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CAUSES OF OVER-VOLTAGE

SURGES
PHENOMENA
1. Lightning

CAUSES

EFFECT

Coulds get charged


during thunderstorms,
the high potential
gradient causes
breakdown of
insulation of air
producing a lightning
stroke, which hits the
earth, and is attracted
by overhead lines.

Line insulators
flashover or puncture.
Travelling waves
carries its effects to
sub-stations and
Power Station.
Insulation of the
system is stressed.

PHENOMENA
2. Switching

CAUSES

EFFECT

(a) Breaking Inductive

(a) CB voltage
stressed
(b) Restrike possible
(c) Wave travels to
both sides of CB.
(d) Voltage
Oscillation in
sub-circuit.
(a) Transmission line
insulation
stressed.
(b) Terminal
apparatus
insulation
stressed by
travelling waves.

Circuits: energy
stored in
inductances gives
rise to a potential
rise across
capacitors.
(b) Switching-on
capacitive line:
charging currents
gives rise to a
travelling wave.
(c) Other switching
operations.

PHENOMENA
3.

Arcing Grounds

CAUSES

EFFECT

Line to ground
(a) Temporary fault
capacitive charge gets
grows into
discharged through
permanent fault.
earth fault.
(b) Voltage rises to 3
Repeated charging
or 4 times of
and discharging gives
normal values.
rise to intermittent
(c) Voltage of healthy
arcs.
lines increase.
Voltage Oscillations,
Sudden Changes Energy in inductances Travelling waves.
transferred to
In System
capacitances.
Condition

PHENOMENA
5.

Resonance

6.

Travelling Waves

CAUSES

EFFECT

The fault causing


resonance between
inductance and
capacitance in a part
of circuit.
High voltage waves
get reflected on
reaching a junction or
end.

Rapid increase in
over-voltages,
insulation failure likely
to occur.
Reflected wave gets
superimposed on
initial waves;
Voltage rises to
several times normal
values,
Insulation failure likely
to occur.

Methods of Reducing Switching


Overvoltages
Condition of switching

Method of reducing
switching overvoltage

1. Energising an uncharged line.

High voltage shunt reactors


connected to line to reduce power
frequency-overvoltages.

Condition of switching

Method of reducing
switching overvoltage

2. Elimination of trapped charge


on the line

Line shunting after opening


1
R

3. Reduction of current chopping

Opening Resistors (Resistance


Switching)
R
2
1

Condition of switching

Method of reducing
switching overvoltage

4.

Single stage pre-closing resistors


insertion
R
1

Reducing the switching


overvoltages due to closing

Two stage pre-closing resistors


insertion
2
R
R
1
3

Condition of switching Method of reducing


switching overvoltage
Closing resistors in line between circuit
breaker and shunt reactor
1
R

2
5.

Reducing switching
Synchronous switching of three poles
overvoltages by improved
switching sequence

Condition of switching

Method of reducing
switching overvoltage
Simultaneous operation of circuit
breakers at both ends of lines

6. Use of lightning arresters

While closing of line

Condition of switching

Method of reducing
switching overvoltage
While disconnecting reactor

Symbol:

CB
LIGHTNING

RESISTOR
REACTORS

ARRESTER

1, 2, 3 ETC. SEQUENCE OF OPERATION

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