A presentation on

High Voltage Testing and Analysis of a

Lightning Arrestor

BY:
 Bikash Kafle(41038)
 Janup Pokharel(41050)
 Navnit Yadav(41054)
 Suresh Sah(013043)
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FEB 18 2018
Introduction
Background and features
 High voltage testing is an activity that is capable of
withstanding high voltage stress and abnormal over voltages
done to ensure permittivity, capacitance, power factor,
dielectric strength of an insulating material, and ultimate
breakdown voltage.
 Lightning arrestors are protective devices for limiting surge
voltages due to lightning strikes or equipment faults or other
events, to prevent damage to equipment and disruption of
service. Also called surge arrestors.
 The Lightning arrestor protects the electrical equipment from
damage by intercepting flashes of lightning and transmitting
their current to the ground. It is connected to the ground by
low-resistance cables.
 There are various tests performed on lightning arrestors which
are partial discharge test, impulse test, AC test, DC test etc.
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 Objectives
The main objectives of our project includes:
 To perform various high voltage tests on
Metal-Oxide Lightning arrestor(Zn0).
 To do the comparision and analysis of Metal-
oxide Lightning arrestor and its further result.

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Lightning and its Scenario in
Nepal
 Lightning is the occurrence of a natural electrical discharge of
very short duration and high voltage between a cloud and the
ground or the attraction between the ground and the negative
charges at the base of the cloud, accompanied by a bright flash
and typically also thunder.
 In Nepal, there is descending lightning discharge where the
sparks outgrows from a cloud towards the ground and the main
bright spark reaching the ground has numerous branches which
can be conveniently used to define the direction of lightning
propagation.
 There is also ascending lightning discharge where the sparks
starts from a ground construction and later develop up to a
cloud. Their direction of growth is well indicated by branches
diverging upward.
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Types of Lightning Stroke

 It is of two types which are Direct and Indirect Lightning

strokes.
 In direct lightning stroke, the lightning discharge is directly
from the cloud to the overhead line or electrical equipment
down the pole to the ground.
 Indirect lightning stroke results from the electro-statically
induced charges on the conductors due to the presence of
charge clouds.
 Different types of protective devices against lightning are
earthing screen, overhead ground wires and Lightning
Arrestors.

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Metal-Oxide Arrestor in
context of Nepal
 The non-linear blocks are made of sintered metal oxide material
that is provided to obtain robust construction, with excellent
mechanical and electrical properties and housed in electrical
grade porcelain housing of specified creepage distance.
 The arrestors are fitted with pressure relief devices suitable for
preventing shattering of porcelain housing and providing path for
flow of rated fault currents in the event of arrester failure.
 Outer insulator is porcelain and the arrestor becomes rigid due
to arrestor porcelain contamination.
 Porcelain housing is so coordinated that external flashover won’t
occur due to application of any impulse or switching surge
voltage up to the maximum design value for arrestor.
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Types of Lightning Arrestor

 Metal-Oxide Lightning Arrestor(Zn0)

 Rod Gap Arrestor
 Horn Gap Arrestor
 Multiple Gap Arrestor
 Expulsion Type Arrestor
 Valve Type Arrestor
 Silicon Carbide Arrestor
 Station and Intermediate Class Arrestor
 Distribution and Secondary Class Arrestor

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Metal-Oxide Arrestor(Zn0)

 A zinc-oxide(Zn0) component has highly nonlinear resistance

which makes possible to build a lightning arrester which
absorb significant amount of voltage.
 These metal-oxide arrestors are without gaps and this gapless
design eliminates the high heat associated with the arcing
discharges.
 Compared with the classical silicon carbide arrestor, it has
very important advantages such as significant reduction in
size, decreased moisture ingress, increased energy absorption
capability, decreased protective characteristics as a result of
elimination of spark-over gap.

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High voltage test on Lightning
Arrestor
 Insulation Withstand Test
 Residual voltage Test
 Long duration current impulse withstand Test
 Operating duty cycle Test
 Short Circuit Test
 Moisture ingress Test
 Internal Partial Discharge Test
 Weather Ageing Test
 Artificial Pollution Test
 Bending Test
 Seal Leak Rate Test

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Test to be performed on High
voltage Lab
 Impulse Voltage Test
 AC Test
 DC Test
 Wet Test
 Dust Test
 Wet Dust Test

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Schematic Diagram of AC
voltage setup

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Schematic Diagram of DC
voltage setup

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Schematic Diagram of
Impulse voltage setup

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Results
 In AC test, the voltage was given for the interval of 1 minute and
later was increased. After every increment, the response of
lightning arrester was observed and later got the breakdown
voltage for AC system and compared the result with the
specifications of manufacturer. Similarly, the test was carried on
with increase on the hold time for lightning arrestor.
 The Setup for the DC test was made and then the high voltage was
applied and its breakdown voltage for impulse current were noted.
This test was done for the different gap of sphere. The test was
repeated five times for the same gap and breakdown voltage was
taken as average of five results. This test was done at 13 degree
Fahrenheit and 30% humidity.
 For the impulse current test, the gap between the spheres was
measured to be 5cm and the temperature was measured to 60
degree Fahrenheit and humidity was 56%. The test was repeated
five times for the same gap and breakdown voltage was taken.

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Conclusion

 The Setup for the various high voltage tests was made and
different readings were taken.
 Different types of lightning arrestor and the property of the most
common metal oxide arrestor was studied and surveyed.
 All the apparatus of High voltage Lab was studied with proper
precautions and safety and discharged or grounded properly after
conducting each high voltage testing.

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 Gantt Chart
Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July

Proposal Submission

Literature Survey

Collection of Material

Setup for Tests

Mid Term Report

Analysis of the result

obtained
Comparison of the results
obtained
Final Report

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Task Accomplished
Task Remaining
THANK YOU

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