Wave Shape of Voltage due to

Lightning
The wave shapes consist of two portion.
steep rise of voltage up to a peak or crest value (wavefront)
decay of voltage (wave tail)

and show the constants which determine the shapes.

e- magnitude of the steep voltage
E- peak value of impulse voltage wave
t1 - time to reach the impulse voltage to its maximum amplitude
t2 denotes the times when the current or voltages has fallen to one-half of
its peak value.
 Overvoltage due to lightning
The lightning stroke affects the lines in two ways
Direct stroke
Indirect stroke

Direct Stroke
Most severe lightning stroke and produces highest overvoltage and
this affects the current.
Current flows in a direct stroke is I. It splits into two current If and Ib
from the point of strike with magnitude I/2
The voltage surge at striking point
V= IZ0 /2
Z0 Surge Impedance (400 Ohm)
 Assumptions in calculation of
overvoltage due to lightning
Waveshape and magnitude of lightning current
Surge impedance
Shape of potential wave at tower top
Effect of surges on tower and footing impedance
V = IR
V-voltage across insulation at tower
R-tower footing resistance
I-lightning current in tower
 For very high towers, tower inductance may be taken into
account for very high rate of change of current
V=L di/dt
L tower inductance; di/dt = rate of change of current
 Indirect Stroke
Negative charge in a cloud causes bound positive charge in
conductors of nearby transmission line , and discharge of
cloud occurs. This increase the conductor potential
V= Eh
E-mean electric field near ground
h-height of the phase conductor above ground
If-forward travelling wave, Ib-backward travelling wave of the
current and total current i=0.
If=ib and Vf=Vb=V/2
 Klydonograph
Used for measurement of surge voltage on transmission line
during lightning
Measured voltage by means of Lichtenberg figures.
It has electrode connected to the line.
It is placed on a photographic film or plate which rests on a
homogeneous insulating material, backed by metal plate
electrode.
The photographic film can be made to rotate continuously by
a clockwork mechanism.
If flashover of the insulator or a visible discharge occurs, then
the film would become exposed and no patterns would be
obtained
 When a positive high voltage is applied to the electrode, it is a
definite circle is obtained.
d. If the voltage applied is negative, then the observed pattern
is blurred and the radius of the pattern is much smaller
For both types of surges, the radius of the pattern obtained
increases with increase in voltage.
 Protection of Transmission lines against Direct
lightning strokes
Use of overhead ground wires (shielding method)
Ground wires (conductors) running parallel to main wires and
grounded at every tower.
Made of galvanized steel wires
They attracts the strokes to themselves to protect the main
wires
The ground wires intercept the direct strokes and provides
multiple paths to the stroke current to ground which leads to
voltage drop
 If ground wire struck at midspan, the current is divided and
flows towards both towers.
At the tower again the current is divided between tower and
outgoing ground wire.
If the tower gets struck, the current divided into 3 paths
One through the tower and the two through the branches of
the ground wire.
 Requirements of Ground wire
Proper clearance between line conductors and
ground or tower structure.
Proper clearance between ground wires and line
conductors especially at midspan to prevent
flashover
Low tower footing resistance
 Terms in Transmission Line protection

Protective Ratio:
It is the ratio of the induced voltage on a conductor with
ground wire protection to the voltage on a conductor without
ground wire protection
Protective Angle:
Angle between a vertical line through the ground wire and
slanting line connecting the phase wire to be protected and
the ground wire
The angle range should be 20-45(deg)