LIGHTNING PROTECTION

&
LIGHTNING ARRESTOR

S. P Nanda
SURGE/ LIGHTNING
ARRESTORS
 CONTENTS
• Introduction of Surge Arresters
• Introduction of lightning
• Lightning protection
• Construction of Surge
Arresters
• How does Surge Arresters
work?
• Uses of Surge Arresters
• Types of Surge Arresters
 INTRODUCTION OF SURGE
ARRESTERS

What is SUGRE ?
• A surge is basically a very High voltage which suddenly acts on
a transmission line just like lightning which strikes on a
transmission line or any where else.
• Generally speaking, the greater the voltages are & the longer
period over which they are experienced, the greater will be the
damage.
 OTHER DEVICES SIMILAR TO
LIGHTNING ARRESTERS
• Surge Suppressor:
This is also a surge diverter, but generally for voltages
well below 1100 volts.
• TVSS (Transient Voltage Surge Suppressor):
Again this is also a surge diverter, but generally for
voltages well below 1100 volts.
How do Lightning
Arresters Protect
Power Systems?
 LIGHTENING

 Definition of Lightning
 Significance of Lighning
 Mechanism of lightning discharge
 Keraunic Level
 Types of Lightning
 Effect of Lighning
 Protection against Lightning.
 INTRODUCTION OF
LIGHTNING
What is Lightning?
• An electric discharge between
cloud and earth, between
clouds or between the charge
centers of the same cloud is
known as lightning.
• Lightning is a huge spark that take
place when cloud is charged to such
a high potential that dielectric
strength of air is destroyed.
 INTRODUCTION OF
LIGHTNING
132KV TRANSMISSION LINE 132KV TRANSMISSION
WITHOUT SURGE LINE WITH SURGE
ARRESTERS ARRESTERS
 MECHANISM OF LIGHTNING
DISCHARGE
• Lightning discharge is initiated
by a streamer from the cloud
which progress towards the
earth in series of steps called
Stepped Leader.
• Streamer moves from earth
towards cloud is called Return
Streamer.
• Leader streamer and return
streamer has opposite charge.
• When Leader streamer and
return streamer meets, lightning
is initiated. another then a
short circuit is established between
earth and cloud give rise to a large
 KEY POINTS ABOUT LIGHTNING
DISCHARGE

• A lightning discharge usually made up of a number of separate

strokes.
• 87% of all lightning strokes results from negatively charged
clouds.
• 13% of all lightning strokes results from positively charged
clouds.
• Through out the world nearly 100 lightning strokes occur per
second
• Lightning discharge current range from 10kA to 90kA.
 KERAUNIC LEVEL
• It is defined as the average number of days per year when
thunder can be heard in a given area.
• The keraunic number has been used to set standards for safe
design of electrical systems in structures connected to the local
power grid.
• The annual number of lightning flashes hitting one square km
of ground, Ng, can be calculated from the following formula

• Td is the keraunic number.

 TYPES OF LIGHTNING
STROKES
A lightning stroke is defined as a Direct stroke
direct stroke if it hits either the
tower or the shield wire or the
phase conductor.
Cloud will induce a charge of
opposite polarity on lines when
potential b/w cloud and line
exceeds the breakdown value of
air discharge occurs.
 TYPES OF LIGHTNING
STROKES
• Indirect stroke results from the IndirIect stroke
electrostatically induced charge
on the conductor due to presence
of charged clouds
• Induced charge leaks slowly to
earth via insulators.
• Induced charge moves in both
direction in the form of travelling
waves.
• Most of the surge in
transmission line is caused by
indirect stroke.
 EFFECTS OF
LIGHTNING
• Traveling waves
• Insulator damage
• Transformer damage
• Lightning discharge constitute the main cause of non-
programmed outages of electrical system.
• 65% line outages originate from Lightning strokes
EFFECTS OF
LIGHTNING
 PROTECTION AGAINST
LIGHTNING

• Earthing screen.
• Overhead ground wires
• Lightening Arresters
 EARTHING
SCREEN
• Earthing screen provides protection to power stations and sub-
stations against direct stroke.
• It consist of a network of line conductor mounted all over
the electrical equipment in the substation and power station.
• Shield is properly ground through low resistance path.
• Limitation:
• It does not provide protection against travelling
waves.
 OVER HEAD GROUND
WIRES
• Protect transmission line against direct stroke.
• Ground wires are placed above line conductors in such a way
that all lightning strokes are intercepted by them.
• Tower rises potential is given by
Vt= I.R
• Vt less than insulator flashover then no trouble
occur
• Tower footing resistance must be very low.
OVER HEAD GROUND
WIRES
 OVER HEAD GROUND
WIRES

• An effective shielding
requires a strategic
positioning of earth wires so
that lightning stroke reach to
earth wires or ground.
• Most favorable position is
obtained when circle around
earth wire and conductor
meat at same point on
horizontal line.
OVER HEAD GROUND
WIRES
 LIGHTNING
ARRESTERS
• Provide protection against direct as well as indirect stroke
• Protect power station and Transmission line
 EARTHING IN VIEW OF
LIGHTNING PROTECTION

• Tower Earthing resistance and surge impedance is an important

parameter in determination of lightning flashover.
• Earthing resistance is a variable quantity.
• Depend upon soil and non linear conduction of earth
•Even if constant stroke current pass it changes
with time.
EARTHING IN VIEW OF LIGHTNING
PROTECTION
 CONTENTS

• Lightning Rod
• Classes of Surge Arresters
• Working of lightning Arresters
• Surge arrester in Transformer
• Surge arrester in Transmission line.
• Short circuit test
• What is MOV?
• How does dose current flows in Arresters
 LIGHTNING ROD
• A lightning rod or lightning
conductor is a metal rod or
metallic object mounted on top
of an elevated structure, such
as a building, a ship, or even
a tree, electrically bonded using
a wire or electrical conductor
to interface with ground or
"earth" through an electrode,
engineered to protect the
structure in the event
 LIGHTNING ROD

• Surge arresters is not a

lightning Rod although it
does the same operation that
the lightening do.
• But its construction and
working principle is very
different from the lightning
Rod.
 CLASSES OF SURGE
ARRESTERS

• Station Class
• Intermediate Clas s
• Distribution Class
• Secondary Class
 WORKING OF SURGE
ARRESTERS

• Normal Operation
• Occurrence of High
Voltage
• Function as a non linear
resistor
 SURGE ARRESTERS IN
TRANSFORMER

• Surge Arresters are used in

transformer both at
transmission level and at
distribution level.
• The rating of arresters used
at these are different because
of voltage levels.
SURGE ARRESTERS IN
TRANSFORMER
 SURGE ARRESTERS IN
TRANSMISSION LINE

• Surge Arrester is also

used in Transmission
system just for the same
and basic purpose
which is the safety of
our equipment's and
also the transmission
line
 SURGE ARRESTERS (BASIC
CONSTRUCTION)

• Surge arresters is consist of MOV

discs.
• What is MOV?
• MOV is Metal Oxide Varistor.
• The most common type
of Varistor is the Metal-Oxide
Varistor (MOV). This type
contains a ceramic mass of
zinc oxide grains, in a matrix of
other metal oxides (such as small
amounts of bismuth, cobalt,
manganese) sandwiched
SURGE ARRESTERS (BASIC CONSTRUCTION)
Metal
Oxide Discs

The basic construction of

surge arrester is that it
consists of discs that act as a
semiconduct or for normal
voltages but whorf a surge
appears or comes it becomes
a conductor and provides a
short path to the ground to a
very high voltage surge.
 THE MOV DISK
• The MOV disk is a very fast
acting electronic switch
• It is an open switch to standard
system AC voltage and a close
switch to lightening voltages.
• By magnifying the MOV material
5000 times, Metal Oxide Grains
and Dopants in the material
can be discerned
• Each MOV Disk with a 35mm
diameter and a 35mm height
contains about 28 Billion MOV
The MOV Grains and their Junctions are the Electronic
Switches that turn on and off in unison to divert the
surge
A lightning arrester is essentially a
collection of billions of microscopic
junctions of Metal Oxide Grains that turn
on and off in microseconds to form a
current path from the top terminal to the
ground terminal of the arrester.
 TYPES OF SURGE
ARRESTERS

• Rod Gap Arrester

• Horn Gap Arrester
• Multigap Arresters
• Expulsion Type Arrester
• Valve Type Arresters
 ROD GAP
ARRESTER

• Simple type of diverter.

• Consists of two 1·5 cm rods.
• The distance between gap
and insulator must not be
less than one-third of the
gap length.
• Due to its limitations, Rod-gap
arresters are used only as ‘Back
up’ protection.
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
• Under normal operating • Rods may melt or get
conditions gap remains non- damaged.
conducting. • The climatic conditions affect
• On the occurrence of a high the performance of rod gap
voltage surge on the line, the arrester.
gap sparks over and the • The polarity of the surge also
surge current is conducted to affects the performance of
earth. this arrester.
 HORN GAP
ARRESTERS

• Consists of two horn shaped

metal.
• Horn is connected to the line
through a resistance R and
choke coil L.
• Choke does not allow the
transients to enter the
apparatus to be protected.
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• The arc is self-clearing. • The bridging of gap can

• Series resistance helps in render the device useless.
limiting the follow • The setting of horn gap
current to a small value. is likelyto change due to
corrosion or pitting.
• Time of operation is
comparatively long.
 MULTIGAP
ARRESTER

• It consists of a series of
metallic (generally alloy of
zinc) cylinders.
• Cylinders are separated by air
gap and are connected with
series and shunt
resistances.
• Such arresters are applied
where voltage does not
exceed 33kV.
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• They have the lowest let- • Their current handling

through voltage and the best capabilities are the smallest
controlled clamping of all.
behavior of the various • Such arresters can be
arrestor types. employed only where system
• It provides safety and voltage may not exceed
prevents damage to 33kV.
expensive equipment.
 EXPULSION TYPE
ARRESTERS

• This type of arrester is

also called ‘Protector tube’.
• Commonly used on system
operating at voltages up to 33
kV.
• It essentially consists
of Rod
Gap, Upper Electrode and
Lower Electrode.
• One expulsion arrester is placed
under each line conductor.
 DISADVANTAGES ADVANTAGES
• They can perform only limited
number of operations. • They are not very expensive.
• it is not suitable for
the
• They are improved form of
rod gap arresters.
protection of expensive
equipment. • They can be easily
installed.
• This type of arresters cannot
be mounted in an enclosed
equipment.
 VALVE TYPE ARRESTERS

• They are extensively used on

systems operating at high
voltages.
• They incorporate non-linear
resistors
• It consists of two
assemblies
• Series spark gaps
• Non-linear resistor discs.
• The non linear elements are
connected in series with
the spark gap.
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• They provide very • They fail to check the surges

effective protection of every steep Wave.
(especially for • Their performance is
transformers and cables) adversely affected by the
against surges. entry of moisture into the
• They operate very rapidly enclosure.
APPLICATIONS OF VALVE TYPE
ARRESTERS

• According to there applications valve type arresters are

classified as Two types
• Station type: Generally used for protection of equipment in
power stations operating on voltages upto 220kV or higher.
• Line type: Are used for station handling voltages upto
66kV.
Metal-Oxide Resistors
Porcelain Housed Surge Arrester
Polymer Housed Surge Arrester
Two-Unit HV
Surge
Arrester
Components
Surge Counter
Surge Counter Installation
RATING OF LIGHTNING ARRESTERS
The Rating of lightning arrestor are given below

Normal or rated voltage: It is designated by the

maximum permissible value of power frequency
voltage which it can support across its line and earth
terminal while still carrying effectively and without the
automatic extinction of the follow up current. The
voltage rating of the arrestors should be greater than
the maximum sound phase to ground voltage
RATING OF LIGHTNING ARRESTERS

Normal Discharge current: It is the surge current which

flows through the LA after the spark over, expressed in crest
value (peak value) for a specified wave shape. Example 10,
5, 2.5, 1.5, 1 kA rating.

Power frequency spark over voltage: It is the RMS value

of the power frequency voltage applied between the line and
earth terminals of the arrestor and earth which causes spark
over of the series gap. As per IS 3070, the recommended
spark over voltage is 1.5 times the rated voltage.
SELECTION OF LIGHTNING ARRESTERS

For the protection of substation above 66KV an arrestor of

10kA rating is used.

Voltage rating of LA = Line to line voltage × 1.1 × coefficient

of earthing.

Power frequency spark over voltage = 1.5 ×Voltage rating of

LA

(Assuming coefficient of earthing equals 0.8 for effectively

earthed system)
 SELECTION OF LIGHTNING ARRESTERS

For 132KV system:

Voltage rating = 1.1 × 132×0.8 = 116.16KV

Power frequency spark over voltage = 1.5 × 116.16 = 174.24KV
Rated discharge current = 10kA

For 66kV System:

Voltage rating = 1.1 × 66×0.8 = 58.08kV

Power frequency spark over voltage = 1.5 × 58.08 = 87.12kV
Rated discharge current = 10kA
 SELECTION OF LIGHTNING ARRESTERS

For 11KV system:

Voltage rating = 1.1× 11×0.8 = 9.68KV

Power frequency spark over voltage = 1.5×9.68 = 14.52KV
Nominal discharge current = 5kA

The standard rating of surge arresters available are 2.7, 3, 6, 9, 10,

12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 36, 39, 45, 48, 54, 60, 72, 90, 96, 108,
132, 144, 168, 172, 180, 192, 198, 228, 240, 258, 264, 276, 288,
294, 312, 360, 390, 396 & 420 KV.
Selection is to be made considering the system voltage rating & the
type of earthing employed.
 MAINTENANCE OF LIGHTNING ARRESTERS

Monthly Check:

Bushing Inspection from ground visually & taking surge counter

reading. Any abnormal trend in surge counter reading is to be
investigated.

Yearly Check:

Cleaning & inspection of bushing for any crack, checking terminal

tightness & Leakage current measurement.
Appropriate shutdown is to be taken for carrying out the work.