these catculations
and that can be used in the presence of loads, is
required. In this paper such a model, able to represent
typical three-phase distribution transformers, is
presented. Some measured and calculated
waveforms of voltages transferred through typical
distribution transformers, under different load
conditions, are also shown. Based on comparisons of
the results, the proposed model was validated.
Simulations results are also presented for the case of
direct lightning hits on the primary line of a typical
distribution network, making it possible to evaluate the
effect, on the over voltages, of installing surge
protective devices at different points of the secondary
network. the simulations were performed through the
use of the EMTDC.
1. Introduction
Bearing in mind the ever growing use of electronic
equipment, it is fundamental that the electrical energy
supplied to consumers present acceptable qualities
indexes. Therefore, special attention should be given
to the potection systems aiming at the attenuation of
the disturbances caused by lightning surges. So as to
correctly evaluate the surges transferred to a
secondary network, it is necessary to know the
characteristics of the transients that occur on the
primary line and to adequately represent the
transformer regarding its frequency behavior. The
Occurrence of lightning discharges nearby the
distribution lines results in voltages induced in the
medium voltage network which strikes the primary
terminals of the transformer. The induced voltages are
important in the analysis of the lightning performance
of distribution lines and many investigations have
been conducted on this subject [1-5]. In [q the
voltages transferred to the secondary of a distribution
transformer, under the n d o a d condition, are
calculated considering two different models for the
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transformer: the well-known capacitive PI and the
Vaessen one [7]. The results show significant
differences in relation to both waveforms and
amplitudes of the transferred voltages. This
emphasizes the importance of having an adequate
model for the distribution transformer so as to allow
the analysis of the transferred surges. It is also
necessary to consider the transformer in the under
load condition. In [8, 91, a simple and reliable model to
represent the distribution transformer, under no load
condition, is described. These studies came to a more
advanced state, which enabted the representation of
the transformer in the under-load condition as well
[IO]. A further development was presented in [l I].
The obtained results motivated the continuation of the
research, with the model representation for other
distribution transformers being investigated. Based on
the characteristics of nine distribution transformers, a
generic model ta represent them was obtained [12].
The present work shows results of tests and
simulations considering a three-phase distribution
transformer, 500 kVA, 11 kV/ 380 V, where the load
effect can be observed. Balanced loads connected to
the secondary terminals were considered. In the
simulations, the model proposed in 114 was used to
represent the transformer. Afterwards, by using the
same model with the parameters corresponding to a
30 kVA distribution transformer and a typical
distribution network, the voltages in some points of the
secondary network were determined considering the
occurrence of a direct lightning discharge in the
primary line. In this case, the simulations were
performed through the use of the EMTDC.
2 Transformer model
The development of the model was based on
measurements of the transformer’ s input, output and
transfer impedances and the transfer characteristics
(ratio between the voltages on the secondary and on
the primary windings), as a function of frequency, with
a simple and reliable circuit being obtained. The
methodology and the stages of the development are
described in [II], where a three-phase distribution
transformer, rated 30 kVA, was used as reference
The general applicability of the model was verified
through the use of the same methodology in 500
kVA,11 kV 1 380 V delta-wye connected. As a result, a Figure 2: Measured and calculated transferred
model which represents reasonably well all the voltages. Transformer (500 kVA ) under the n d o a d
transformers considered was obtained and is shown condition
in Figure 1. P --Tcararfoamer

z -- MOdSl

3’
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3 -*
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tu)

Figure 1: Distribution transformer model [II].

Figures 2 and 3 show some measured and calculated

voltages transferred through the 500 kVA transformer
under different load conditions, for thecase of impulse
voltages with the standardized waveform 6 /50 p s)
applied to the W terminals interconnected. Initially,
the measurements were taken in the absence of loads
and then one capacitive and some resistive balanced
loads were considered. The peak values of the
impulse voltages applied were 1.14 kV and 1.15 kV,
depending on the load. The waveform of the applied
impulse was kept unaltered in all applications. As
under the test Conditions the system was linear, the
voltages shown in Figures 2 and 3 were normalized to
100 kV (this value applied to HV terminals of the
transformer instead of 1.14 kV and 1.I 5 kV). The
measured voltages were compared to those
calculated by using the modef presented in Figure 1,
whose parameters referring to the 500 kVA
transformer are shown below:- resistances (k ): 3.0
(R2), 5.0 (R3), 0.35 (R6), 1.5 (R7);- capacitances
(pF): 600 (Cl),1125.76 ((2). 146.13 (C3), 600 (C4),
400 (C5).850 (C7);- inductances (mH): 35 (L2), 15
(L3). 0.0124 (L7). The waveforms of the transferred
voltages present, in general, a damped oscillatory
behavior. For resistive loads, the lower the vafue of
“s L 4
the load impedance, the greater the damping. In the
case of the resistive toad of 10 , for instance, the Cd 1
voltage waveform can be considered practically Figure 3: Measured and calculated transferred
unidirectional. voltages. Transformer 600 kVA ) under different load
conditions. a) 510 b) 50 c) 10 d) 330 pF

A good agreement is observed between the

waveforms of the measured and calculated
transferred voltages. The average difference found on
the peak values was about 5.6 %, which is quite
reasonable. On the other hand, the voltages predicted
by the capacitive PI circuit may reach magnitudes as
high as 20 times geater than the measured ones,
even in the absence of loads.

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3. Application in practical situations
An example of the utilization of the transformer model,
with a typical secondary network Configuration being
considered, is presented here. Besides the
transformer, the most relevant components of the
system, such as arresters, insulators, etc., are
represented in the simulations, which were performed
by using the EMTDC. The case of direct strikes to the
primary line is considered. A lightning current with
triangular waveform, peak value of 45 kA, front time of
2.25 s and time to half value of 80s was adopted. The
basic configuration considered comprises a 10 km
long primary line, with the neutral conductor grounded
every 300 m. The network components were modeled
as described in [ I O ] . The distribution transformer was
located in the middle of the MV line. For the
secondary circuit, the length of 300 m was adopted
(150 m for each side of The transformer), this circuit
being coupled with the MV line, with 1/0 A W G
aluminum conductor. The branches of the consumers
are 30 m long and connected to the secondary line
every 30 m, with the neutral being grounded at the
entrance of the consumers. The striking point is
assumed to be at the right side of the transformer; the
consumers are then identified according to their
position (left or right) and to their distance with respect
to the transformer. The closest consumer is at point 0,
the others at points 1, 2 and so on. As the distance
between them is 30 m and the length of the secondary
line from each side of the transformer is 150 m, the
consumers at the line ends are identified as E5 and
D5. The transformer was threephase. 30 kVA, and
with the following parameters relative to Figure 1:-
resistances (k ): 14 (FE), 0.8 (R3), 1.1 (R6)and 1.62 Tb*ot@b
(R7);- capacitances @F): 493 (Cl), 94.8 (CZ),21.51
(C3), 5 0 (GI) and 759.5 (C7);- inductances (mH): 16
(L2). 1.84 (L3) and 0.05 (L7). Three configurations IC) F
were analyzed concerning the position of the LV surge igure 4: Phase-to-neutral voltages at the entrances of
protection devices (SPDs) connected to the the consumers. Grounding resistance: 300 . Striking
Secondary network: no SPDs; SPDs placed only at point at a distance of 300 m from the transformer LV
the LV terminals of the transformer; SPDs at the LV line without protection. a) close to the transformer b)
terminals of the transformer and at both ends of the consumers of the right side of the transformer c ) ~

secondary (points E5 and D5). Figures 4 and 5
present, respectively, the voltages corresponding to
the first and third situations, for a value of 300 for the
grounding resistance. In both cases the lightning
striking point is at the right side of the transformer, at
a distance of 300 m from it.
consumers of the left side of the transformer
The installation of SPDs causes significant reductions
on the voltages at points close to the transformer. The
voltage on its LV terminals varies from about 20 kV t o
1 .O kV, this value corresponding to the residual
voltage of the SPDs. As for the reduction on the peak
value of the voltage at the entrance of the consumer
closest to the transformer, although smaller it is also
significant: from about 5.0 kV to 1.0 kV. For the
consumers located on the left side of the transformer,
nsar points E l and E, the voltages decrease I 1 %
and 75 %, respectively. For the specific case
considered, no significant effect of the SPDs is
observed on the 3 The effect of the secondary loads

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on the voltage surges voltages at the consumers
located on the right side of the transformer. This may
probably be ascribed to flashovers on the MV and LV
insulators, which greatly complicate the analysis of the
phenomenon.
F+LhSSTOG3€Y3ND YOLTAOE AT WEC4US1Ja-
4 n.1, pp 330339, January 1995.
I
3 [q A. Borghetti e t al, “Calculation of Vo!tages Induced
2 2
$ 9
a on Power Systems Transients (IPST’95), pp. 31 2-316,
4 Lisbon, 1995.
(b)
Figure 5 Phaseto-neutral voltages. Grounding
resistance: 300 . Striking point at a distance of 300 m
from the transformer. SPDs at t h e transformer LV
terminals and at both ends of the LV line.
4. Conclusions
This paper presented some waveforms of voltages
transferred through distribution transformers under
different load conditions. The measured results were
compared with the calculated ones by making use of a
model developed to represent the transformer. A good
agreement was found, thus confirming the validity of
the model. Simulations using the EMTDC were then
perFormed for a typical distribution network and the
voltages transferred to the secondary. with and
without SPDs, for the case of direct discharges into
the primary line, were calculated. In spite of the great
quantity of parameters involved and the variation
ranges d their values, the information presented in
the paper allows one to have an overall idea of the
basic characteristics of the transferred voltages.
5. References
[ I ] A. Piantini and J. M Janiszewski, ”Induced
Voltages on Distribution Lines due to Lightning
Discharges on Nearby Metallic Structures”. /E€E
Tranactions on Magnetics, vol. 34, n 5, pp. 2799-
2802, Sep. 1998.
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[2l A. Piantini and J, M. Janiszewski, ”Analysis of
Three Different Theories for Computation of Induced
Voltages on Distribution Lines Due to Nearby
Lightning”. Procs. of the Int. Conf. on Electricity
Distribution (CIRED Argentina’961, pp. Session 1 /
127-132, Buenos Aires, 1996.
[3] A. Piantini and J. M. Janiszewski. “The Influence of
the Upward Leader on Lightning Induced Voltages”.
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[4] C. A. Nucci, Task Force 33.01.01 of Study
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[5j C. A. Nucci et al. “Comparison of Two Coupling
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[IO] A. Piantini, W. Bassi, J. M. Janiszewski and N M.
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” . Procs. of the Idh Int. Conf. on Electricity
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[I11 A. G. Kanashiro, A Piantini and G. F. Burani, “A
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[I21 A. Piantini and A. G. Kanashiro, “A High
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429-434, Cracow, Sep. 2002