Analysis of voltages induced on power outlets due to atmospheric discharges on Radio Base Stations

Abstract

For the first time, full-wave simulations regarding voltages induced on power outlets installed inside buildings, due to lightning strokes on a Radio Base Station located nearby, are performed. The scenario consists of nine buildings with outlets connected to low-voltage distribution lines, conductive ground, a Radio Base Station and grounding systems. Loads connected to the power outlets are also considered. This scenario was modeled with a computer software developed in this work that can numerically represent/model real-world complex structures with realistic parameters. In order to obtain realistic results, Maxwell’s equations are solved numerically by using the FDTD method, which generates full-wave solutions of the problems. Here, electrical conductors are represented with the aid of a thin-wire technique. The analyzed domain is truncated by using the UPML formulation. In order to deal with large tridimensional numerical models, a Beowulf cluster with 16 CPUs is used to accelerate the calculation process. The induced voltages at the energy sockets inside the buildings have been calculated initially without an electric grounding mesh connected to them. In a second moment, the calculation of these induced voltages has been performed for the same structure with a grounding mesh connected to it. In a third simulation, electric loads with resistive–inductive characteristics have been added to the scenario (connected to the energy sockets), simulating residential equipment.