Lightning Protection for Medium

Voltage Overhead Distribution Lines

in High Lightning Density Area

Prof.Dr. Reynaldo Zoro. Dr. Syarif Hidayat, Tulus Leo

Lightning Research Center
School of Electrical Engineering and Informatics
Institute Technologi Bandung (ITB), Indonesia
zoro@hv.ee.itb.ac.id ; tulus.leo@gmail.com
Content
Introduction
Lightning in Tropics
Lightning Protection for MV Lines
Reseach Area
Research Results
Conclusion
 INTRODUCTION
• The goal of this research is to minimize the disturbance
on MV line in the area with high lightning density in
Serpong area
• Over the years several tripping and conductor damages
occur due to lightning strikes.
• Several solutions have been evaluated over the years
which can improve line performance against lightning
strikes such as installation of overhead ground wire and
the relocation of lightning arrester.
 Indonesia; Maritime Continent
St. Petersburg, Rusia

Equator Line
Java Island & Bali

West Java Bali Island

GFD for Java Island
Recorded from JADPEN 6
Reseach Area ; Serpong
Lightning Measurement Station
Mnt. Tangkuban Perahu +2023 m

SERPONG
Jakarta

serpong
Lightning Measurement Station
Mnt Tangkuban Perahu

GFD for West Java

8

West Java Lightning Flash Density (Ng)

SERPONG
AREA
 GFD for Serpong Area on
20 x 20 km2 window

• Ng is around =
• 15-40
strike/km2/yr

10
Monthly Variant of Lightning Activity in
Serpong Area
PROTECTION OF MV OVERHEAD
LINE

Protection of MVOH lines

• Shielding Wire
• Metal Oxide Arrester
• Multi-Chamber System
Protection of 20 kV
Lines in Indonesia by
using;
MOA arrester and
Overhead Ground Wire

• 1 OHGW reduce
induction up to 33%.
• 2 OHGW reduce the
induction up to 66%
(Peek).
Multi Chamber System (MCS)
• The base of multi chamber arresters (MCA), shown
in next picture.
• It comprises a large number of electrodes mounted
in a length of silicon rubber.
• Holes drilled between the electrodes and going
through the length act as miniature gas discharge
chambers.
Fig. 1. Multichambersystem (MCS): (a) Diagram showing the discharge onset instant.
(b) Diagram showing the discharge end instant.
1) silicon rubber length, 2) electrodes, 3) arc quenching chamber, and 4) discharge channel.
Multi Chamber System (MCS)
• When a lightning overvoltage impulse is applied to
the arrester, it breaks down gaps between electrodes.
• Discharges between electrodes occur inside
chambers of a very small volume; the resulting high
pressure drives spark discharge channels between
electrodes to the surface of the insulating body and,
hence, outside into the air around the arrester.
Fig 2. Spark discharge occurs into the air around the Multichamber arresters
installation 20-kV lines.
SERPONG LINES CHARACTERISTICS
• A 20 kV feeder, called “Ruko” in Serpong region has been
chosen to be equipped with the multi-chamber arresters. The
choice is determined due to highest lightning outage of the
feeder.
• Outages have been recorded through this logger at
substation and reclosers as shown on table 1. It can be noted
that in total of 40 to 60 outages took place every year on
these lines.
• Average outages recorded per 100km per year at feeder
KDS4 and feeder SR20 is 120 outages.
Column1 2010 2011 2012 2013
Substation Trips 44 5 2 4
SR20 line Trips Recloser not installed Not available 27 21
KDS4 line Trips Recloser not installed Not available 18 32
Total number of trips 44 5 47 57

Table 1. Trips records on switchgear from substation and reclosers of feeders.

Substation
Parameter of Area Overall Area
Vicinity
Area Width in km 2,9 7,7
Area Length in km 3,4 10,9
Area in km2 10,0 84,1
Longitude min 106,589211 106,582423
Longitude max 106,614253 106,646372
Latitude min -6,306472 -6,285117
Latitude max -6,336874 -6,378302
24kV Circuit Length of line in Area in km 10 45
Surface sensitive to lightning in km2 4 20

Table 2. Data of the research location which are equipped by arrester on SR20 and KDS4 feeders.
Fig 3. 20kV lines of feeder SR20 and feeder KDS4.Orange Color is the vicinity area, and in
blue color is the whole research area.
Installation of Arresters
• On 20 October and 19 November 2013, a total of 44
arresters have been installed in the vicinity area.
• Installed arrester was shown in Fig 4, one arrester per
pole is installed on alternate phases.
• This arrester has been installed on poles that were not
equipped with gapped or gapless metal oxide arresters
(MOA).
• Arrester was simply mounted on the cross arm using
standard metal fitting.
Fig4. Multi-Chamber Arresters installed on alternate phases, one piece per pole
Research Result

• Before Installation of MCA

• After Installation of MCA

 Before Installation of MCA
• Nowadays Lightning data for this research derived from
BMKG, (Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi Dan Geofisika)
or Indonesia Weather Service Office.

• From Feb 2012 to Oct 2013, 601 days, 90 trips were

observed on KDS4 and SR20 feeder on more than 55
days. Lightning activity over the related days were
collected and analyzed. It can be seen that only from 55
days of lightning, lightning activity in vicinity of the
substation can reach 17,07 ground flashes per square
kilometer per year.
 Parameter of Area Substation Vicinity Overall Area
Area in km2 10,0 84,1
Ground flashes from 27 Feb
2012 to 20 Oct 2013 281 1823
Ground Flash Density in
flashes/km2/year 17,07 13,16

Table 4. Lightning activity during 54 days from 27 Feb 2012 to 20 Oct 2013

Substation Vicinity Overall Area

few hours few hours
at same time at same time
before before
Nb of lightning occurrence 9 30 17 47
Ratio vs Nb of Trips 10% 34% 20% 54%

Table 5. Lightning occurrence at time of recloser’s trips.

 After Installation of Arresters

• According to BMKG, (Weather Station Office of

Indonesia) data during the period of installation there is
ground flash density was around 15 ground flashes per
square kilometer per year.
• On the overall area, only 7 occurrences were observed
after installation of Multi-Chambers Arresters.
• Number of occurrence of lightning and trips per 100km
of circuit per year decreased from 29 before installation to
12 after installation of the Arresters, preventing more than
50% of outages.
Table 6. Lightning occurrence at time and day of distribution lines trips
Operability of Multi-chamber arrester on 20kV
Networks
• More than 354 days after installation no
increase nor excessive outages number
were observed. Table 3 shows a reducing
of trips per 100km of lines.
Before MCA Inst. After MCA Inst.
27 Fev 2012 20 Oct 2013
20 Oct 2013 9 Oct 2014
SR20 line Trips 46 26
KDS4 line Trips 44 17
Total number of trips 90 43
Trips per Year per 100km 121 99

Table 3. Trips records before and after installation of Multi-Chambers

Arresters
Conclusion
• During the period of installation of MCA (2013 –
2014) the ground flash density was around 15
ground flashes per square kilometer per year
compared to 17.07 GFD before (2012 -2013).

• Multi-Chambers Arresters operated 11 times and

had a positive effect on the protection of the 20
kV overhead line by reducing number of trips.
• Research results shows that MCA contributed
to improve line performance by 50% against
lightning strikes.

• During this research period and distribution

line did not suffer from any nuisance tripping.
Thank You….

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