Lightning Protection Forum

Shanghai June 2004

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Impulse current testing
Michael Gamlin

Haefely Test AG, Basle, Switzerland


Abstract: IEC time parameter definitions for impulse
currents are explained and an overview of the IEC
standards 60060-1, 60099-4, 61643-1 and 61312-1 in
regards to impulse current testing is given. The differ-
ent impulse currents such as exponential current im-
pulses (ECI), lightning current impulses (LCI) and
rectangular current impulses (RCI) are analytically
described by their simplified circuit diagrams. The
generation of the lightning current impulses (LCI) is
more detailed explained and the impulse current sys-
tem of the Shanghai Metrology Institute delivered by
the Haefely AG is introduced especially in regards of
lightning current impulse testing.

1. Introduction

The IEC standards 60060-1, 60099-4, 61643-1 and
61312-1 specify parameter tolerances for the different
exponential current impulses (ECI), rectangular cur-
rent impulses (RCI) and lightning current impulses.
IEC 61312-1 standard gives a guideline how a light-
ning current impulse (LCI) for test purposes can be
achieved.

2. Time parameter definitions for impulse
currents according to IEC standards

2.1. Exponential current impulse (ECI)



Figure 1. Time parameter ECI

T
1
: Front time
T
2
: Time to half value
O
1
: Virtual origin
2.2. Rectangular current impulse (RCI)

Figure 2. Time parameter RCI

T
d
: Duration of peak of a rectangular impulse
T
t
: Total duration of a rectangular impulse current

2.3. Current rise


Figure 3. Parameter current rise

i: I
90%
- I
10%

t: t
90%
- t
10%


3. Overview of impulse current definitions
according to IEC standards

3.1. IEC 60060-1: High Voltage Test Techniques;
Part 1: General definitions and test requirements

IEC 60060-1 defines several exponential current im-
pulses as well as several rectangular current impulses
by time parameters, peak values, polarity reversal and
the permitted tolerances (see Figure 4.).
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3.2. IEC 60099-4: High Voltage Test Techniques;
Surge arrestors; Part 4: Metal-oxide surge arres-
tors without gaps for a.c. systems

IEC 60099-4 defines several exponential and rectan-
gular current impulses by time parameters, peak val-
ues, polarity reversal, needed energy and the permitted
tolerances (see Figure 5.). Compared with IEC
60060-1 the tolerances for the time parameter for
ECI varies. Furthermore the RCI is defined by
time parameters and an energy demand for the
test object. To simulate service conditions of an
arrestor 4/10, 8/20, 30/80 and long duration cur-
rent impulses are combined with the rated
Figure 4. IEC 60060-1 impulse current definitions
Figure 5. IEC 60099-4 impulse current definitions
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arrestor AC voltage (operating duty test ODT).

3.2. IEC 61312-1 (Annex C): Protection against
lightning electromagnetic impulse, Simulation of
the lightning current for test purposes, First light-
ning stroke
Simulation parameters:

Peak current: I
peak


Charge:


Specific energy:

Current rise: i= I
90%
- I
10%
, t= t
90%
- t
10%


IEC standard 61312-1 (Annex C) splits up the first
lightning stroke current into a high energy portion and
a fast rise time portion. Both portions can be applied
independently or in combination

3.2.1. IEC 61312-1 (Annex C): High energy portion
The parameters I
peak
, Q
s
, and W/R with their toler-
ance4s are to be obtained in the same impulse. This
can be achieved by an approximately exponentially
decaying current with T
2
in the range of 350 s.
(see figure 6.)
3.2.2. IEC 61312-1 (Annex C): Fast rise time por-
tion

The simulation conducted in accordance with this
method covers the rate of rise of the current of short
duration strokes i / t. The tail of the current is of no
consequence for this kind of simulation.
(see figure 7.)

4. Simplified analytical description of different
impulse currents

4.1. Simplified principle circuit diagram for expo-
nential current impulses (ECI)












Figure 8. Simplified circuit diagram ECI

=
0
s
dt ) t ( i Q

=
0
2
dt ) t ( i R / W
Figure 6. IEC 61312-14 (Annex C) High energy portion
Figure 7. IEC 61312-14 (Annex C) Fast rise time portion
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0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
R / R
0
t
p
e
a
k

i
n

s
4.1.1. Aperiodic damped circuit (1/<20 wave shape)























Figure 9. normalized aperiodic damped ECI

Above formulas show that the higher the damping
(R ?) the shorter is the rise time (T
1
?) but the lower is
the current peak (I
peak
?) and the longer is the time to
half value (T
2
?).














Figure 10. Rise time versus damping for aperiodic damped ECI

4.1.2. Periodic damped circuit (4/10, 8/20, 30/80,
switching current)























Figure 11. normalized periodic damped ECI

4.2. Simplified principle circuit diagram for rec-
tangular current impulses (RCI)

An RCI impulse generator consists of 8 to 12 distrib-
uted constant impulse generators.


Figure 12. Distributed constant impulse generators for RCI

The formula below describes the relation between the
used lattice network and the duration of the peak T
90%

(or T
d
).























Figure 13. Rectangular current impulse RCI, class 5 arrestor,
Urated= 12 kV, 60 kJ
C L
1
) C L 1 C L ln(
t
),
C L
1
t sinh( e
C
L
4 R
U
2 ) t ( i
, criterion damping
C L
1
,
L 2
R
2
2
peak
2 t 0
2

+
=

>

s 1 T s 7 . 1 t
F 9 C , H 1 L
C L
1
;
C
L
2 R
1 peak
2
0

=> =
= =

= =
) arctan(
1
t
,
C L
1
), t sin( e
L
U
) t ( i
, criterion damping
C L
1
,
L 2
R
peak
2
t 0
2

<

=

12 .. 8 n , C n C , L L ; C L
) 1 n ( 2
T 1 . 1 n
tot
n
1 i
i tot tot tot
% 90
= = = =

=
1 ms 2 ms 3 ms 4 ms 5 ms 6 ms 7 ms
100 A
200 A
300 A
400 A
500 A
600 A
700 A
RCI
Ipk : 623.919 A
Td : 3.500 ms
Tt : 4.318 ms
1
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
t in s
i
(
t
)

/

I
m
a
x
-0.20
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
t in s
i
(
t
)

/

I
m
a
x
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Figure 13. Impulse current system SSGA 100-150 (100 kV, 150 kJ)
for arrestor testing according to IEC 60099-4 with ECI, RCI and
operating duty testing

4.3. Simplified principle circuit diagram for light-
ning current impulses (LCI)









Figure 14. Simplified circuit diagram LCI


























Figure 15. normalized simplified LCI


5. Lightning current impulse generation (LCI,
10/350)

5.1. Detailed LCI circuit diagram

Figure 15. Detailed circuit diagram LCI

5.2. Function principle LCI circuit

By the ignition of the main spark gap the energy
stored in the charging capacitors capacitance C
1
is
transferred to the external inductance L
2
. Shortly be-
fore the impulse current reaches its peak value the
crow bar spark gap 1-2 is triggered by the impulse
voltage generator. To achieve a fast rise time of about
a few hundred ns for the impulse voltage generator
current an extremely low inductive peaking circuit has
to be integrated. The voltage drop of this fast dis-
charge current across the main circuit inductance L
1

finally ignites the crowbar spark gap 2-3 and the
crowbar switch is closed. A crowbar switch is a spe-
cific spark gap arrangement being able to be triggered
under virtually no voltage condition.
To fulfil the fast rise time portion the external induc-
tance value L
2
has to be chosen quite low (some H)
whereas for the high energy portion the external in-
ductance value L
2
has to be in the range of some ten
H.
As soon as the crow bar switch is closed the time to
half value T
2
is determined by the time constant
(L
2
+L
crowbar
)/(R
2
+R
crowbar
+R
DUT
). All component in this
external circuit (crowbar, external inductance) must
have a low resistive design and the current is meas-
ured by a Rogowski coil and not by a shunt.
Due to the inherent crowbar inductance L
crowbar
to-
gether with the charging capacitors capacitance C
1
an
oscillation closely after the current peak occurs as to
be seen in figure 16 and 17.
To insure reproducible LCI impulse the controls of the
main impulse current circuit and the impulse voltage
generator must work together in a master/slave mode.
The benefit of the master/slave mode is that a delay
time can be adjusted and a triggering is only possible
when both circuits are charged up.

+
=

=
+
=

+
=

2
t , e
) L L (
U
) t ( i
2
t ,
) L L ( C
1
2
t 0 ), t ( sin
) L L (
C
U ) t ( i
2
L
R
).
2
t (
2 1
0
1
2 1
2 1
0
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
0 500 1000 1500 2000
t in s
i
(
t
)

/

I

m
a
x
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Figure 16. Fast rise time portion LCI



Figure 17. Energy portion LCI

5.3. LCI circuit components















Figure 18. Impulse current system SSG 200-180 (200 kV, 180 kJ)
for SPD testing with ECI and LCI


















Figure 19. Motorized crowbar electrodes with tungsten copper
insertion to ensure a reliable performance

















Figure 20. Control unit GC 223 for the impulse current circuit
(bottom) and crowbar control CBC 220 (top) for adjusting and
displaying the crowbar electrode distances

















Figure 21. Low resistive, reliable resin cast coil design

1 ms
20 kA
40 kA
60 kA
80 kA
100 kA
120 kA
140 kA
CH2 : Shunt:5.000 mOhm Level:100% Sampling:7.500 Ms/s Range:800.0 Vpp Trigger:Level 10%
No. 1
LCI
Ipk : 107.243 kA
di : 85.794 kA
dt : 9.887 us
di/dt : 8.677 kA/us
T1 : 12.359 us
T2 : 363.876 us
Qs : 46.187 As
W/R : 2.647 MJ/Ohm
1
1 ms
20 kA
40 kA
60 kA
80 kA
100 kA
120 kA
140 kA
CH2 : Shunt:5.000 mOhm Level:100% Sampling:7.500 Ms/s Range:800.0 Vpp Trigger:Level 10%
No. 20
LCI
Ipk : 116.885 kA
di : 93.508 kA
dt : 9.876 us
di/dt : 9.468 kA/us
T1 : 12.346 us
T2 : 357.878 us
Qs : 50.635 As
W/R : 3.135 MJ/Ohm
1
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Figure 22. Motorized, low inductive crowbar design with peaking
circuit


























Figure 23. Test chamber with connected SPD ready for testing

















Figure 24. SPD exploded during LCI testing

6. Technical data impulse current system
SSGA 200-180 and future extension possibili-
ties

Wave shape max. current
I
peak

max. charging
voltage
max.
load
8/20 200 kA 100 kV 100 m
10/350 100 kA 200 kV 50 m
Extension possibility by integrating
additional damping resistors and external inductances
(metal oxide arrestor testing according to IEC 60099-4)
1/20 30 kA 200 kV U
r
=
12 kV
4/10 150 kA 200 kV U
r
=
12 kV
30/80 60 kA 100 kV U
r
=
12 kV
Switching
current
3 kA 100 kV U
r
=
12 kV







Author address: Michael Gamlin
Manager Engineering HVT
Haefely Test AG, Lehenmattstr. 353
CH-4052 Basle, Switzerland
Email: gamlin.michael@haefely.com