Non-standard Lightning Impulse Voltage Research Articles

Lightning Impulse Voltage Stresses In Underground Cables

Underground power cables are crucial for transmission and distribution. Lightning can stress their insulation, but not directly. So, impulse cable testing is studied. This research examines the cable’s transient response to standard and non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms. MATLAB Simulink was used to model a 132 kV wire with standard and non-standard impulse voltages. The IEC60060-1(2010) lightning impulse test uses a conventional waveform impulse voltage with a front time and a tail time of 1.2/50μs half value, while the non-standard test uses a front time and a tail time of 0.8/12s half value. Non-standard impulse waveforms are more accurate than standard waveforms. The impulse test voltage is four to five times the underground cable’s operational voltage and must withstand five applications without damage. Standard and non-standard impulse waveforms are injected with 132 kV and 550 kV to evaluate insulation failure or damage. Standard lightning and non-standard impulse voltage waveforms do not cause insulation failure or damage. When 132 kV and 550 kV are introduced into the normal and non-standard lightning impulse waveforms, the overshoot voltage increases. The peak voltage of a non-standard 550 kV impulse voltage waveform exceeds the IEC impulse withstand voltage. The finding shows that non-standard impulse voltage waves create increased cable voltage stress.

Pre-Breakdown Phenomena in Technical Air with and without C5-Fluoroketone for a Rod-Plane Gap

Technical air with a few %vol C5-fluoroketone (C5-FK) is one of several alternatives to the potent greenhouse gas SF6 in medium voltage (MV) gas insulated switchgear. MV products using this gas mixture are already commercially available, but there is still a lack of knowledge about this gas mixture especially regarding pre-breakdown phenomena. In this study, positive and negative streamers are studied in technical air with 7.5 %vol C5-FK at 1.0, 1.3, and 1.5 bar (absolute pressure). Similar tests were done in technical air (80% N2, 20% O2) for comparison with the C5-FK results. The streamers emerged from a grounded needle electrode placed 53mm below a planar electrode. The electrode setup was stressed by a non-standard lightning impulse voltage with voltage peaks varying from 52 to 129 kV. A photomultiplier tube (PMT) was used to register the streamers, and an iCCD camera was used to image the streamers. The pre-breakdown phenomena in C5-FK+air were found to be shorter, less than 1/5 of the length, and to branch less than in pure technical air. The streamer branches in both gas mixtures became wider and less clear when the pressure was decreased. Leader-like channels were observed for C5-FK+air at 1.5 bar (both polarities) and at 1.3 bar (negative streamers).

Evaluation of the performance of different methods for estimating the parameters of the disruptive effect model — Application to 15 kV insulators

This paper presents an evaluation of the performance of different methods for estimating the parameters required for the application of the Disruptive Effect Model to the analysis of the breakdown characteristics of 15 kV distribution insulators subjected to lightning impulses. The tests involved the application of both the standard (1.2/50 μs) and non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveshapes (1.2/4 1.2/10 3/10 μs) and 7.5/30 μs)of positive and negative polarities. The obtained Vxt characteristics are compared with those predicted by the Disruptive Effect Model using the most common procedures for estimating the parameters necessary for its application, including a novel method which is presented in the paper. An analysis of the results relevant to the various procedures shows that the parameters obtained according to the proposed method lead to a better agreement between theoretical and experimental results.

Study on voltage-number characteristics of transformer insulation under transformer invading non-standard lightning impulses

According to the IEC Standard, the insulation performances of power apparatus under lightning impulse voltages are evaluated by the withstand test of standard lightning impulse voltage, with the wave front/tail time of 1.2/50 μs. However, the standard lightning impulse voltage originally obtained from the transmission lines or triggering lightning towers, is quite different from the invading lightning impulse voltage in the power transformers. Hence, in this work, an attempt has been made to obtain the waveform characteristics of invading lightning impulses in power transformers using an overvoltage online monitoring system. Energy Method was then proposed to convert the recorded oscillatory waveform into double-exponential waveform defined by IEC Standard. And the statistical waveform parameters of recorded invading lightning impulses, namely, the non-standard lightning impulses, were determined based on the Energy Method. Current insulation assessment methods, for example, the V-t characteristics, are far from satisfactory to meet the demand of insulation design for the power apparatus, whereas the impulse breakdown voltage-number of voltage applications characteristics (V-N characteristics) could well evaluate the long term performance of insulation system. Therefore, we experimentally identified the V-N characteristics of oil paper insulation under impulse voltage with different waveforms, including non-standard lightning impulse voltage, and then mathematically analyzed the obtained data. At last, the influence of wave front/tail time on the V-N characteristics of oil paper insulation was experimentally studied. The test results indicate that the insulation performances of oil paper insulation under repeated nonstandard lightning impulse voltages and under standard switching impulse voltages were better than that under repeated standard lightning impulse voltages. And the capacity to withstand repeated voltage became increasingly stronger with the increase in wave front time or the decrease in wave tail time. The breakdown voltage, however, was only related to the wave front time of applied impulse voltage.

Simulation of overvoltage stresses on surge arrester insulation

Impulse voltage testing is generally carried out for assessing the insulation strength of power equipment using standard impulse voltage waveforms in high-voltage laboratory. However, in actual field, the power equipment experiences standard and non-standard lightning impulse voltages. The main objective of this work is to analyse the voltage stress on surge arresters under standard and non-standard lightning impulse waveforms. Surge arrester models are developed in matlab (The MathWorks, Inc., Natick, Massachusetts, United States), and residual voltage test results are compared with manufacturer data for validation. Impulse voltage test is performed on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers surge arrester model using standard and non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms. The obtained test results showed that non-standard impulses have the potential to develop higher voltage stress and hence pose a high risk to surge arresters. However, results of this study provide the basis for further laboratory-based investigation considering a wide variety of impulse voltage waveforms representing the real lightning overvoltages. The test results will contribute to identify the need for modifying existing test standards or introducing new standards for impulse testing of surge arrester. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluation of breakdown characteristics of CO2 gas for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms - breakdown characteristics in the presence of bias voltages under non-uniform electric field

To lower the lightning impulse withstand voltage of gas insulated switchgear (GIS) while maintaining the high reliability of its insulation performance, it is important to define in an organized way the insulation characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms that represent actual surge waveforms in the field and compare them with the characteristics for the standard lightning impulse waveform quantitatively. In the previous work, the dielectric breakdown voltage - time characteristics were measured under several different conditions on the quasi-uniform SF6 gas gap and partly the cone-shaped insulating spacers that represent an insulation element of GIS for six kinds of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms associated with lightning surges and disconnector switching surges. This paper, describes detailed examination in non-uniform electric field, and the pattern in which a disconnector switching surges are superposed on residual DC elements generated through the operation of disconnectors (bias voltages). This is intended to simulate more severe conditions in an actual system. Consequently, it was found that the presence of a bias voltage in the nonuniform electric field resulted in lower breakdown voltage values for single-frequency oscillation waveforms both in the positive and negative polarities. However, the breakdown voltage values under positive-polarity waveforms posing more severe insulation conditions were higher than the ones under the standard lightning impulse waveforms. Despite the presence of a bias voltage, it was possible to evaluate these breakdown voltage values in the positive polarity using the concept of a duration examined in the past.

Analysis of the dielectric behavior of distribution insulators under non-standard lightning impulse voltages

Overhead distribution lines are often exposed to lightning overvoltages, whose waveforms vary widely and can differ substantially from the standard impulse voltage waveform (1,2 - 50). Different models have been proposed for predicting the strength of insulation subjected to impulses of non-standard waveforms. One of the most commonly used is the "disruptive effect model", but there are different methods for estimating the parameters needed for its application. This paper aims at evaluating the dielectric behavior of medium voltage insulators subjected to impulses of non-standard waveforms, as well as at evaluating two methods for predicting their dielectric strength against such impulses. The test results relative to the critical lightning impulse flashover voltage (U50) and the volt-time characteristics obtained for the positive and negative polarities of different voltage waveforms are presented and discussed.

Evaluation of breakdown characteristics of CO2 gas for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms - breakdown characteristics under single-frequency oscillation waveforms of 1.3 MHz to 4.0 MHz

SF6 gas, an insulation medium used for gas insulated switchgear (GIS), has a high global warming potential, hence the search for an effective alternative means from the environmental perspective. One of the alternative candidates is CO2 gas, which has a lower global warming potential. In order to use this CO2 gas for actual GIS, the insulation specification must be rationalized by lowering the lightning impulse withstand voltage because the dielectric strength of CO2 gas is lower than that of SF6 gas. To lower the lightning impulse withstand voltage of GIS while maintaining the high reliability of its insulation performance, it is important to define in an organized way the insulation characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms (non-standard-LIWs) that represent actual surge waveforms in the field and compare them with the characteristics for the standard lightning impulse waveform (standard-LIW) quantitatively. In this paper, with single-frequency oscillations as typical examples of non-standard-LIWs, the insulation characteristics for the CO2 gas gap were experimentally obtained while changing the frequency and damping rate. Consequently, even if the frequency and damping rate were changed, the dielectric breakdown voltage varied little, consistently remaining higher than that with standard-LIW at a level of 1.08 to 1.17 times. Accordingly, it was found that, for GIS using CO2 gas, the insulation specification could be rationalized by approximately 10% by converting non-standard-LIWs to equivalent standard-LIWs. In addition, the influence of gas pressure and gap length was examined and it emerged that the results obtained under basic experimental conditions were likely to be applicable to the conditions close to actual GIS conditions.

Evaluation of breakdown characteristics of gas insulated switchgears for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms - breakdown characteristics in the presence of bias voltages under non-uniform electric field

To lower the lightning impulse withstand voltage of gas insulated switchgear (GIS) while maintaining the high reliability of its insulation performance, it is important to define in an organized way the insulation characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms that represent actual surge waveforms in the field and compare them with the characteristics for the standard lightning impulse waveform quantitatively. In the previous work, the dielectric breakdown voltage - time characteristics were measured under several different conditions on the quasi-uniform SF6 gas gap and partly the cone-shaped insulating spacers that represent an insulation element of GIS for six kinds of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms associated with lightning surges and disconnector switching surges. This paper, describes detailed examination in non-uniform electric field, and the pattern in which a disconnector switching surges are superposed on residual DC elements generated through the operation of disconnectors (bias voltages). This is intended to simulate more severe conditions in an actual system. Consequently, it was found that the presence of a bias voltage in the nonuniform electric field resulted in lower breakdown voltage values for single-frequency oscillation waveforms both in the positive and negative polarities. However, the breakdown voltage values under positive-polarity waveforms posing more severe insulation conditions were higher than the ones under the standard lightning impulse waveforms. Despite the presence of a bias voltage, it was possible to evaluate these breakdown voltage values in the positive polarity using the concept of a duration examined in the past.

Evaluation of breakdown characteristics of gas insulated switchgears for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms - method for converting non-standard lightning impulse waveforms into standard lightning impulse waveforms -

To lower the lightning impulse withstand voltage of gas insulated switchgear (GIS) while maintaining the high reliability of its insulation performance, it is important to define in an organized way the insulation characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms that represent actual surge waveforms in the field and compare them with the characteristics for the standard lightning impulse waveform quantitatively. In the preceding researches, lightning surge waveforms and disconnector switching surge waveforms at UHV, 500 kV, and 275 kV substations were analyzed and five to six kinds of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms with basic frequencies of 0.6 to 5.0 MHz were identified. Then, the dielectric breakdown voltage iquest time characteristics were measured under several different conditions on the quasi-uniform SF6 gas gaps and partly the coneshaped insulating spacers that represent insulation elements of GIS for six kinds of nonstandard lightning impulse waveforms. In this paper, the resultant breakdown voltages were evaluated in terms of the overvoltage duration, which led to their formulation in a unified way. On the basis of these insulation characteristics and their unified formulation, the paper investigated a method for converting non-standard lightning impulse waveforms into standard lightning impulse waveforms with equivalent stress for the insulation. When the constructed algorithm was applied to five examples of representative two type waveforms in the lightning surge time region, they were converted into standard lightning impulse waveforms with crest values reduced by 20% to 34%, suggesting potentiality for reduction of lightning impulse insulation specifications of GIS.

Evaluation of breakdown characteristics of gas insulated switchgears for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms - breakdown characteristics under non-uniform electric field

To lower the lightning impulse withstand voltage of gas insulated switchgear (GIS) while maintaining the high reliability of its insulation performance, it is important to define in an organized way the insulation characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms that represent actual surge waveforms in the field and compare them with the characteristics for the standard lightning impulse waveform quantitatively. In the preceding researches, the dielectric breakdown voltage-time characteristics were measured under several different conditions on the quasi-uniform SF <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">6</sub> gas gap and partly the cone-shaped insulating spacers that represent an insulation element of GIS for six kinds of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms associated with lightning surges and disconnector switching surges. This paper describes obtaining through experiments the insulation characteristics for single-frequency oscillation waveforms as a representative waveform when there is a non-uniform electric field represented by metallic particles in the equipment while changing the applied voltage polarities, frequencies, and damping factors. As a result, it was found that the dielectric breakdown voltages are lower in the positive polarity and it was confirmed appropriate to conduct experiments mainly in positive-polarity in order to consider dielectric strengths. Furthermore, changing the frequencies and damping factors under positive-polarity waveforms did not cause major changes in the feature of the dielectric breakdown voltages, which remained constantly higher (by 1.41 to 2.58 times) than those under standard lightning impulse waveforms.

Evaluation of breakdown characteristics of gas insulated switchgears for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms under diverse conditions

To lower the lightning impulse withstand voltage of gas insulated switchgear (GIS) while maintaining the high reliability of its insulation performance, it is important to define in an organized way the insulation characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms that represent actual surge waveforms in the field and compare them with the characteristics for the standard lightning impulse waveform quantitatively. In the preceding researches, the dielectric breakdown voltage-time characteristics were measured under several different conditions on the quasi-uniform SF6 gas gap and partly the cone-shaped insulating spacers that represent an insulation element of GIS for six kinds of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms associated with lightning surges and disconnector switching surges. As a result, in the tested range, the dielectric breakdown values for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms were higher than those for the standard lightning impulse waveform by 3% to 36%. In these experiments, parameters other than waveforms were fixed to standard conditions. In this paper insulation characteristics on quasi-uniform SF6 gas gaps were examined while changing conditions on gas pressures, gap lengths, electrode surface roughness, voltage polarities, and bias voltages. As a result, it was confirmed that the results under standard experimental conditions in the preceding experiments can be applied widely to the GIS actual equipment conditions.

Evaluation of breakdown characteristics of gas insulated switchgears for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms - breakdown characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms associated with disconnector switching surges -

To lower the insulation specifications (specifically, the lightning impulse withstand voltage) of a gas insulated switchgear (GIS) and thus cut the equipment cost while maintaining the high reliability of its insulation performance, it is necessary to define in an organized way the insulation characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms that represent actual surge waveforms in the field and compare them with the characteristics for the standard lightning impulse waveform quantitatively. In the preceding paper, lightning surge waveforms and disconnector switching surge waveforms at UHV, 500 kV, and 275 kV substations were analyzed and five to six non-standard lightning surge waveforms with basic frequencies of 0.6 to 5.0 MHz were identified. In this paper, the dielectric breakdown voltage - time characteristics were measured under several different conditions for the quasi-uniform SF6 gas gap that represents an insulation element of a GIS toward two kinds of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms associated with disconnector switching surges. As a result, in the tested range, the dielectric breakdown values for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms were higher than for the standard lightning impulse waveform by 6% to 36%.

Evaluation of Breakdown Characteristics of Gas Insulated Switchgears for Non-Standard Lightning Impulse Waveforms - Breakdown Characteristics for Non-Standard Lightning Impulse Waveforms Associated with Lightning Surges

To lower the insulation specifications (specifically, the lightning impulse withstand voltage) of a gas insulated switchgear (GIS) and thus cut the equipment cost while maintaining the high reliability of its insulation performance, it is necessary to define in an organized way the insulation characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms that represent actual surge waveforms in the field and compare them with the characteristics for the standard lightning impulse waveform quantitatively. In the preceding paper, lightning surge waveforms and disconnector switching surge waveforms at UHV, 500 kV, and 275 kV substations were analyzed and five to six non-standard lightning surge waveforms with basic frequencies of 0.6 to 5.0 MHz were identified. In this paper, the dielectric breakdown voltage - time characteristics were measured under several different conditions mainly for the quasi-uniform SF6 gas gaps that represent an insulation element of a GIS toward four kinds of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms associated with lightning surges. As a result, in the tested range, the dielectric breakdown values for nonstandard lightning impulse waveforms were higher than for the standard lightning impulse waveform by 3% to 32%.

Quantitative evaluation of lightning surge range voltage–time characteristics in high‐pressure SF6 gas

AbstractGas‐insulated switchgear (GIS) is subjected to very fast transient overvoltages such as lightning surges or disconnector switching surges. Therefore, the sparkover voltage and time (V−t) characteristics of SF6 in a very short time range of less than $1\ \mu \hbox{s}$ are of great interest from the viewpoint of insulation design and coordination for a GIS. This paper describes the V−t characteristics of SF6 at a gas pressure of 0.5 MPa using a steep‐front square impulse voltage under a quasi‐uniform field gap and presents a quantitative evaluation of the V−t characteristics for a nonstandard lightning impulse voltage. In the case of a square impulse, the V−t characteristics of positive polarity were observed to be almost flat over a long time range from 80 ns to $10\ \mu \hbox{s}$, and rose steeply over a short time range from 80 ns down to 20 ns. For negative polarity, the V−t characteristics exhibit a gentle rise from 200 ns down to 40 ns. In the estimation of V−t characteristics, the equal‐area criterion parameters were quantitatively estimated using the square impulse. For a nonstandard lighting impulse, we found that application of the equal‐area criterion with these parameters for the nonoscillating impulse and oscillating impulse of up to 5.3 MHz as a model of lightning surge and disconnector switching surge is possible. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 159(4): 8– 17, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20309

Evaluation of breakdown characteristics of gas insulated switchgears for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms - analysis and generation circuit of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms in actual field

To lower the insulation specifications (specifically, the lightning impulse withstand voltage) of a gas insulated switchgear (GIS) and thus cut the equipment cost while maintaining the high reliability of its insulation performance, it is necessary to define in an organized way the insulation characteristics for non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms that represent actual surge waveforms in the field and compare them with the characteristics for the standard lightning impulse waveform quantitatively. In this paper, first, lightning surge waveforms and disconnector switching surge waveforms at UHV, 500 kV, and 275 kV substations were analyzed and five non-standard lightning surge waveforms with basic frequencies of 0.6 to 5.0 MHz were identified. Next, high-voltage circuits that generate these non-standard lightning surge waveforms were designed and constituted using EMTP (electro magnetic transients program) based on a circuit with a gap, inductors, and resistors connected in series and resistors and capacitors connected in parallel. Further, circuits were actually constructed, to obtain voltage waveforms approximately equal to those designed. Finally, the dielectric breakdown voltage-time characteristics were measured under several different conditions for the quasi-uniform SF6 gas gap that represents an insulation element of a GIS. As a result, it was found that, in the tested range, the dielectric breakdown values for non-standard lightning impulse waveforms were higher than for the standard lightning impulse waveform by 6% to 32%

Evaluation of breakdown characteristics of oil-immersed transformers under non-standard lightning impulse waveforms - definition of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms and insulation characteristics for waveforms including pulses

To lower the insulation specifications (specifically, the lightning impulse withstand voltage) of oil-immersed transformers and thus cut the equipment cost while maintaining the high reliability in its insulation performance, it is necessary to grasp in an organized way the insulation characteristics under non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms that represent actual surge waveforms encountered in the field and compare them with the characteristics under the standard lightning impulse waveform quantitatively. As described in this paper, the first step in a series of study for the purpose above was taken by analyzing lightning surge waveforms and restriking surge waveforms such as disconnector switching surge waveforms at UHV, 500 kV, and 275 kV substations and identifying four typical non-standard lightning impulse waveforms with basic frequencies of 0.24 to 1.0 MHz. Then, two of these non-standard lightning impulse waveforms, the single-pulse waveform which is the most basic type and the waveform with a pulse in the crest and a subsequent flat section, were used to measure the breakdown voltage and the partial discharge inception voltage while changing the parameters, on three models that represent the insulation elements of windings of oil-immersed transformers. Then, the resultant average breakdown voltages were evaluated in terms of the overvoltage durations, leading to a result of formulating them in a unified way. In the tested range, the dielectric breakdown values under non-standard lightning impulse waveforms were higher, marking 52% at the maximum, than those under standard lightning impulse waveforms in all the cases, suggesting a possibility of lowering the insulation specifications of an oil-immersed transformer

高気圧SF&lt;sub&gt;6&lt;/sub&gt;の雷サージ領域V&amp;mdash;t特性の定量的評価

Since gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) is subjected to very fast transient overvoltages such as lightning surges or disconnector switching surges. Therefore the sparkover voltage and time (V-t) characteristics of SF6 in a very short time range of less than 1μs are of great interest from the viewpoint of insulation design and coordination for a GIS. This paper describes the V-t characteristics of SF6 at a gas pressure of 0.5MPa using a steep-front square impulse voltage under a quasi-uniform field gap and presents a quantitative evaluation of the V-t characteristics for a nonstandard lightning impulse voltage. In the case of a square impulse, the V-t characteristics of positive polarity were observed to be almost flat over a long time range from 80ns to 10μs, and rose steeply over a short time range from 80ns down to 20ns. For negative polarity, the V-t characteristics exhibit a gentle rise from 200ns down to 40ns. In the estimation of V-t characteristics, the equal-area criterion parameters were quantitatively estimated using the square impulse. For a nonstandard lightning impulse, we found that the application of equal area criterion with these parameters for the non-oscillating impulse and oscillating impulse of up to 5.3MHz as a model of lightning surge and disconnector switching surge is possible.

実変電所に侵入する非標準雷インパルス波形の分析と発生回路

Evaluation of lightning surge waveforms that actually enter into substations is important when investigating the test voltage of electric power equipment. The standard lightning impulse waveform (1.2/50μs) is used for factory tests. However, the actual lightning surge waveforms in actual substations are complex waveforms in which various different oscillations are superimposed. Investigation of insulation characteristics of equipment against the complex waveforms and the standard one has significant importance. We analyzed these waveforms entering actual substations with respect to the insulation characteristics of gas insulated switchigear (GIS). From the results, we defined four types of non-standard lightning impulse waveforms. Then non-standard lightning impulse voltage is generated by an equipment circuit which is consisted of an impulse generator (IG), R, L and C is analyzed with EMTP. Voltage time characteristics were evaluated from the obtained impulse voltages.

Review of research on nonstandard lightning voltage waves

Although the impulse insulation level of a power apparatus is specified under the standard 1.2/spl times/50-/spl mu/s voltage wave, the apparatus seldom encounters such a voltage wave in the field. A wealth of knowledge exists on the behavior of air gaps under nonstandard lightning impulse voltages. The objective of the Task Force was to compile a bibliography on the nonstandard lightning impulse voltages and review the present state of research. This paper reviews the present status of research including the behaviour of air gaps under transient voltages, and the generation and measurement of fast-front impulse voltage waveforms. >