Influence of Earthing On

Lightning Overvoltages

Prof G.R.Nagabhushana (Retd.)

Formerly: Professor & Chairman,
AICTE Emeritus Fellow
Department of High Voltage Engineering
Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore 560 012

Basics of Lightning

1.

Lightning is a frequent spectacular natural

phenomena

Lightning

Frequent, spectacular, natural phenomena

Has considerable destructive potential

Electrical discharge from a charged cloud

(thundercloud) to another cloud or to
ground

Discharges within a cloud also occur

Lightning Flash
Minimum one stroke
Average 3 to 5 strokes
Maximum upto 40 strokes.
Current magnitude reduces progressively.

2. Some Basic Characteristics of Lightning Strokes

Cloud potentials very small to 100 MV
Charge in a cloud very small to > 300C
Lightning Flash Has many strokes upto 40
Typically 4 to 5 strokes/Flash
Peak current reduces from that of
first
stroke
Currents in Lightning discharges to ground
Upto 200kA (negative)
Upto 360kA (positive)
Rate of rise Max.:1011A/s (100kA/s)
More than 70% of strokes Negative
Number of strokes/second 2000 to 5000
All over the world

Probable Lightning Flash Density =

NE = (0.1 + 0.35 Sin) (0.4 + 0.20)
= Latitude.
No. of strokes/km2/Thunderstorm day
NG = 0.04 (Td)1.25

Lightning Overvoltage Magnitudes

3. Equivalent Circuit for Lightning

Stroke

Zs
I0 = Z Z . I s
0
s

= Z
0
Zs

~ Is

. Is

Z0
if Zs <<1

Zs 3000

Object

Z0

Tower

100 - 150

OHGW

400

Ph Condr

330 - 400

UHV

LT lines

a) Oscillatory but unidirectional wave;

4. Lightning Current b) Typical waveform Figure below
c) Lab representation- Double exponential
In the field : T1 5 to 15 s;T2 15 to 30 s

5. Lightning Current Magnitudes distribution

95% of strokes 5 kA or more
50% of strokes 3 kA to 40 KA
0.2% of strokes 200 kA
Highest current magnitude = negative :212 kA
positive : 360 kA

6 Effects of Lightning
(i) Strokes to power system components
- generate hazardous overvoltages.
- Back flashover/flashover line insulation insulation
System outage.
- Failure of transformer insulation system outage
severe losses
- Loss of life and property.

(ii) Other effects

- Heating & thermal showers
- Fire hazards including fuel ignition
- Electromechanical forces breakages of components
(any) due to electromechanical forces.
- Severe damages of electronics/electricals due to indirect
due to indirect/direct strokes.
- Loss of life/property.

7. Estimation of overvoltaes (magnitudes &

waveshapes) due to Lightning
Lightning overvoltages are Travelling waves.

V0 Battery Voltage.
Conductor AB

Time t= T0 : Switch closed

Conductor can be horizontal, vertical or any other configuration

Examples : Transmission line conductors & overhead ground wires
nearly Horizontal. (actual shape catenary)
Transmission line Tower Vertical conductors

Refer Figure 1
When switch closes on point A, it (A) rises to potential V0
due to source
For the whole conductor to attain potential V0, it
(conductor) needs to be charged.
Charge flows from source along conductor Current
Flow of current causes magnetic field
Energy WB stored in magnetic field (B=magnetic flux
density)

1
WB
2 0

2
B
dv

allspace

dv elementary volume in space in which magnetic

flux density is B

 As current flows, conductor gets charge to a potential, say,

V and causes an electrical field E.
Electrical Field stores energy (WE)

0
2
WE
E
dv

Z all space
Thus conductor AB can be represented as comprising of
(a) a continuous distribution of inductance along length
and (b) a continuous distribution of capacitance from
every element of conductor to ground.

9. Refer Figure 2

L = Inductance per unit length

C = Capacitance per unit length

If L & C are uniform all along length l, conductor is called

Uniform Transmission Line. Most practical
configurations are Non uniform but often can be treated
as uniform for sake of simplicity and without too much
error.

10

Consider an elementary length x Figure 2

Inductance = L . x
Capacitance = C. x

Apply a voltage V across a Pure inductance L

di
V L.
dt

or

di V

dt
L

current can go to as time goes to !

In case of capacitance C, it draws a current

dv
ic
dt

1
or V idt
c

Even if i is constant, V as t
If i (as in case of L alone) V much

 When L & C are both present as in the case of a

uniform transmission line; equations can be
written for the voltage and current at any point as
a function of time : a steady voltage wave,
magnitude V0 (source voltage) travels from A to B
and is accompanied by a current wave I

11 Thus, successive capacitor elements (each equal to c-x)

get charged through element L- x. The voltage V0 is
seen to travel from A to B taking a finite time.
# Equations can be written for the voltages and currents as
a function of time and distance and solved using
standard techniques.
# It is found that
(a) the voltage V0 and current I0 are related as
L
V0 I 0 .
C
L
C = Z0 = characteristics Impedance of

the line

& (b) velocity of propagation is given by V0

# For aerial lines
a)

b)

Z0

V0

0
376
0

LC

0 0

(400)

3 x10 8 m / s C 0

= velocity of light

1
LC

 It is interesting to see what happens when the traveling

voltage wave reaches the end B. Ref Figure 3

The last capacitance element (cx) charges to V0 (as

before)

 But current I is still flowing in the last inductance element

(L x). This means this element still has an energy :

1
WB ( L.x).I 2
2

This energy has nowhere to go except into the last (C. x)

This means that the voltage across last (c. x) increases
by V by absorption of WB so that I becomes zero
condition :
L
1
1
1
12
2
V

I
V0
(C.x) ( L.x) I
C
2
2
This voltage at B becomes V0 +V0 = 2V0 and current

becomes zero.

 Above explained as
(a) Voltage at B =
Incident Voltage Wave + Reflected Voltage Wave
= Vi + Vr
= V0+ V0 = 2V0
= Vr = V0
(b) Current at B =
Incident Current Wave + Reflected Current Wave
= Ii + Ir = 0
Ir = - Ii

13
When a travelling voltage wave arrives at open end of a
transmission line voltage gets doubled (due to reflection)
This is almost always Not Desirable !

How to prevent such voltage increases ?

14. Case A
Consider that a resistance R0 equal to Z0 is connected to
ground from B. See figure 4.

V0
I0
As soon as voltage wave V0 arrives at B,a current
R0

flows into R0
Voltage remains absolutely stable at V0 as current I0 steady
flows into R0
Matched Termination

Case B
Consider that the point B is solidly connected to earth
Figure 5

The current I0 flowing through the various Lx will now

enter the ground connection
Further, the various charged capacitive elements (Cx) also
discharge into ground
V0
I0
Current = Z 0
* Total current = I0 + I0 = 2I0

 Voltage at B collapses to 0
Incident voltage wave =V0 =Vi
Total Voltage =0
Reflected voltage wave = Vr
Vi + Vr = Total Voltage =0
Vr = -Vi = -V0
For Currents
r (current) = - r (Voltage)

15. General Case - Voltages

Assume that an impedance Z is connected from B to
ground. (Replace Z0 by Z in Figure 4)
Vi = Incident voltage wave V0 (as before)
Vr = Reflected voltage wave at B
= r . Vi = r .V0
Z Z0
where r = Reflection coefficient at B
Z Z
0

Case A : Open circuit at B: Z =

r

Z0
1
Z0

VB = Vi + Vr = V0 + r .V0
= V0 + V0 = 2V0

Case B : Short Circuit at B:

0 Z0
r
1
0 Z0

VB Vi Vr

V0 r .V0
V0 V 0 0

16. General Case - Currents

Open circuit at B
IB = Ii +Ir
= Ii + (- r).Ii , r =1
= I0 I0 =0
Short Circuit at B
IB = Ii + Ir
= I0 + (- r) I0 , r= -1
= I 0 + I 0 = 2 I0

17. Lightning Stroke to Tower Top - Preliminaries

Tower actually a short nonuniform transmission line
Tower top corresponds to points A of fig 1, Lightning
attaches to this point (instead of a battery being switched on
to point A).
Tower foot corresponds to point B of fig1.
Deep earth Ideal ground plane fig 1
Tower Foot to Deep Earth

Tower Footing Resistance, RTF.

Very important

18. Tower Representation

Either : A short equivalent uniform transmission line
of surge impedance ZT
or : An equivalent inductance LT
* We will consider Equivalent Surge Impedance Z T
ZT

Le
Ce

Le & Ce : Equivalent Inductance & Capacitance per unit

length

 Typically ZT - 100 to 150 irrespective of shape & size we

will consider ZT = 100 as an example.
Velocity of propagation along tower, vT
vT

1
Le .C e

Typically : vT = 100m /s to 150m/ s

We will consider vT = 100 m/v as an example

19 Tower Footing Resistance, RTF (very important)

RTF : The resistance encountered from tower foot to

deep earth (considered as zero potential)

Tower Foot: An electrode deemed to be equivalent to the actual
grounding arrangement of the tower.
RTF resistance of the soil mass below tower foot.

RTF depends on many parameters

(a) soil resistivity which is itself dependent on soil

composition, moisture and electrolyte content, particle
size distribution, degree of compaction, temperature,
location,depth etc;
(b) Season of the year and time of day
(c) degradation of grounding electrode system

(d) waveshape and magnitude of voltage applied

- At sufficiently higher voltages Soil Breakdown i.e. arcing
along the surface of soil particles greatly reduces the
resistance
- time dependent in case of time varying, particularly
impulse type voltages

 Initial value of RTF tends to be 5 to 10 times the stable

value around 5s
Value at or after 5 s to 10 s tends to be equal to DC
resistance (i.e. as measure by a Earth Resistance
Meter).
Thus, if RTF by earth resistance meter is 5, initial
value tends to be around 30 to 40

20. Travel Time T

T = The time taken for the impulse wave to travel from
tower top i.e. point of lightning strike to tower-footing.
=

height of tower (H)

velocity of propagation along tower (vT)

Typically : T is 100m/s to 150m/ s

21. Lightning Stroke to Tower Top

 Recall equivalent circuit of lightning stroke :

Voltage at tower top = VTF
= (current in stroke) x ((Tower Surge impedance)
= IS . ZT
VTT and IS travels along tower and meets tower footing
resistance RTF
Travel time = Height of tower = 30m (assumed)
velocity of propagation 100m/s
= 0.3 s
VT and IS undergo reflections at tower foot (as at B of
figure 3).

22. Voltages
- Incident voltage = VT = IS. ZT
- Reflection coefficient at tower footing

RTF Z T

r
RTF Z T
Assume : ZT = 100, RTF = 10
T = 10-100 = -0.82
10+100
- Voltage VT reaches tower foot after a time of 0.3 s from
instant of lightning strike (t=0)

- Voltage at VB arrival of VT & IS VTF

VTF = Vi + Vr
= VTF t ( T ).VTT
= VTF - 0.82 VTT
= 0.18VT

- Vr travels back to tower top & reduced voltage

everywhere to 0.18 VT

23 Currents
Stroke Current IS
At tower footing, replaced current IR is given by
ITF = IS - T . IS
= IS +0.82 IS

24. Examples
E1 : Assume IS = 100 KA = Ir
VTF = 100kA x 100 = 10000 kV (10 MV)
If IS is a Step current, VTT will be a step voltage of 10 MV
can cause backflashover of insulator string definitely.
Assume that there is no back flashover.
10 MV reaches tower foot after T i.e. 0.3s.
Due to reflection (-0.82 VTT), voltage reduces to 0.18 VTT
i.e. 1.8 MV at foot.
Reflected wave reaches tower top after another T i.e. 0.3
s i.e. totally after 0.6 s of strike.

 10 MV certain to cause Back Flashover of even a

1200kV Insulation string.
1.9 MV Quite likely to cause Back Flashover of 400 kV
Insulator String

 Example 2:
Assume overhead ground wire (400 surge impedance) on
both side (effective surge impedance of 400 / 2 = 200 )
IS divides between tower & OHGWs in either side.
Z 0H
2

IT

Z 0 H 100
2

.I S

400
1
.
0.67.I S
400
2
100
2

For 100 kA stroke (as in E1)

VTT = 10 MV x 0.67 = 6.7 MV
VTB = 0.18 x 6.7 MV = 1.2 MV
6.7 MV can certainly cause Back flashover of 1200 KV line
1.2 MV has only a very low (almost nil) probability of
flashover of a 220 kV insulator string.

Example 3 :
In practice, lightning currents have rise times of 3s to
15s.
Rarely, fast length fronts of 1 s are believed to occur.
Effect of this is very important Front time of VTT is also
1 s.

OABC

Voltage at tower top

6 MV at peak
Transformer Insulation level (withstand) of 1200 kV system
= 2400 kV.
BIL of Insulator string ~ 3000 kV (?)
50% probability of back flashover under full impulses ~ 3600
kV (?)
Low Probability of Back flashover.

Example 4 : As in Ex 3 with twin OHGW on both side:

Z0 of one OHGW = 400
Z0 of two OHGW = 200 (?)
Twin OHGW on either side = 200 / 2 = 100 (?)
ZTT = 100
Therefore, Current divides equally between OHGW &
Towers.
VTT 5MV (at t = 0)
VTT = 0.18 x 5 MV = 0.9 MV at 0.6s

Example 5
Consider, in E 1 to E 4 above :
RTF = 20
r = 20-100 = - 0.67
20+100
Instead of voltage collapsing to 1.8 MV ( E 1 to 3) and
0.9 MV (in E 4), here it collapses to the very high values
of 3.3 MV (E 1 to E 3) and 1.65 MV (in E 4).
Back flashovers will greatly increase.

Example 6
If RTF is 7.5
r = 7.5-100 = -086
7.5 +100
There will be correspondingly reduced voltages &
reduced probability of back flashover. However, the
reduction in back flashover rate is not very great.

25 Summary
In summary good grounding practice, with RTF < 10
is essential to reduce Back Flashover rate and hence
lightning performance of transmission lines.

THANK YOU