SVCET

.
SVCET
SRI VIDYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY QUESTION BANK-UNIT 1
SRI VIDYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY, VIRUDHUNAGAR
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
EE 6701 –HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING
UNIT-I OVER VOLTAGES IN ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEMS
PART – A
1. What are the chief causes of over voltages in electric power system?
1) Lightning over voltages (Natural causes)
2) Switching over voltages (system oriented causes)

2. How are switching over voltages originated in a power system?

Switching over voltages originate in the system itself by the connection and
disconnection of circuit breaker contacts or due to initiation or interruptionof faults.

3. What are switching over voltages?

Switching over voltages are highly damped short duration over voltages. They are
temporary over voltages of power frequency or its harmonic frequencies.
 They are sustained or weakly damped
 They originate in switching and fault clearing process.

4. For ultra high voltages, perhaps, switching surges may be the chief condition for design
considerations. Why?
The magnitudes of lighting voltages appearing on a transmission line do not depend on
line design hence lightning performance does not improve with increasing insulation level,
ET
that is, the system voltage. On the other hand switching over voltages is proportional to
operating voltage. Hence for ultra high voltages switching surges may he the chief condition
for consideration.
C

5. State the parameters and characteristics of the lightning strokes:

SV

1. Amplitude of currents
2. The rate of rise.
3. The probability distribution
4. Wave shape of the lightning voltage and current.
5. Time to peak value.

6. How are lightning strokes on transmission lines classified.

1) Direct strokes
2) Inducted strokes
Direct stroke:
 When thunder cloud directly discharges on to a transmission line tower or line
wires, it is called direct stroke. This is the most severe form and this occurs rarely.
Inducted Stroke:
 When thunder storm generates negative charges at its ground end. The
transmission line and Tower develop induced positive charges.
 Normally lines are unaffected, because they are insulated by string insulators.
However, because of the high field gradients involved, the positive charge leak from the Tower
along the insulator surfaces to the live conductors, after a few micro seconds, (say). When the
cloud discharges through some earthed objects other than the transmission line, huge
concentration of positive charge is left with.
 The transmission line and earth act as a huge capacitor.
 This may result in a stroke and hence the name inducted lightning stroke.

EE6701-HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING Page 1

SVCET
.
SVCET
SRI VIDYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY QUESTION BANK-UNIT 1
7. What is Back Flashover?
Some times when a direct lightning stroke occurs on tower if the tower footing resistance
is considerable, the potential of the tower rises to a large value, in view of the huge lightning
stroke current, steeply with respect to the line and consequently a flash over may take place,
along the insulator string. This is known as Back Flash over.

8. Give the mathematical Model for lightning:

Let Io – lightning current (current source)
Zo – source impedance(of the cloud )
Z - object Impedance
V - Voltage built across the object

Tr line : 300 to 500 ohms

Ground wire : 100-150ohms
Tower : 10-50 ohms
Therefore Z/Zo=less and can be neglected.
Therefore V= Io.Z
Where Io = lightning stroke current
Z = surge impedance.

9. A lightning stroke 10KA strikes a line of 400 ohms surge Impedance. (I) What is the over
Voltage caused?(II) If a direct stroke occurs over the top of the unshielded Tr line what is the
over voltage?
Case :I
ET
V = Io . Z
= 10KA .400 = 4000 kv
Case II
C

V = Io (Z/2) = 10 x 400 KV =2000KV

SV

10. What is Thunder storm days?

Thunder storm days (TD) (is known as the Iso Keraunic level) is defined as the
number of days in a year when thunder is heard or recorded in a particular location,
 The incidence of lightning strikes on Tr. Line / substation in related to T.D.
 T.D is =5 to 10 in Brittan
30 to 50 in USA
30 t0 50 in India

11. What are the Causes for Switching surges?

(1) Making and Breaking of electric circuits.
(2) Initiation or termination of faults.
(3) Energisation and de energisation of cables, capacitors, transformer, Reactors, load etc.

12. What are the effects Switching surges on power system:

. Power system has large Inductance and capacitance.
 Switching surges may create abnormal over voltages (six times)
 Switching surges with a high rate of rise of voltage may cause repeated restriking of the
arc between the CB contacts and damage the contacts.
 They have high Natural frequency components and damped normal frequency
component.

13) Explain the Mechanism of Switching over voltage in EHV system:

Switching over voltage are generated when there is a sudden release of internal energy

EE6701-HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING Page 2

SVCET
.
SVCET
SRI VIDYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY QUESTION BANK-UNIT 1
stored in either in the electrostatic form (in the capacitance) or in the electromagnetic from in
the inductance). This happens where
(1) Low inductive current is interrupted (Transformers and reactors)
(2) Small capacitive current interrupted (Unloaded lines)
(3) Ferro resonance condition
(4) Energisation long EHV lines.

14. What are the measures taken to control/ reduce the switching over voltages?
1. One step or multi step energisation of lines by pre insertion of resistors
2. Phase controlled closing of circuit Breakers with proper systems.
3. Drainage of Trapped charges on long lines (by discharging) before the closing of the lines.
4. Limiting over voltage by surge diverters.

15. What are the causes for power frequency over voltage in a system:
1. Sudden loss of loads.
2. Disconnection of inductive loads.
3. Ferranti effects and unsymmetrical faults.
4. Saturation in Transformers

16. Name the various methods for protection of Transmission lines against lightning over
voltages:
1. Shielding the over head line using ground wires.
2. Using ground rods and counterpoise wires
3. Using protective devices like expulsion gap, protector tubes, surge diverters
ET
at appropriate places.

17. What is a ground wire in a Transmission System:

C

 Ground wire is a conductor run parallel to the main conductors of the transmission line
supported on the same tower and earthed every equally and regularly spaced towers.
SV

 It is run above the main conductors.

 It shields the line conductors from induced charges and lightning discharges.
 The shielding angle should be less than 30.

18. Distinguish between an expulsion gap and a protector tube/ value type LAS.
In the expulsion gap type there is no non linear resistance.

19. What is the purpose of Insulation coordination:

1. Electric Power supply should ensure reliability and continuity
2. At the same time cost should be low
3. A gradation of system Insulation and protective devices operation is needed, keeping in
view of the importance and cost of equipments, duration of interruption etc.Hence the need
for insulation coordination.

20. The volt ampere characteristics of a non linear resistor used in a surge arrester is given by:
V = K In
Where K and n are constants
n = 0.5 to 0.6 for silicon carbide
n = 0.02 to 0.03 for ZnO
For Silicon carbide n=0.5 to 0.6, which is not enough to limit the power frequency follow on
current within limit. Hence spark gaps are used. Whereas for ZnO, the characteristics is such
that even without the spark gap, the current value can be limited within the value (gapless
lightning arrestors)

EE6701-HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING Page 3

SVCET
.
SVCET
SRI VIDYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY QUESTION BANK-UNIT 1

21. Give the wave shape of a standard lightening impulse and a standard switching impulse
voltage:
Standard lightning impulse voltage
1) Vp = Peak value, Tolerance ±3%
2) Tf = front time1.2 μs }30%
3) Tt = tail time: 50 μs }20%

Standard switching impulse voltage

1) Vp : Tolerance ±3%
2) Tf : 250 ± 20%
3) Tt : 2500 ± 60%

22. For proper protection how should the ground wire be positioned?
1. They should be positioned at a height above line conductors such that they intercept the
lightning stroke.
2. The phase Conductor should be in the protected Zone: within a quarter circle with the
radius = the ground clearance and centre at ground wire
3. The shielding angle should be <300
4. There should be no side Flash over
5. Tower footing resistance should be low to prevent back Flesh over.

23. What are counter poise wires ?

 Horizontal wires buried at a depth of 1m in the ground, they may be parallel to the
ET
conductors or radial from the tower footing
 They are to reduce tower footing resistance.
C

24. What are ground rods ?

Additional rods provided driven into the ground near the tower footing and connected to the
SV

tower footing to reduce the tower footing resistance [15 mm dia, 3.0 m long, 10 to 16 rods]

25. What are the characteristics of an ideal surge diverter?

1) When the line voltage is less than the limiting value the leakage current should be zero.
2) When the line voltage exceeds the limit, it should offer zero impedance irrespective of the
wave shape, so that the surge voltage is by passed.
3) Immediately after the passing of surge, and immediately after Normal voltage is returned,
it should act again as a perfect insulator.

26. What are the design considerations for LAS for EHV application:
1. Rate of rise of voltage
2. The type of system, whether effectively earthed or grounded through an insulator etc.
3. The operating condition of the arrester.

27. What is valving off voltage?

Below this voltage, the LAS will not conduct. Valving off voltage should be greater than the
Normal voltage (power frequency). Otherwise there will be continuous flow of power frequency
run current and hence heat and destruction.

28) What is the Mechanism of generation of switching over voltage:

 Making and breaking of electric circuits of large capacitance and Inductance for example
Transmission line.

EE6701-HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING Page 4

SVCET
.
SVCET
SRI VIDYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY QUESTION BANK-UNIT 1
 De energisation of reactive loads like power transformer (unloaded) reactors in
(inductance)
 The above constitute, sudden release of internal energy stored in Electrostatic form ( in
capacitance) and in Electromagnetic form (in Inductance) and causes switching surge
Amplitude : 2 to 3.3 pu
Duration : 1 to 10 ms
The over voltage has high Natural frequency component and damped normal frequency
component.

29. What are the purposes of providing ground wire protection for transmission lines?
1. Ground wires are placed above Transmission line, suitable shielding angle is provided,
when the thunder clouds come near the Tr line, since the base of the cloud has –ve charges,
+ve charges are induced in the ground wire. These induced charges are drawn to the ground
since ground wires are earthed periodically. Consequently potential rise will be small and
hence induced lightning stroke can be prevented. Hence the frequency of lightning stroke is
reduced.
2. When lightning strokes, takes place traveling waves are generated, they move.
Correspondingly over voltages are induced in the ground wires, which will oppose the
traveling waves and Flattening of the High voltage curve on the transmission line.

30. Why ground rods are provided?

1) To reduce Tower footing Resistance
2) A number of rods of 15mm dia , 2.5 m to 3.0 m long driven to the ground up to say 50m, in
hard soils
ET
3) They are interconnected and connected to the tower footing
4) Reduction in tower footing resistance reduces the surge impedance of the Tower and back
flash over.
C

31. Give the equivalence circuit of a surge diverter

SV

VTh - Open circuit voltage at junctions.

Zth - Thevinins equivalent Impedance
S - Surge diverter.

32. What are the disadvantages of spark gap surge diverter?

1. Depends on atmosphere conditions
2. Arc cleaning to be done after surge flow.
3. For the same voltage peak, the gap to be set for lightning over voltage is lesser than the
gap to be set for switching over voltage and hence if we set a spark gap surge diverter for
lightning over voltage, frequent flashover occurs for switching surge even if the peak voltage
is lesser than the set value.

33. What are the characteristics of an ideal surge diverter?

1. When the line voltage is less than the limiting value, leakage current should be zero.
Perfect insulator and impedance is infinite.
2. When the line voltage exceeds the limit, it should offer zero impedance and irrespective of
the voltage shape it should by pass the voltage.
3. After the surge is bypassed & immediately after normal voltage is restored, once again is
should act as an insulator.

34) How are the above characteristics are obtained in practice?

. One or more air gaps with a suitable non linear resistance can produce the above characteristics.

EE6701-HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING Page 5

SVCET
.
SVCET
SRI VIDYA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY QUESTION BANK-UNIT 1

PART – B

1. Draw the cross sectional view of non linear resistor lightning arrester (valve type) and explain
its operation in detail and its V-I characteristics.

2. Discuss mechanism of lightning stroke and over voltages on transmission lines and give its
mathematical model.

3. Write short notes on:

(i) Rod gaps used as protective devices

(ii) Ground wires for protection of overhead lines.

ET
4. Explain different theories of charge formation in clouds.
C

5. Explain different methods employed for lightning protection of overhead lines.

SV

6. (i) Draw & Explain the procedure to draw Bewley Lattice Diagram for a two substations
system .

(ii) Explain briefly about expulsion type arrester.

EE6701-HIGH VOLTAGE ENGINEERING Page 6