Distribution arrester outages caused by lightning backflow current flowing from customer's facility into power distribution lines

Abstract

Direct lightning strokes are considered to be a main cause of damage to surge arresters on power distribution lines. Recently, lightning performance of distribution lines has been observed using still cameras, and lightning‐caused distribution outages on hilltop areas on the coast of the Sea of Japan have been investigated. This research has shown a possibility that lightning backflow current flowing from customer facilities into distribution lines causes damage to surge arresters on the distribution lines. We have investigated the lightning backflow current flowing from customer facilities into distribution lines as a cause of damage to surge arresters. The main results are as follows: (1) The electric charge of the backflow current flowing into distribution lines is more than 60% of that of the lightning stroke current. (2) If the grounding resistance of the customer's facility is not low, the failure rates of a surge arrester caused by backflow current due to winter lightning is more than 90% of that caused by direct lightning strokes. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 126(3): 9–20, 1999

Experimental Study on Absorption Energy of a Distribution Line Arrester by a Scale-Model Technique

“…distribution lines based on observation results using still cameras [5][6]: "If the frequency of lightning strokes to a building with ineffective grounding or to an ungrounded building is considerable, it is expected that the outage ratio of distribution line due to backflow currents would be considerable". Thus, there are various types of lightning overvoltage on distribution lines to be considered for analysis of lightning trouble as follows:…”

“…Then, experimental results considering the surge characteristics of the surge arrester by the scale-model technique are described, and it is confirmed that the proposed factor is applicable to lightning surge analyses of surge arresters on power distribution lines. 6 T. IEE Japan, Vol. A semi-conductor device was used in Reference [10] because the residual voltage of the device is very low, and it is easy to handle.…”

Prevention Method for False Operation of the Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers due to Lightning Surges

“…When the value of the lightning surge current invading a low voltage house wiring is predicted, referring to references [5], [6], and [7] almost all the ranges are considered to be covered if its target is set at approx. 1 kA.…”