LATIHAN: LIGHTNING

1. Prove the reflection coefficient, α and the transmission coefficient, β for an incident
lightning surge on the transmission line as follows:

Z 2 − Z1
i. α=
Z 2 + Z1

2Z 2
ii. β=
Z 2 + Z1

2. The towers of a transmission line are 38 m tall. They are spaced 280 m apart and are
joined at their tops by a single ground wire of surge impedance 520 Ω. The surge
impedance of the towers themselves is 135 Ω. Lightning strikes the ground wire 100 m
from a tower. The stroke current rises to a peak of 50 kA in 1.5 µs. determine the voltage
of the closest tower top 0.75 µs after the lightning contacts the ground wire. Assume the
impedance of the lightning channel is 1500 Ω and the footing resistance is 25 Ω. Waves
on the tower travel at 90 % of the speed of light.

3. The towers of a transmission line are 25 m tall and spaced 300 m apart. They are joined
at their tops by a ground wire whose surge impedance is 450 Ω. The tower footing
resistance is 30 Ω. One tower is struck by lightning. The lightning current rises linearly
to a peak of 50 kA in 2 µs before commencing to decline. Compute the tower top
potential for the first microsecond after the stroke makes contact. The tower surge
impedance is 80 Ω and surge impedance for lightning channel can be neglected. Assume
all waves travel at 2.98 x 108 m/s.

4. A lightning stroke which reaches a peak current of 35 kA in 1 us strikes a 20 m tower on

a 345 kV transmission line. The line has a ground wire joining the tops of the towers; its
surge impedance is 520Ω. The tower surge impedance is 90Ω and the ground footing
resistance is 40Ω. Compute the tower top potential for the first microsecond after the
 stroke makes contact. The surge impedance for lightning channel can be neglected.
Assume all waves travel at 2.98 x 108 m/s.

5. A 300m length of overhead earth conductor which is laid between two towers is struck by
lightning. The lightning struck to a point of a distance of one third of the length from one
of the tower. The earth conductor and tower surge impedances are 300 Ohm and 100
Ohm respectively. The lightning strike carries peak current of 25 kA within 1.5µs and
the surge impedance is 1500 Ohm. Determine the surge voltage at the tower top after the
strike.
8. A lightning surge with the waveshape of Figure 1 below strikes a tower which has a single
ground wire in both directions. The characteristics are as follows:

Surge impedance of lightning channel = infinity

Surge impedance of tower = 150 Ω
Surge impedance of ground wire = 340 Ω
Velocity of wave propagation on lines = 298m/µs
Velocity of wave propagation on tower = 240 m / µs
Coupling factor of phase conductors = 0.25
Height of tower = 30 m
Effective tower footing resistance = 40Ω

Determine the maximum tower top potential, after 0.4 µs the tower has been struck by lightning.
Please show clearly all the calculations involving coefficients of reflection and refraction. Show
the surge progressions in the form of Bewley Lattice diagram.
a) What will happen if the tower footing resistance increases in value?
b) Provide a reason for the tower footing resistance to increase
c) Why the speed of surge is higher in the conductor than in the tower structure?

25 kA

20 µs 1 µs

Figure 1
9. A lightning stroke which reaches a peak current of 30kA in 1µS strikes a 25 m tower on a
275kV transmission line. The line has a ground wire joining the tops of the towers; its surge
impedance is 500Ω. The tower surge impedance is 120Ω and the ground footing resistance is
60Ω. Determine whether the line insulators will flashover as a consequence of the surge,
assuming that their impulse flashover strength is 1050 kV. A coupling factor 0.3 with the phase
conductor can be assumed; the impedance of the stroke channel can be ignored; a wave velocity
on the tower of 2.98 x 10^8 m/s can be assumed. Show the surge progressions in the form of
Bewley lattice diagram.