IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 18, NO.

2, APRIL 2003 545

Lightning Flashovers on 77-kV Systems: Observed

Voltage Bias Effects and Analysis
Takamitsu Ito, Toshiaki Ueda, Hideto Watanabe, Toshihisa Funabashi, Senior Member, IEEE, and
Akihiro Ametani, Fellow, IEEE

Abstract—Twenty-nine backflashovers were recorded on a

77-kV double-circuit transmission line with single overhead
groundwire. Twenty-six of these occurred on phases where
power-frequency voltage bias was positive. EMTP analysis of the
line shows that the multistory tower model, recommended by the
Japanese Guideline of Insulation Design/Coordination against
Lightning, suggests a stronger influence of phase position than
was observed. Best simulation results were obtained with a simple
tower model of constant surge impedance.
Index Terms—Flashover, lightning, surges, transient analysis.

I. INTRODUCTION

F OR an insulation design of an electric power system, it is

essential to study lightning surge behavior. Especially, the
lightning overvoltage is a significant factor for the protection Fig. 1. Measurement results of phase voltages and phase angles at back
of power plant and substation equipment. A direct strike to a flashover (total flashovers 29).
power transmission line is very rare, and most of the lightning
strikes the top of a transmission tower. A lightning current to model is discussed, and a simple tower model composed only
the tower top flows down to the bottom of the tower, and the of distributed lines is recommended to obtain a better accuracy
tower voltage rises. By this rise, a back-flashover occurs across compared with the field test results.
an archorn. Therefore, a transmission line/tower model is one
of the most important factors for a lightning surge analysis in II. FIELD TEST
the electric power system, and a number of studies on the tower
Field tests were performed on a 77-kV transmission line in
model have been carried out [1]–[3]. It is expected that calcu-
an area of a high IKL (approximately 33 thunderstorm days
lated results are quite different from each other depending on
per year) [4], [5]. An archorn gap on a transmission tower is
each model. A multistory tower model [1], composed of dis-
650 mm, and the mean tower footing resistance is approximately
tributed parameter lines with parallel R//L circuits, has been rec-
10 . The measurements were carried out for four months from
ommended by the Japanese Guideline of insulation design/coor-
June to September, summer in Japan. Measured results are sum-
dination against lightning [4], and is widely used for a lightning
marized in Fig. 1, which shows an instantaneous ac voltage just
surge analysis in Japan. The multistory tower model was devel-
before a back-flashover, corresponding to the back-flashover
oped based on measured results of archorn voltages on 500-kV
phase obtained from sensors installed in a substation.
vertical twin-circuit lines. Its accuracy, however, has not been
It is observed in the figure that 1LG (one line-to-ground fault)
sufficiently confirmed in comparison with measured results on
occurs at a nearly positive peak of a phase voltage. 2LG (two
a transmission line other than the 500-kV line.
lines-to-ground fault) shown by the corresponding two phases
The present paper investigates the characteristic of the
occurs in the positive voltage region except for one data. 3LG
multistory tower model on a lower-voltage transmission line,
(three lines-to-ground fault) occurs by an excessive rise of the
based on EMTP simulations of a lightning surge due to a
tower voltage according to an excessive lightning current, and
back-flashover in comparison with field test results of the
thus, independent from positive or negative voltage.
back-flashovers on a 77-kV transmission line for summer
The tendencies of the measured results are summarized by
lightning. From a comparison of the EMTP simulation with
the field test results, the applicability of the multistory tower 1) most back-flashovers occur uniformly on each phase, in-
dependently from the geometrical position of the phases.
(nine flashovers on the upper, ten on the middle, and ten
Manuscript received June 28, 2000; revised May 22, 2002.
T. Ito and T. Funabashi are with Meidensha Corporation, Tokyo, 103-8515,
on the lower phase);
Japan. 2) most back-flashovers concentrate in the positive voltage
T. Ueda is with the Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc., Aichi, 459-8522, Japan. region.
H. Watanabe is with Meidensha Corporation, Shizuoka, Japan.
A. Ametani is with Doshisha University, Kyoto, 610-0321, Japan. The reason for the latter tendency is estimated that an ar-
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TPWRD.2003.809683 chorn voltage is higher in the positive source voltage region
0885-8977/03$17.00 © 2003 IEEE
546 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 18, NO. 2, APRIL 2003

Fig. 2. Equivalent circuit for a 77-kV transmission line.

Fig. 4. Flashover model combined with nonlinear elements.

Fig. 3. Transmission tower configuration of 77 kV.

since almost all of the summer lightning currents have a neg-

ative polarity.

III. SIMULATION CONDITIONS

EMTP simulations of a lightning surge due to a
back-flashover are carried out on a 77-kV transmission
line, of which a model circuit is illustrated in Fig. 2.
An ac steady-state voltage is superposed. For the transmis-
sion line is terminated with a multiphase matching resistance,
there is no reflected traveling wave from the far ends of the
transmission line, and thus, transmission line is regarded as an
infinite line. Fig. 3 shows the configuration of a 77-kV trans-
mission tower. A lightning strike hits number 3 tower top. A
sophisticated model of an archorn flashover illustrated in Fig. 4
is adopted to carry out multiple flashovers of archorns [6]. This
flashover model can represent a wide-range V-t characteristic
including a wave-tail flashover for sharing an archorn voltage
with a nonlinear inductance and a nonlinear resistance. A gap
length of an archorn is taken to be 650 mm and a tower footing
resistance is 10 , based on measurement conditions.
In a simulation, an ac source voltage on each phase is changed
by every 15 of electrical angle for one cycle (i.e. from 0 to
360 ), as an initial voltage of a transmission line for . model. It is expected that back-flashovers concentrate in a pos-
Fig. 5. Multistory tower model.
IV. SIMULATION RESULTS BY THREE TOWER MODELS
A. Multistory Tower Model
A multistory tower model illustrated in Fig. 5 is based on
measured results of archorn voltages on a 500-kV vertical twin-
circuit line, and consists of distributed parameter lines repre-
senting the tower surge impedance and parallel R and L circuits
representing an attenuation of a traveling wave along a tower
[1]. Because the original parameters of R and L in the multistory
tower model were developed specifically for the 500-kV trans-
mission line, these parameters are converted from 500 to 77 kV
in Fig. 5 according to the geometrical dimension.
Fig. 6 shows EMTP simulation results by the multistory tower
ITO et al.: LIGHTNING FLASHOVERS ON 77-kV SYSTEMS: OBSERVED VOLTAGE BIAS EFFECTS AND ANALYSIS
Fig. 6. Simulation results by the multistory tower model.
(a)
(b)
Fig. 7. Voltage waveforms by the multistory tower model. (a) Tower arm to
ground. (b) Across archorn.
itive voltage region, because a lightning current is of a negative
polarity.
Fig. 6 by the multistory tower model shows the following
tendencies.
1) Allof the back-flashovers occur on the upper phase, inde-
pendently from the ac source voltage on each phase.
2) No back-flashover occurs at all on the lower phase.
The results are completely different from the measured results.
Fig. 7 shows voltage waveforms by the multistory tower
model. The figure indicates the reason for the above tendencies.
547
Fig. 8. Multistory tower model without parallel R//L circuits.
Fig. 9. Simulation results by the multistory tower model without parallel R//L
circuits.
Since the phase angle of the ac source voltage at this simulation
is 90 , the lower phase voltage is of the positive polarity as in
Fig. 6. Therefore, the flashover ought to occur on the lower
phase. However, the flashover (i.e. 1 LG, in Fig. 6) occurs on
the upper phase. The negative peak voltage of the upper phase
before the flashover is highest as in Fig. 7(a) and (b) for the
geometrical position of the phase is highest, and thus, the upper
phase flashover occurs in this case.
B. Multistory Tower Model without Parallel R//L Circuits
One of the reasons for the tendency of the upper phase
flashover by the multistory tower model is estimated due to
the parallel R//L circuits. Thus, a simulation using a simplified
multistory tower model (i.e. with no parallel R//L circuit as
illustrated in Fig. 8), is carried out. The surge impedance and
the other parameters of the simplified model are the same as
those of the multistory tower model in Fig. 5.
Fig. 9 shows the simulation results by the simplified model.
The following trend is observed in the figure.
548 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 18, NO. 2, APRIL 2003

(a)

Fig. 11. Tower equivalent radius.

(b)
Fig. 10. Voltage waveforms by the multistory tower model without parallel
R//L circuits. (a) Tower arm to ground. (b) Across archorn.

1) only two back-flashovers occur on the lower phase;

2) almost all of the back-flashovers on the upper and middle
phases occur in the positive voltage region.
The latter trend corresponds to the measured results, but the
distribution of the back-flashovers is not uniform on each phase.
Fig. 10 shows voltage waveforms by the simplified model. Fig. 12. Simple distributed line model.
The negative peak voltage across the archorn of the upper and
lower phases is nearly equal in Fig. 10(b), and the flashovers
occur on the upper and lower phases in this case. Equivalent radius of a tower in the above equation is given by

C. Simple Distributed Line Model r h r H r h

R (2)
Since the multistory tower model was developed for a 500-kV H
transmission line, the tower surge impedance (220 , 150 ) The tower surge impedance calculated by (1) is 133 R
is specifically for the 500-kV transmission tower having about m . Thus, a simple distributed line model composed only of
twice the height of the 77-kV transmission tower. Therefore, a distributed line is proposed using the above surge impedance,
an investigation of the tower surge impedance is necessary. A as illustrated in Fig. 12.
number of surge impedance formulas of a transmission tower Fig. 13 shows simulation results by the simple distributed line
have been proposed [7]–[12]. A formula of a cone-shaped tower model, and the following observation is made from the figure.
illustrated in Fig. 11 is simple and easy to apply [12]. Also, the 1) back-flashovers occur uniformly on each phase;
formula shows close agreement with measured results of a tower 2) most back-flashovers concentrate in the positive voltage
surge impedance. region.
The formula is given in the following form: The observations agree well with the measured results.
H Fig. 14 shows voltage waveforms by the simple distributed
Z (1) line model. The negative peak voltage across the archorn of the
R
lower phase is highest in Fig. 14(b), and the flashover occurs on
where R H the lower phases in this case.
ITO et al.: LIGHTNING FLASHOVERS ON 77-kV SYSTEMS: OBSERVED VOLTAGE BIAS EFFECTS AND ANALYSIS
Fig. 13. Simulation results by the simple distributed line model.
(a)
(b)
Fig. 14. Voltage waveforms by the simple distributed line model. (a) Tower
arm to ground. (b) Across archorn.
D. Discussions of Three Tower Models
A comparison of the simulation results by three tower models
with the measured results has clearly indicated that the multi-
story tower model gives a completely different result from the
measured results and the simple distributed line model agrees
best with the measured one. The reason for the tendency of the
upper phase flashover by the multistory tower model is esti-
mated to be caused by the parallel R//L circuits and the tower
549
surge impedance. Although the parallel R//L circuits are in-
cluded for representing an attenuation of a traveling wave along
a tower, the tower voltage of the upper phase becomes very high
due to the parallel R//L circuits. Thus, it can be said that the
parallel R//L circuits are not necessarily included in a tower
model for a back-flashover analysis of a low-voltage transmis-
sion line. Also, a tower surge impedance has to be evaluated for
a given tower, or at least for a tower of each voltage level. For
example, the surge impedance of a 500-kV transmission tower
is , while that of a 77-kV tower is 133 as ex-
plained in Section IV-C.
V. CONCLUSIONS
It has been found that the multistory tower model recom-
mended by Japanese Guideline of Insulation Design is not an
adequate model to analyze a back-flashover on a low-voltage
transmission line from a comparison of simulation results with
field test results for a summer lightning. The inadequate result
by the multistory tower model comes from parallel R and L cir-
cuits which increase an upper-phase tower voltage, and the value
of the tower surge impedance which is specifically determined
from a 500-kV line.
Based on the observations mentioned before, the paper has
proposed a simple tower model, consisting only of a distributed
line of which the surge impedance is determined from a surge
impedance formula of a cone-shaped tower. The proposed
model gives a close agreement with the measured results which
show a uniform occurrence of back-flashovers on every phase
independently from the arm height, and the back-flashovers in
a positive voltage region of a source ac voltage.
As a further step of the work, the authors are investigating
the IEEE FLASH Program to simulate the measured result in
the paper.
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Takamitsu Ito was born in Japan on January 21, 1973. He graduated in 1995
and received the M.Sc. degree in 1997 from the Department of Information En-
gineering at Niigata University, Niigata, Japan.
Currently, he is with Meidensha Corporation, Tokyo, Japan, engaged in re-
search on power system analysis.
Mr. Ito is a member of the IEE of Japan.
Toshiaki Ueda was born in Japan on June 18, 1962. He graduated in 1985 and
received the M.Sc. degree from the Department of Electrical Engineering, To-
hoku University, Miyagi, Japan, in 1987. He received the Ph.D. degree from
Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan, in 1998.
Currently, he is with Chubu Electric Power Co., Aichi, Japan, where he has
been since 1987. He has been involved in research on lightning surge analysis
of power systems and substation equipment.
Dr. Ueda is a member of the IEE of Japan.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON POWER DELIVERY, VOL. 18, NO. 2, APRIL 2003
Hideto Watanabe was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on January 29, 1965.
He received the B.S. degree from Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan, in 1987.
Currently, he is with Meidensha Corporation, Shizuoka, Japan, and has been
engaged in research, development, and design of surge arresters.
Mr. Watanabe is a member of the IEE of Japan.
Toshihisa Funabashi (M’90–SM’96) was born in Aichi, Japan, on March 25,
1951. He graduated from the Department of Electrical Engineering at Nagoya
University, Aichi, Japan, in 1975, and received the Ph.D. degree from Doshisha
University, Kyoto, Japan, in 2000.
Currently, he is Manager of the Power System Analysis Section of Meidensha
Corporation, Tokyo, Japan. He joined Meidensha Corporation in 1975 and has
engaged in research on power system analysis.
Dr. Funabashi is a senior associate of IEE and a member of IEE of Japan.
Akihiro Ametani (M’71–SM’84–F’92) was born in Nagasaki, Japan, on Feb-
ruary 14, 1944. He received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Doshisha Univer-
sity, Kyoto, Japan, in 1966 and 1968, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree from
University of Manchester, U.K., in 1973.
Currently, he is Professor at Doshisha University. His teaching and research
responsibilities include electromagnetic theory, transients, power system, and
computer analysis.
Dr. Ametani is a Fellow of IEE, a member of CIGRE and IEE of Japan, and
is a Chartered Engineer in the U.K.