2009 International Conference on Energy and Environment Technology
Research on protective distance between arrester and
transformer of 220kV AIS substation
Yuanyuan Zhou
College of Electrical and Information Engineering
Changsha University of Science & Technology
Changsha, China
Abstract—This article according to internal and external actual
situation from the typical 220 kV substation connection,
ATP-EMTP simulation program is applied to simulate and
analyze under all effect is to be considered, the rules of
over-voltage from transformer and the position of arrester is
founded, and found that if the incoming line of overhead line to
open-substation have CVT, the maximum protective distance is
185 meter else 143m.and other incoming line substation set the
arrester in front can satisfy impact insulation level, the reference
is provided that the distance between arrester and transformer.
Keywords-220kV substation; lightning incoming surge; arrester;
over-voltage
Σ. INTRODUCTION
Transformer is the most expensive equipment in Substation,
however, the insulation of which is the weakest. According to
Statistics of the National Power Company, the insulated
damage of transformer is often caused by lightning
over-voltage, and the main reason for the accidents is the
imperfect over-voltage protection of arresters. Over the years,
the over-voltage protection against lightning incoming surge in
china mainly includes the incoming line protection and setting
arrester in the power station or substation. However, with the
development of urban power network, power cables and zinc
oxide arresters are being more and more widely applied
[2]
because of their own unique advantages . Obviously, based
on the rather special and complex connection, the biggest
electrical distance between arrester and transformer is different
from the past standard. Therefore calculating and analyzing the
978-0-7695-3819-8/09 $26.00 © 2009 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/ICEET.2009.295
Lixing Zhou, Lei Li, Lingxia Gan, Yinfeng Xu
College of Electrical and Information Engineering
Changsha University of Science & Technology
Changsha, China
rule of over-voltage is very important, which provides an
important basis for the substation equipment insulation design
and arrester layout plan [3].
Simulating all the typical connection by ATP-EMTP
simulation program, the article selects the optimal position for
arrester based on both safety and economy, and provides a
reliable basis for the arrester layout design in substation.
Ċ. CONNECTION PLAN AND PARAMETERS OF THE MODEL
ATP-Draw is the most widely used digital simulation
software for electromagnetic transient phenomenon, and is
very convenient and accurate based on its graphical interface.
In this study, the parameters of lightning model, transmission
line model, arrester model are defined in accordance with
their own characteristics. Transformers, isolating switches,
circuit breakers, instrument transformers and so on, which
under the lightning wave, are expressed by the equivalent
capacitances of impact entrance.
In accordance with the typical main connection mode of
power station or substation, the following situations have to
be considered for the calculation: (1) the open-substation of
which all the incoming lines are overhead lines; (2) overhead
lines connecting with the open-substation by cable lines.
Literature [45] mentioned that, the commonly used capacitive
voltage transformer (CVT) in current high voltage power,
which includes many energy storage components may brings
a certain impact. So the effect of CVT would be taken into
account to get accurate results. Literature [6] worked out the
greatest protective distance between the incoming arrester and
236
the main transformer based on the first situation, but did not substation. The wires of the internal substation approximate to
consider the effect of CVT. According to the actual projects, distortionless wires; the wave impedance is considered as a
[8]
literature [7] advanced that the cable length and layout of constant; and the effect of corona is neglected . The study
arrester have a certain impact on the over-voltage through a simulates according to the lightning current whose probability
qualitative analysis. But it did not research on this subject I
distribution is lg p = − .And the amplitude of the
deeply in quantity. And there are nearly domestic and foreign 88
scholars are found to study on the second situation. In order to lightning current is 240kA, the waveform characteristics
make the model more representative, the paper selects expresses for 2.6/50ȝs.
parameters of the equipments in Jinghong hydropower station,
Υ. MODEL FOUNDATION AND RESULT ANALYSIS
which locates in the middle and lower reaches of the Lancang
River. Concrete parameters are provided in Table 1 to Table 3. A. The open-substation
In the tables, T stands for the main transformer, TL stands for The electric diagram of the open-substation is shown in
cable termination, QF stands for the circuit breaker, and QW Figure 1. Under the situation that if there is a CVT, two kinds
stands for the isolating switch. of schemes have been put forward. Scheme a1 is for the
open-substation with CVT, and Scheme b1 is for the
Tab . Equipment equivalent capacitance and impulse insulation level
open-substation without CVT. By comparing the schemes, the
T TL CVT PT QW QF
effect of CVT on over-voltage would be known, and the most
Equipment
3000 500 5000 400 200 600 suitable place to install arrester would be found.
equivalent
PF PF PF PF PF PF
capacitance
Impulse
950 1050 950 950 950 950
insulation
KV KV KV KV KV KV
levels

TabĊ. Equipment wave impedance and wave velocity

Fig 1. Electric diagram of the open-substation
Equipment wave wave
1) Simulation results and analysis
name impedance(ȍ) velocity(m/s) Simulation results of the schemes above are shown in
overhead lines 350 3h108 Figure 2. Figure 3 represents the largest over-voltage of the
cables 25 1.97h108 main transformer, following the changes in the distances
between arrester and the main transformer. And the dotted line
Tab ċ. Parameters of the zinc oxide arrester refers to the maximum distance between arrester and the main
Residual voltage under transformer, basing on the impulse insulation level.
reference the lightning current of
Voltage Rated
voltage of 8/20ȝs
level level
DC 1mA
10 kA 20 kA

220kV 200kV 290kV 496kV 532kV

Because the risk of lightning striking substation is extremely

small, it would bring about error if just consider lightning
incoming surge. In order to make the model more accurate,
this article is based on internal and external actual situation of
Fig 2. The curve of voltage on the main transformer changing as time

237
 1000
is for the open-substation connected to transformer by cable
900 lines with CVT, and Scheme b2 is for the open-substation
connected to transformer by cable lines without CVT.
800

700

600

500

400

300
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Fig 4. Electric diagram of the open-substation

2) Simulation results and analysis

Fig 3. The maximum over-voltage of the main transformer
2) Conclusions can be drawn from the 2 figures
z The CVT has a greater impact on the over-voltage value
in the open-substation. It is very favorable for the
over-voltage protection against lightning incoming surge,
in that it can reduce the amplitude and gradient of the
wave, working as a set of arresters.
z The protective distance of arrest in the first scheme is
much larger than that in the second scheme, below the
impulse insulation level. The former greatest protective
distance is about 185m, while the latter is about 143m.
B. The open-substation connected to transformer by cable
lines
Figure 4 is the typical protective mode wiring diagram of
the open-type substation, in which the overhead lines are
connected to cables transformer by cable lines. In accordance
with the Overvoltage Protection Design Specification for
Power Equipment (SDJ-1979), one set of arresters could be
Basing on the scheme a2 and scheme b2, installing one set
of arrests in the head of cable can meet the requirements of
the over-voltage protection with the cable length between 10m
to 2000m. The result is shown in the Figure 6, and the
following conclusions could be drawn through the figures:
z Whether there is a CVT or not, it has less effect on the
over-voltage protection against lightning incoming surge
for the open-substation connected to transformer by cable
lines. This is mainly because the capacitance of the
incoming line is much larger than that of the CVT.
z When the cable is relatively short, the amplitude of
over-voltage on main transformer increases a bit. When
the length of cable reaches 500 meters, the amplitude of
over-voltage decreases adversely. The reason is that the
incoming surge spreads to the wave tail when it reflects
from end to head.
6.3
*105
5.4

installed when the cable length does not exceed

4.5
50m.Howerver; overhead lines are connected with urban high
3.6
voltage transformer substation by cable lines in some cities,
and the cable length is often up to several kilometers. In such 2.7

a case, the issue if it is necessary to install arresters in the

1.8
head of cable and the end has to be studied. The impact of
0.9
CVT on main transformer over-voltage also has to be
considered. Two kinds of research schemes will be put 0.0 *10-6
1.5 3.0 4.5 6.0 7.5 9.0
forward, according with the issue whether the arrest installed
Fig 5. The curve of voltage on the main transformer changing as time
in the head of cable could meet the requirements. Scheme a2

238
 1000
z For the open-substation to which overhead line is
900 connected by cable, over-voltage on main transformer
increases as the distance between arrester to main
800
transformer changes, when the distance is more than 500
700
meters, it decreases first then reaches a saturation value.
600
REFERENCENS
500
[1] WANG Mengyun, “Statistics and Analysis of 110 kV and the Above

400 Transformer Fault in 2004,” Electrical Equipment, vol.6, pp.32-37, Nov

2005.
300
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
[2] BACKERS J, “Comparison of GIS and AIS system for urban supply
networks,” International Electric Power for China, pp.38-43, April 1999.
[3] JIANG Ri-hong, LUO Xiao-yu,CAO Shi-xun, “Calculation of lightning
Fig 6. The maximum over-voltage of the main transformer
impulse overvoltage on long underground cable lines and insulation
Υ. CONCLUSIONS coordination,” Distribution&Utilization, vol.17, pp.13-15,38-43, Jan

z CVT has the greatest influence on open-substation 2000.

between the two typical substations configuring, which is [4] LI Yi-quan, Research on the impact of Capacitor Voltage Transformer

very useful to the incoming over-voltage protection. It (CVT) on EHV Transmission Line Protection, Zhejiang University, 2006.

can reduce the amplitude and gradient of incoming [5] GUO Tian-xing, Xu jie, WANG Xuan, “Testing Investigation on Transfer

over-voltage. For 220kV open-substation of which Overvoltage of Capacitor Voltage Transformer,” Power Capacitor &

incoming line is overhead line, the maximum distance Reactive Power Copmensation, pp.23-30, Feb 2008(2).

between arrester and main transformer with CVT must [6] LI Han-ming, CHEN Wei-jiang, ZHANG Cui-xia, “Incoming lightning

keep less than 185 meters, and if without CVT, the protection for 110 kV and 220 kV open-air substations at lightning

distance should keep less than 143 meters. intensified area,” Power System Technology, vol.26, pp.39-42, Aug 2002.
[7] SUN Xu,XU Bing, “Analysis and calculations on lightning inrush surge of
z For the open-substation to which overhead line is
220 kV long cable-GIS system,” Guangdong Electric Power, vol.11,
connected by cable, a set of arresters should be installed
pp.11-12, May 1998.
on the head of incoming lines to satisfy the requirement
[8] LIU Yu-gen, LIU Wei, CHEN Xian-lu, “Research on Lightning Intruded
of insulation, when the distance between arrester and
Wave for 500kV Substations,” Journal of Chongqing University (Natural
main transformer is more than 100 meters, over-voltage
Science Edition), vol.23, pp.17-19, Mar 2000.
with CVT is lower than without CVT.
[9] SDJ-79, the Overvoltage Protection Design Specification for Power
Equipment , Beijing: Hydraulic and Electric Engineering Press, 1979.

239