2011The International Conference on Advanced Power System Automation and Protection

A Novel Scheme for Identification of Lightning Stroke and Fault in EHV

Transmission Lines

WANG ShiYong, DONG XinZhou

State Key Laboratory on Power System, Dept of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China;

Abstract: Identification of lighting stroke and fault is a key technology for travelling wave based protection because
stroke maybe cause maloperation of protection. This paper analyzed the characters of current travelling waves induced by
lightning stroke or fault in frequency domain and time domain. Energy coefficient is proposed to discriminate the lighting
without fault from normal fault, and a waveform characteristic is proposed to discriminate a lightning stoke without fault and
lightning stroke with fault. A novel scheme based on energy ratio and waveform characteristic is put forward to resolve the
impact of travelling waves induced by lightning stroke. The simulation results from Alternative Transient Program (ATP)
validate the feasibility and reliability of this scheme.

Keywords:lightning stroke, EHV transmission line, travelling wave based protection, analysis of frequency spectrum

indirect lightning stroke and direct lightning stoke.

1 Introduction
Travelling waves based protection has ultra operation speed
and is immune to high path resistance, power swing and
capacitive current. It is the ideal protection of EHV
transmission line. However, travelling wave based
protection has not been put into engineering application.
One of the key problems is travelling wave based protection
is susceptible to disturbance waves such as travelling wave
induced by lightning stroke, circuit operation and so on. It is
necessary for travelling wave based protection to
identification the lightning stroke and normal fault [1-3].
Many scholars have devoted themselves into finding the
solution of this problem and some useful solutions [4-5] have
been put forward. However, these solutions have not
resolved the problem thoroughly and the scheme is invalid
in some situations. This paper analyzes the characteristics of
current travelling waves in frequency domain and in time
domain to identify lightning stroke and normal fault, and a
novel scheme for identification lightning stroke (SILS) is
proposed. A 750kV transmission line system is constructed
in Alternative Transient Program (ATP) to study validity of
the scheme. Many simulation results have verified the
feasibility and reliability of this scheme.
Lightning stoke usually inject a large current into
transmission line and cause dangerous high over-voltage.
When lightning stroke causes a fault on transmission line
the travelling wave based protection should trip the circuit
and isolate the fault immediately. Otherwise, the travelling
wave based protection should not maloperation. Therefore,
travelling wave based protection must discriminate three
situations: lightning stroke with fault, lightning stoke
without fault and normal fault.
2. 1 Characteristics analysis in frequency domain
In order to identify the lightning stroke and normal fault,
we analyze the characteristics of current travelling wave
caused by lightning stroke and normal fault in frequency
domain firstly.
Influenced by many factors such as climate, environment,
and position and so on, the magnitude and waveform of
lightning currents are random. However, some
measurements demonstrate that lightning current can be
described by a double exponent function.
t t
=
i 10 (e Ii - e TZ), O�t<oo (1)

Where T1 and T2 is the time constants of front time and

2 Characteristics analysis of lightning stroke or time to halt value of lightning stoke, 10 is the magnitude of
normal fault lightning current. The normal lightning waveform defined
by lEe is shown in Figure 1.

Lightning stroke can be classified into two categories:

·Corresponding author (email:wsy00158@sina.com.cn) APAP2011 www.apap2011.org

978-1-4244-9621-1111/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE

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diagram with data windows of 3 ms.

� 15 5 ,-------�--.

110
----��
5
u
5 1�------T2----
00 10 20Time(us)30 40 50
�ia

_10 L-------�---L--�L---�
Figure 1 lEe normal lightning current o 5 10 15 20
Time(ms)
Where T 1 is 1. 21ls and T2 is 5OilS. This paper will use the Figure 3 (a) Fault current travelling waves of 20ms
IEC normal lightning waveform as the research object. 5
When lightning stroke happens, the lightning current
waves maybe result in a fault on the transmission line � 0
..
I'
sometimes. The travelling wave based protection should c
Q)
...
r V
give a trip signal immediately. However, sometimes the 5 -5
lightning current waves is only a disturbance wave, the (.) �ia
travelling wave based protection should not maloperation.
-10
So travelling wave protection must identify three situations: o 1.5 2 2.5 3
1) lightning stoke with a fault Time(ms)
2) lightning stoke without a fault Figure 3 (b) Fault current travelling waves oOms
3) normal fault Figure 3 Fault current travelling waves induced by lightning stroke
As shown in Figure 2, a 750kV transmission system is
adopted as research object.

L M N S
Line 2 Line 1
@1 Line 3 I�
I, i �
Line 5
Source 1 Source 2
F, 750kV
-

750kV 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000

Frequency(Hz)
Figure 2 750kV transmission line system equivalent circuit
Figure 4 Frequency spectrum of i.
The equivalent impedances of source 1 are: It must be pointed out that the research data window of
ZI =2. 11+j56. 4 Q, Zo=28. 16+j134. 46 Q. this paper starts at moment of initial current travelling wave
The equivalent impedances of source 2 are:
reach the RI and the following 2ms. Figure 4 is the
ZI =0. 816+j23. 6 Q, Zo=11. 68+j40. 27 Q.
Line parameters are, Frequency spectrum of fault current travelling wave ia with
Line modal: 2ms data window. It can be got that the magnitude of
Lm=0. 8531mHlkm, Cm=0. 01369�FIkm, Rm=0. 0127 Q Ikm. frequency spectrum from 0 Hz to 10 kHz is in the same
Zero modal:
order.
Lm=2.6738mH/km, Cm=0. 0093�F/km, Rm=0.2729 Q Ikm.
Where line 1 is 400km, line 2 and line 3 are 320 km, line B. Normal Fault
4 and line 5 are 380km. RI is the measure point of travelling
wave based protection. According to superimposed theory, the fault current
A. Lightning stroke without fault travelling wave is originated from a power frequency
voltage source.
Phase-modal transform is often applied to decouple
three-phase systems. Karenbauer transform based e
phase-modal transformation is adopted in this paper[71• i(t) = -..Lsin( wet - to) + qJFl)
Figure 3(a) is the modal fault current travelling waves ia Zc (2)
corresponding to a lightning stroke in line 1 with lightning = II sine wet - to) + qJFI) t � to
stroke distance is 200km. Time zero represents the moment
of lightning stroke. And tl represents the moment of initial Where ej is the amplitude of the superimposed voltage
fault travelling wave reach to RI . Figure 3(b) is enlarged source, ipPI is the fault inception angle. And to is the moment
of fault occurs. Zc is the surge impedance of transmission

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line. normal fault.

Figure 5(a) is the modal fault current travelling waves ia
corresponding to a phase A grounding fault in line 1 with
fault distance is 200lan. Figure 5(b) is enlarged diagram
with data windows of 3 ms. Where tl represents the moment
of initial fault travelling wave reach to RI .
5 ,-------�--�--,---__.
C. lightning fault with fault
However, SILS must also identify the situation of
lightning stroke with a fault induced by the lightning stoke.
As to lightning stroke, fault current travelling waves
include two components: lightning current travelling wave
induced by lightning stroke and fault current traveling
waves originated by fault superimposed voltage source.
Fault current travelling waves can be simply expressed as
equation (3).
t t

i(t) = 10 (e Ii -e T2 )&(t) (3)

-10 L-------�--�--��-
o 5 10 15 20
+ I] sin( w(t - to) + rpFl)&(t - to)
Time(ms)
Figure 5(a) Fault current travelling waves of20ms The first component on the right-hand side in expression
(3) is lightning currents induced by lightning stroke and the
0 second component is fault currents originated by fault
�
�

+-ia superimposed source. Theoretically, the frequency spectrum

c: ioooo-
-

characteristic of fault current travelling waves depends on

� -2
the proportion 10 and II .
�
u

2
� When 10 is not significantly bigger than I], the
characteristic of frequency spectrum is similar to normal
1.5 2.5 3
fault. And the energy coefficient A is more than 25. Figure 7
Time(ms)
is the modal current travelling waves ia in the situation of a
Figure 5(b) Fault current travelling waves of 3ms
lightning stroke with a fault in phase A on line 1. Figure 8 is
Figure 5 Fault current travelling waves for normal fault corresponding frequency spectrum. In addition, 10 is 10kA,
II is 3. 5kA. Energy coefficient A is more than 25.
5 ,---�-.--�-----.

� 0
c:
-

CI)
"-
"-
� -5
U +-ia
o
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 -10
Frequency(Hz) 0 0.5 tl 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Time(ms)
Figure 6 Frequency spectrum of i.
Figure 7 Fault current travelling waves
Figure 6 is the Frequency spectrum of fault current
travelling wave ia with 2ms data window. It can be got that
the magnitude of frequency spectrum from 0 Hz to 10 kHz
CI)
"0
is not in the same order. From Figure 6 and Figure 4, it is :::l
obvious that characteristics of frequency spectrum can be � 0.5
Cl
used to discriminate lightning without fault from normal nI
:::i:
fault. Define Eo as the frequency spectrum of direct current
component of fault current travelling wave. The frequency o I�., m.��..u...� ��
o
______

band (}-10kHz is divided into 20 region, and every region is 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000
Frequency(Hz)
500Hz. El, E2, . . . ,E20 is represents the fault current
Figure 8 Frequency spectrum of fault current travelling waves
travelling waves energy in frequency of 500Hz,1000Hz, . . . ,
10000Hz respectively. And defme a energy coefficient However, When 10 is significantly bigger than I], the
A , where characteristic of frequency spectrum of fault current is
similar to lightning without fault. And the energy coefficient
max(EO' Ep- , E20 )
=
A A is no more than 5. Figure 9 is the modal current travelling
. .

(2)
min(Eo' E1, , E20 )
• • •
waves ia in the situation of a lightning stroke with a fault in
phase A on line 1. Figure lOis corresponding frequency
As to lightning stroke without fault, energy coefficient A
spectrum. In addition, 10 is 30kA, II is lkA. The Energy
usually is less than 5. However, energy coefficient A is
coefficient A is less than 5. So Energy coefficient A cannot
usually more than 25 for normal fault. Energy coefficient A
can be utilized to discriminate lightning without fault from discriminate lightning stroke with fault and lightning stroke

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without fault effectively. Figure 11.

5 ,---�,---�--�-----.

-5
�
1
:::l
-10

() -15
Wavelet transform and maxima modulus
-2 0 of wavelet MMI.,MMlp,MMl
r

-----'
-2 5 '-----
-- -,- .� --!t---�----,- .� ----2�---,- 2 .� -- 3
0 05 1 15 5 Analysis of frequency spectrum of max
Time(ms) modal current travelling wave ia"" mO(I,,/

Figure 9 Fault current travelling waves

y

:::::=--'-----+l Normal fault

Q)
'0
:::l
N
:g 0.5
Cl
'"
==
Result A:Enter subsequent
fault process program

2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 Result B:Quit fault

Frequency(Hz) process program
Figure 10 Frequency spectrum of fault current travelling waves

Figure 11 Flow Chart of SILS

2.2 Characteristics Analysis in time domain

In order to discriminate lightning stroke with fault and 1) Calculate the fault current travelling waves
lightning stroke without fault effectively, Characteristics of =
l1imCn) imCn) - 2imCn - N) + imCn - 2N) (4)
fault current in time domain will be discussed in this section.
Where im(n) is the sample current, N is number of
Figure 3 (b) is modal fault current travelling waves ia in the sample point in one power frequency period. Subscript m
situation of lightning stroke without fault. Define N I is the represents phase a, b and c respectively.

number of sample point which absolute magnitude is bigger 2) Phase-modal transform

rii:al ±[ O][l1l1�iab]
than zero. Nz is the number of sample point which absolute Karenbauer transformation is utilized in the paper to

magnitude is equal zero. In Figure 3(b), it is the fault de-couple a three-phase current to three line-modal current.

current in the situation of lighting stroke without fault. Nz is 1 -1

bigger than N1• However, as to fault current of lightning = -1 0 1 (5)
stroke with fault showed in Figure 7, Nl is bigger than Nz. 0 1 -1 I1lC
1
r
This characteristic in time domain can be used to
3) Wavelet transform lSI
discriminate lightning stroke with fault from lightning
Three line-modal current travelling waves are
stroke without fault. It should be emphasized that this
transformed by dyadic wavelet transform and maxima
characteristic is immune to the proportion of magnitude of
modulus of wavelet MMIa, MMIpand MMIy of initial
lightning current and magnitude fault current.
travelling wave wave-front are got.
3 Scheme of identification lightning stroke In addition, the modal fault current traveling wave which
has max absolute magnitude among MMIa, MMIpand MMIy
Synthesizing the characteristics of lightning current and is utilized to construct SILS.
fault current in time domain and frequency domain, scheme 4) Analysis of characteristics in frequency domain and
of identification lightning stroke can be got. The flow chart time domain
of scheme of identification lightning stroke is showed in Digital Fourier transform is done to get the frequency

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spectrum of the modal fault current traveling wave. A 3.19 266 758 Result B
M

i(k) Li(n)*exp[-j* 2lZ'*(k -I)*(n -1)/ M]

= (6) 1.2/50l-ls B 21.2 821 203 Result A

n=1
C 2.90 286 738 Result B
Where k represents the frequency point, N is the discrete
A 2.90 266 758 Result B
data point in 2ms data window. Sample rate is 500kHz and
N is 1000 in this paper. n represents discrete sample point of 2.5/50l-ls B 21.3 851 173 Result A

current. Energy coefficient A can be calculated according to C 2.89 306 718 Result B

equation (2). MeanwhileNI andNz is calculated according A 4.38 216 808 Result B
to equation (7).
10/I00I-lS B 28.13 891 133 Result A
i(n)-t53 > 0 (7)
C 4.48 366 658 Result B
Where 03 is the setting of modal fault current which is
utilized to judge whether the current i(n) is zero. 03 should Table 2 Simulations results of normal fault

take into account the error of measure device and Fault type 6 Nl N2 SILS

calculation.
Rg=300n,$a= - 80°,ABG 91.5 900 124 Result A
5) Procedure of logic judgment
Rg=O.1n,$a= - 80°,AG 63.7 890 134 Result A
A) If energy coefficient A smaller than OJ, it is judged as
lighting stroke without fault. Algorithm quit the fault Rg=O.1n ,$a= - 80°,ABC 62.00 926 98 Result A

process program. If energy coefficient A is bigger than oz, it

is judged as normal fault. Algorithm enters into the
subsequent fault process program.
B) If numbers of none zero sample point NI is bigger
than numbers of zero sample point Nz, it is judged as
lightning stroke with fault. Algorithm enters into the
subsequent fault process program. IfNI is no bigger thanNz,
it is judged as lightning stroke without fault. Algorithm quit
the fault process program.
4 Simulation and discussion
750kV transmission line system is
Alternative Transient Program (ATP). And three different
5 Conclusion
Based on characteristic analysis of modal fault current
travelling waves in frequency domain and time domain, this
paper proposed a novel scheme of identification lightning
stroke. Theoretic analysis and simulation results in ATP
verify the feasibility and reliability of SILS. SILS can
discriminate the lightning stroke without fault from
lightning stoke with fault and normal fault effectively. SILS
can promote the reliability of travelling wave based
protection significantly.
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of
China (Grant Nos. 50937003 and Grant Nos. 51007045), The Foundation of
constructed in State Key Lab on Power System (Grant Nos. SKLD09M04), the National
Natural Science Foundation of Beijing (Grant Nos. 3102017) and National
Key Technology R&D Program (Grant Nos. 2006BAJ16B02)

lightning current models are adopted in this paper. The

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