Insulation High Voltage Surge

Coordination
Arresters Section
NEMA US G 102-2020

Fundamentals
Webinar Outline
• Initial basics of Insulation Coordination Studies
o Definitions , Types, Parameters, Purposes
• Examples of an Insulation Coordination Study
o Basic Substation , Complex Substation, Transmission Line
• BIL,BSL
• The Backflash
• Traveling Wave Phenomena
• Arrester Fundamentals
• Margin of Protection
• Ground Flash Density
• The Report
Resources for this Webinar
1.Book: “Insulation Coordination of Power
Systems” by Andrew (Bob) Hileman, 1999.
2.AR Hileman Software
3.ATP and ATP Draw, XY Plot
4.IEC 60071-1,2,3,4
5.IEEE C62.82.1 and .2 Formerly 1313.1 and .2
(Insulation Coordination Standards)
6.IEEE C62.11 Arrester Test Standards
7.IEEE C62.22 Arrester Application Guide
8.IEEE 1410 and 1243 Improving Lightning
Performance of lines
 Definition of Insulation Coordination
Simple Definition
Insulation coordination is the selection of the insulation
strength of a system. (Hileman)
Better One
Insulation coordination is the process where the insulation Insulator
characteristics of all components of the power system are Arrester
determined, specified and coordinated to avoid failure due to
expected internal and externally occurring surges. (Hileman)
Types of Insulation Coordination Studies
• Transformer Protection
• Substation Protection Open Air and GIS
• Line Protection
o Distribution and Transmission
• Breaker Protection
• Generator Protection
• Determine clearances
• Determine Separation Distances
• Determine Arrester Energy and Voltage Ratings.
• And on and on and on
Types of Insulation Coordination Studies
• Deterministic
This is the conventional method where the minimum strength of the
insulation is equal or greater than the maximum surge stresses.
.
Transformer insulation is not
statistical in nature. It has one
lightning withstand value and one
switching withstand value.
Therefore a deterministic analysis
is all that we can do.
Types of Insulation Coordination Studies
• Probabilistic
This type of analysis consists of selecting the insulation level and
clearances based on specific reliability criterion. Since the insulation strength
of air is statistical in nature, we can only determine its probability of
Flashover for a given surge.
Studies of transmission line performance is based on a flashover rate per
year per 100km, and because the flashover parameter is statistical,
resulting levels are probabilistic.
Studies of substation performance is also probabilistic for the same
reason. For this type of study we base the performance on MTBF (Mean
Time Between Flashover). More later on this.
Types of Insulation Coordination Studies
• Lightning Surge Studies
This type of study deals strictly with lightning surges and backflash over
surges. Is completed for all system voltage levels.
• Switching Surge Studies
This type of study is usually for systems above 240kV since it is this type
of system that can produce switching surges of relevance.
If a lower voltage system has large cap banks, then a switching study is
justified.
 Parameters of Importance in Studies
• Purpose of Study
• The Lightning Flash
• Ground Flash Density
• Shield Failure rate if known
• Types of Insulation
• BIL and CFO
• MTBS and MTBF
• Location and Altitude of Study
• Cable and Isophase specs
• Incoming Surge Steepness
• Backflash Rate (BFR)
• Calculating BFR
• Tower Configurations
• Circuit Physical Dimensions
• The Transformer Ratings and
Capacitance
• The Arrester
• VI Curve
• Selecting the Rating
 Purpose of Insulation Coordination Studies
• Can be to design proper insulation and arrester location from scratch
• Can be to validate chosen insulation levels (Very common)
• Can be to determine where to locate arresters
• Can be to determine cause of failure of equipment (After an incident)
• Can be to determine the Width of a ROW (Switching Study)
• Can be to provide assurance that equipment is protected properly
• Can be to put in the file for future reference
• Can be to fulfill a requirement
• Can be to …………. and more……
Examples of Lightning Studies

• Simple Substation from Chapter 12 of “Insulation Coordination

of Power Systems”.
• 500kV Line-Substation-Generator
• 69kV Line Study
Overhead Shield Wire

Simple Substation
Station
Arresters
Disconnect
Switch

Breaker CT or CCVT
Power
Transformer
 Incoming Surge
Basic Substation Surge at Trans

Lightning Study
Complex Study
 Three generators

Complex Insulation Coordination Study

Cross over line 3 generator step up
Switchyard with to Generator Transformers
Incoming no transformers Station
Line
 69kV Sub

69kV Sub Transmission Line Study

69kV Sub Transmission Line Study
69kV Sub Transmission Insulator that flashes over
at a specific voltage

Line Study

Underbuilt Circuit
 System Fundamentals Relative to Insulation Coordination

1. Insulation 6. Clearances Physical

2. Traveling Waves and Dimensions
Reflections, Backflash, and 7. Ground Flash Density
Separation Distance
8. OHGW
3. Tower Grounds and Station
Grounds 9. Ground Flash Density
4. Corona 10. Ground Flash Density
5. Steepness of Surges
Types of Insulation Self restoring
Insulator
– External Insulation
The distance in open air or across the
surfaces of solid insulation in contact
with open air that is subjected to
dielectric stress and to the effects of
the atmosphere. Examples are
porcelain or polymer shell of a Underground Cable with
bushing, support insulators, and Non-Self Restoring
disconnecting switches. Insulation

– Self-restoring Insulation
Insulation that completely recovers
insulating properties after a
disruptive discharge (flashover)
caused by the application of a
voltage. This is generally external Terminator with
insulation. Self-restoring
Insulation on outside and
non-self-restoring on
inside
 – Internal Insulation
More On Insulation The internal solid, liquid, or gaseous
parts of the insulation of equipment
Non-Self Restoring that are protected by equipment
Insulation Self Restoring enclosures from the effects of the
Insulation atmosphere. Examples are
transformer insulation, internal
insulation of bushings, internal parts
of breakers and internal part of any
electrical equipment.

– Non-self-restoring Insulation
Insulation that loses insulating
properties or does not recover
completely after a disruptive
discharge caused by the application
of voltage. Generally internal
insulation.
 Insulation BIL
Basic Lightning Impulse Insulation Level
(BIL)
The BIL level is the Dry insulation withstand
strength of insulation expressed in kV. Is
commonly used to describe substations and
distribution system voltage withstand
characteristics. Insulator BIL is directly proportional to the
strike distance of an insulator
• Statistical BIL is used for insulators
means there is a 10% probability of BIL ≈ 15kV x S(inches)
flashover and is used for self-restoring
insulation And is affected by Altitude
• Conventional BIL is used for
Transformers and Cable
is the voltage level where there is a 0%
probability of Flashover and is applied to
non selfrestoring insulation
Note 1: Arresters do not have a BIL rating since Note 2: Arresters close to an insulator give the
their external insulation is self protected by the insulator infinite BIL.
internal MOV disks. In a sense they have an
infinite BIL.
 BSL BSL is proportional to the strike
– Basic Switching Impulse Insulation distance of an insulator
Level (BSL)
The BSL level is the switching surge BSL= 1080e((0.46 x Strike Distance) + 1)
withstand level of the insulation in terms
of kV. And is affected by Altitude
BSLs are universally tested under Wet
conditions.

• Statistical BSL of Insulators

apply to self restoring insulation and
represents a 10% probability of flashover.
• Conventional BSL of Transformers and
solid dielectrics
apply to non-self-restoring insulation and
represents a 0% probability of flashover
Note 1: Arresters do not have a BSL rating since Note 2: Arresters close to an insulator give the
their external insulation is self protected by the insulator infinite BSL.
internal MOV disks. In a sense they have an
infinite BSL.
Power Frequency Withstand
Power Frequency Withstand Voltage
This is the highest power frequency voltage
an insulator can withstand under wet
conditions (low level of contamination).
It is affected by creepage distance and strike
distance.

Note 1: Insulator withstand voltages are often

>2-3 times their operating voltage.

Note 3: If the housing is highly contaminated, the

Note 2: Arresters will go into conduction if the
AC voltage across the unit reaches a 1.25 pu
MCOV and above. However they cannot sustain
this condition for very long or they will over heat
and fail.
housing may flashover at levels below the turn-on
voltage of the arrester.
Note 4: In highly contaminated areas, extra creepage
distance insulators are used to overcome this
potentially low flashover voltage. The same policy
should be applied to arresters.
 CFO and CWW
– Critical Flash Over (CFO) Self Restoring insulation only
This is the voltage with a 50% probability of flashover of the insulator. It applies to both
lightning and switching. It is used to quantify insulation used on transmission and distribution
lines.
Typically CFO is 4-6% higher than Statistical BIL on an insulator.

– Chopped Wave Withstand (CWW)

This is a withstand level of equipment. A standard lightning impulse is used but the surge is
chopped at 3us, which means the stress is applied for a much shorter time than a standard
lightning impulse test and must flashover near the crest of the wave instead of on the tail as it can
in BIL tests. The value of this characteristic is about 1.10 times BIL for power transformers and
1.15 times BIL for bushings.
Caused by insulator flashover just past crest.
Can cause winding to winding stress in some
transformers
Insulation Withstand Characteristics in Graphic Form

CWW
Typical Values 70-1500kVp
Chopped Wave Withstand

BIL
Basic Impulse Withstand Level
Another form of Lightning BSL
withstand is CFO Basic Switching Impulse
Critical Flashover Voltage
Withstand Level
 The Backflash
When the OHGW on a transmission
line is hit by lightning, a rapid series
of events takes place.

If the system is grounded well than

the surge is transferred to earth and
there is no effect on the phase
conductors.

But occasionally a backflash will

occur, this series of slides will show
you a close up view of the sequence
of events.
 The Backflash
Time = 0
The first event is the strike. Of course
there was already a great deal of activity
just to connect this line to the cloud, but
that is for another sequence.

When the strike pins to the wire, it sets up

a voltage surge that travels in both
directions down the line. (1-50 million
volts)

This is all happening at nearly the speed of

light and until the surge actually finds
ground, there is little current flow.
 The Backflash
CFO
Time = 1

Induced
Induced

In a few Nano-seconds, the voltage front meets

the down ground and travels toward earth at the
tower bottom. While at the same time it is
inducing a voltage on to the phase conductors
When it reaches earth, the current begins to
flow.
The voltage along the tower increases rapidly
due to ground potential rise. This potential rise
is caused by the resistance of the ground rod of
the tower.
This tower voltage rises as the current begins to
flow.
 The Backflash
CFO
Time = 2
The voltage at the base of the base of
the insulators and on the phase
conductors increases as the surge
increases in amplitude

If the voltage at the base of the

insulator increases at a faster rate than
the induced voltage on phases, it can
reach the CFO of the insulator
 The Backflash
CFO
Time = 3
The voltages continue to increase
across all components as the surge
crests.
 The Backflash
CFO
Time = 4 (.5-2 µsec)
If the voltage across the insulator exceeds the CFO, it
can flashover from the pole down ground to the phase.

This is the backflash……

It flashes from the base to the conductor which is

intuitively backward since the down ground spends its
entire life except for these few microseconds at
ground potential.

This is the part of the event that we are interested in

with insulation coordination studies. What effect this
surge will have the substation.

But its not over yet…..

 The Backflash
Time = 5 (20-50 µsec)
The lightning stroke is over and the
voltages on the lines revert back to
Ionized Gas
their pre-strike levels. But the air
around the insulator is seeping with
ions and still highly conductive.

When the AC voltage reaches a high

enough level, it now flashes forward
from the phase conductor to the down
ground.
 The Backflash
Time = 6 (50 µsec to 200ms)
When the insulator flashes over for a second
time, power frequency current flows to
ground and a fault is now underway on the
AC Follow current
circuit and will remain there until a breaker
causing a Line to Ground interrupts the event.
Fault
Until breaker interrupts

At that point the event is over assuming no

damage occurred on the insulator.
 The Backflash
CFO
The surge that is transferred onto the phase conductor
has entered the station within a few µsec, even before
the fault was initiated.

This is the impulse that becomes the concern of

insulation coordination in substations.
The Rest of the Story on Lightning Initiated
Traveling Waves
Initial Strike to OHGW
As shown earlier, every tower has a lightning current level that will
cause a backflash across the phase insulation.

This backflash now sets up another traveling wave on the phase

conductor also heads in both directions.
This fast rising surge with a long tail travels on the phase conductor
at nearly the speed of light, toward the transformer. The
amplitude is approximately equal to the CFO of the line insulator.
As it reaches the arresters, its tail may still be as far back aa the
original tower. Remember the surge has a long tail 50-100 µs due to
the lightning. The front of the surge is perhaps .5 µs. It took less
than a few microseconds to travel from the backflash to the
transformer.
 The surge is clamped by the arresters at the transformer and a reflection
begins to occur as the wave front meets the transformer winding. The
winding is like an open circuit to a fast rising surge.

Note the voltage at the

transformer is clamped by
the arresters.

CCVTs
Arresters
The transformer is protected by the arresters, but a surge is
reflected back into the system
In C62.22 there is a separation distance calculator that can be used to
determine voltages at other locations in a substation.
In this case the bushing of the CCVT has flashed over due to a
reflection.
 Also if the arresters are mounted away from the transformer,
voltages at the transformer can be higher than at the arrester due to
reflections
30 m separation

3 m separation
Note the voltage at the
transformer is higher than at
the arresters. This is due to
traveling wave reflection

Arresters
Separation Red = Voltage @ Arrester
Distance
Green = Voltage @ Transformer
 Arresters
the other half
of Insulation
Coordination
 Arrester Definition
A device that is connected between phase and earth that
will clamp a surge to levels below the damage levels of
nearby insulation.
 Station Arrester
What’s Inside
• Polymer Housing
• Metal Oxide Varistor
(MOV)
• Conductive Spacer
• Strength Member
(Fiberglass)
Distribution • Spring for Compression
Arrester • Rubber Seals
• End Vents and
Diaphragms
Voltage Current (V-I) Characteristics

VI Characteristics of an Arrester or Disk is the essence of the MOV. The

resistance of the MOV disk is a function of the voltage stress across the
terminals.

Example
50kV MCOV
Arrester
 Typical Varistor/Arrester
V-I Characteristics
Pre-Breakdown
Region Physicists Terminology High Current Region
|--------------------------------------| |---------------------- Breakdown Region--------------------------------| |---------------------------------------|

LPL
SPL
V10kA or
U10kA V1ma or Reference Voltage
Region
Lightning
TOV Region Impulse
Vref or Uref Switching Region
Rated V or Ur peak 20C
Surge
MCOV or UC (peak) Leakage Current Region Region
Engineering Terminology
200C

Normal Operating Region

Arrester Protective Characteristics in
Graphic Form

Fast Front
Voltage

Arrester Discharge
Voltage Curve

10kA Lightning
Protective Level
LPL
Switching Surge Protective Level
SPL

Faster Front Surges Slower Front Surges

Calculating Margin of Protection
Chopped Wave
Withstand CWW

MP1= (CWW/FOW)-1 BIL

Insulation Withstand
IEEE recommends > .15 or 15%
Curve BSL

MP2= (BIL/LPL)-1
Front of Wave
Voltage IEEE recommends >.15 or 15%

FOW MP3= (BSL/SPL)-1

Arrester Discharge IEEE recommends >.20 or 20%
Voltage Curve
10kA Lightning
Protective Level
LPL

Switching Surge Protective

Level
SPL
Clearances and Altitude
Clearances
Phase to phase and phase to ground clearances are
often the purpose of a study.
They are easily calculated once the maximum voltage
on a line is determined.
With arresters, the NEC clearances can be reduced
near the arrester and along ROW if studies are
completed.

For example,
Lightning Impulse withstand of
Air at STP is a linear function at
450kV/m
 Clearance and Altitude/Elevation
1.000

0.950 Change in
Withstand voltage All external insulation is
0.900
affected by altitude.
Specifically in this case, the
Ratio of Altitude to Sea Level

0.850
clearance between lines needs
to be increased to attain the
0.800
'δ=e-A/26710 same withstand voltage at sea
level.
0.750

0.700

0.650

0.600
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000

Elevation in Feet
Physical Dimensions
 Insulation Coordination of Power Systems
Elongated Substation by Andrew Hileman
6000ft 2000 ft 2000 ft
AFram Eb Ej Et 230/13.8
L_Imp V V
NC V V BCT
V LCC
I Y

L_imp 3m
2 m 200 m 20 m
H
2m
Backflash Flashover of
C-Phase close
6000 ft out to substation At
6.3nF
on the line Arrester
LineA Ea

V
Sourc

LCC
V
NC

I R(i)

I R(i)
R(i)

R(i)
Line Entrance

R(i)

R(i)
Transformer
Arrester
30 0m Arrester

25 meters 2uh 2 meters

230kV
At
Breaker 5 ohms
5 ohms

At Station
Entrance Surges travel at ~980ft per µs on an
overhead line.
In this elongated station, It can be
seen here that the surge first
appears at the metered points at
different times based on the distance
from the initial surge.
Ground Flash Density
Lightning Strike Rate Worldwide
Optical Flash Density = Flashes/year/km 2

Divide by 3 to get GFD

Lightning
Incidents
and
Intensity
Ground Flash Density
Is used to calculate the
• Backflash rate on a line
• The challenge rate to a line
• The outage rate of lines
• Steepness of a surge on a line
• The MTBF of a substation
The Insulation Coordination Study
Report
Webinar Overview
Subjects covered

1. Definitions
2. Examples of Studies
3. Insulation Fundamentals
4. Backflash Concept
5. Traveling Wave Concept
6. Arrester Fundamentals
7. Clearances and Physical Dimensions
8. Lighting Ground Flash Densities
9. The Report