Dr.-Ing.

Getachew Biru
 TYPES OF OVERVOLTAGE

Over voltage stressing a power system can be

classified into two main types
1. External overvoltage: generated by
atmospheric disturbances like lightning.
2. Internal Overvoltages: generated by
changes in the operating conditions of the
network. Internal over voltages can be
divided into
(a) switching overvoltages and
(b) temporary overvoltages.
Lightning Prone Regions
Danger due to Lightning Strokes
approx. 1,900,000 lightning strokes in Germany per year*

ABC Company

data
telephone
110 kV
400/230 V mobile phone
TV
 Lightning Production
• Warm, low pressure air moving through
cool, high pressure air produces static
electricity.
• The friction of moving air particles within
the cloud causes ionization and charges.
• As the separation of charge proceeds in the
cloud, the potential difference between the
centers of charges‘ increases and the
vertical electric field along the cloud also
increases.
Lightning Production
 Lightning Production
• The lower part of a
thundercloud is
usually negatively
charged.
• The upward area is
usually positively
charged.
Lightning Production

• Continuation of
downward step
leader
• Further electric
field
intensification
• Strong upward
positive streamer
generation
Lightning Production

•Positive upward
streamer meets the
downward step leader
•Conducting path forms
•Potential is equalised
by the "return stroke"
•Visible lightning flash
Lightning Production
 Facts about Lightning
• A strike can produce on average 100 Mega
volts of Electricity.
• Current of up to 100, kilo amperes
• Can generate 54,000 oF
• The height of the thundercloud dipole above
earth may reach 5 km in tropical regions.
• Lightning strikes somewhere on the Earth
every second
• Kills hundreds of people every year and
causes a huge damage to properties and
equipments.
Lightning Production
 Lightning Production
• The current pulse rises to
Typical
its crest in a few micro
50 kA seconds and decays over
a period of tens or
hundreds of
microseconds.
HIGH VOLTAGE
di & dv
dt dt

HIGH ENERGY
Typical characteristics of Lightning Pulse

Instantaneous Power Over one Megawatt

Total Energy Over 250 Kilojoules

Sound Pressure 90 Atmospheres at 500m away
Temperature 30,000°K+ (5 times Sun
Surface)
Rise Time 0.1 to 5 Microseconds
Average Current 35 kA
Duration 300 Microseconds + Repeats
Channel Length 5 km
 How Transients Enter your Equipment

Capacitive coupling Magnetic coupling

Conductive coupling Electromagnetic Coupling

 How Transients Enter your Equipment

Capacitive Magnetic coupling Galvanic

coupling is where occurs when coupling is a
the transient magnetic field of a direct electrical
voltage is coupled current carrying connection
due to the inherent conductor induces
capacitance lightning current on
between two to an adjacent
circuits conductor
 Lightning Surges
Direct lightning strike: 2b
1 Striking of external lightning protection 2a
system, process structure (in industrial
plants), cables etc.
Voltage drop at the L1
1a earthling resistance R
st
L2 20 kV
Induced voltage 1
1b in loops L3
PEN Distant lightning Strike:
Strike in to medium-
2c 2a
voltage overhead lines

Surge travelling waves

2b
1b on overhead lines
Due lightning

Rst
IT network Fields of the
1a
2c lightning strike
power supply
Traveling Wave/ Overvoltage Protection

• Lightning hits mid-span

• Surge causes traveling

voltage wave

• Current divides and then

propagates
 Lightning Strokes

Lightning current magnitude

 Direct Stroke
 V = I Zc /2
 Z0= √(L/C)
L henry/m
C farad/m
Typically:
Induced voltage on the line
Zc= 350 ohm

Zo-Surge impedance of the line

BIL = ICZo /2
Lighting Strokes
Lighting Strokes
 Lighting Arrestor
What exactly does a lightning
arrester do?
• It Does Divert the Lightning to
Ground
• It Does not Absorb the Lightning
• It Does not Stop the Lightning
• It Does Clamp (limit) the Voltage
produced by the Lightning
• It Only protects equipment
electrically in parallel with it.
 Lighting Arrestor

The Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV)

Disk is a Semiconductor that is
sensitive to Voltage. At normal
Voltages the MOV disk is an
insulator and will not conduct
current. but at higher voltages
caused by lightning it becomes
a conductor .
Lighting Arrestor
Lighting Arrestor
 Lighting Arrestor Ratings
The highest phase to earth voltage: the power frequency
highest voltage applied to the arrestor.
2𝑈𝑈𝑠𝑠
U𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 =
√3
Us-system voltage
Continuous operating voltage (Maximum continuous
operating voltage MCOV) Uc: the power frequency phase
voltage which the arrestor can be operated at without any
type of restriction. It is greater than the highest continuously
occurring voltage by at least 5%.
 Lighting Arrestor Ratings

The rated voltage of an arrestor Ur:

characterizes the capability of the arrestor to
deal with temporary overvoltages in the system.
It can be only applied for a very short period of
time (10-100 seconds). The leakage current is
around 1 mA. Ur=1.25 Uc.
Earthling System

Combination of
horizontal strip and
vertical rods
- Linear
- Radial