EVALUATION OF ENERGY STRESS ON LINE ARRESTERS

Abstract

Line Surge Arresters (LSAs) are efficient means for the improvement of the lightning performance of transmission lines. Determination of optimal LSA number, location and rating is important for the improvement of the reliability and availability of a transmission system. In selection of the LSA special attention should be paid to their energy stress which depends on complex interactions between the arrester locations, grounding, shielding and the local lightning environment. LSAs experience higher energy stress compared to station arresters, because the incoming surge to a station is limited by insulator flashover on the transmission line and impulse corona. In this paper calculations of energy stresses were carried out for a double-circuit 220 kV line with a single shielding wire. Parametric studies were conducted in which arrester discharge energy was a function of: time to half value of stroke current, number of towers with arresters, footing resistance, span length and angle of power frequency voltage. Arrester energy stress is analyzed in case of stroke to tower and shielding failure. From conducted analysis it can be concluded that energy stress on LSAs is lower for shorter span lengths. Tower footing resistance has only minor effect on the discharge energy. Arrester discharge energy strongly depends on time to half of the stroke current, number of towers with installed arresters and angle of power frequency voltage.