Applications of the FDTD method to lightning electromagnetic pulse and surge simulations

Abstract

Electromagnetic computation methods (ECMs) have been widely used in analyzing lightning electromagnetic pulses (LEMPs) and lightning-caused surges in various systems. One of the advantages of ECMs, in comparison with circuit simulation methods, is that they allow a self-consistent full-wave solution for both the transient current distribution in a 3D conductor system and resultant electromagnetic fields, although they are computationally expensive. Among ECMs, the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for solving Maxwell's equations has been most frequently used in LEMP and surge simulations. In this paper, we review applications of the FDTD method to LEMP and surge simulations, including (i) lightning electromagnetic fields at close and far distances; (ii) lightning surges on overhead power transmission line conductors and towers, (iii) lightning surges on overhead distribution and telecommunication lines; (iv) lightning electromagnetic environment in power substations; (v) lightning surges in wind-turbine-generator towers; (vi) lightning surges in photovoltaic (PV) arrays; (vii) lightning electromagnetic environment in electric vehicles (EVs); (viii) lightning electromagnetic environment in airborne vehicles; (ix) lightning surges and electromagnetic environment in buildings; and (x) surges on grounding electrodes.