IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Vol. 10, No.

1, J anuary 1995
CALCULATING THE SWITCHING SURGE CRITICAL FLASHOVER VOLTAGE OF PHASE-TO-GROUND
AND PHASE-TO-PHASE BUNDLE CONDUCTOR GAPS
3 65
G. V. Podporkin, Senior Member, IEEE
St.Petersburg Technical University, Russia
visiting professor at CEPEL, C.P.2754-CEP 20001-970, RIO de J aneiro, Brasil
Abstract - The paper presents a method for calculating the 50%
breakdown voltages of conductor-to-plane and conductor-to-
conductor air gaps for any bundle design, all the three phases of
lines being taken into account.
The method is developed for switching impulses with long time
front (7 f = 1000 - 4000psec) which are the most typical for UHV
lines. The results of calculations are extensively compared with
previous experimental results for different bundles and over a wide
range of gap spacings. The influence of bundle configuration, type
of phases displacement (flat, delta or inverted delta) and voltage
distribution among phases for UHV lines are analyzed.
Keywords: switching surge, flashover, air-gap, bundles
INTRODUCTION
For the development of overhead transmission lines of new ultra-
high voltage level of 1200 kV precise data about electrical strength
of long air gaps are needed. In last years great attention was paid
for developing compact lines, i.e. lines with reduced phase-to-
phase distances [l]. Very promising are compact lines with
optimized non-conventional bundle configurations such as: flat,
ellipsoid, parabolic, etc. [2]. Surge impedance loading of these
lines can be increased directly proportional to the number of
subconductors in a bundle and become two, three or more times
the conventional values. For compact lines of all types it is
especially important to have reliable data on bundle-to-bundle
electrical strength in real operating conditions. The best information
can be obtained on tnree-phase spans but experimental expenses
are extremely high and test facilities for variation of line parameters
(bundle configurations, distance between phases, height about
ground, etc.) are always limited. Therefore it is useful to have a
reliable method for calculating the 50% breakdown voltages of long
air gaps for any bundle configuration with respect to the influence
of all three phases, voltage distribution among phases, etc. Such a
method could be a good tool for optimization of transmission line
gaps under switching impulses of positive polarity is well known.
The main stages of the breakdown for rod-plane gaps are:
- avalanche activity
- prebreakdown streamers (first corona)
-dark periods
- leader inception
-flash stage of leader propagation
- continuous leader propagation
-final jump.
Mathematical models of different phases of discharge
significantly contribute to our present day understanding of the
discharge but their application for practical design of bundle-to-
bundle insulation is rather limited. A review of different models and
new proposals are published in [3,4].
Most of the physical researches and mathematical models are
concentrated on the cases when breakdown is completely
developed and a leader flashes over a gap. But for practical design
of air insulation of overhead transmission lines 50% breakdown
voltages are needed, i.e. those at which the insulation withstands
the applied voltage in 50% of the applications. J ust these voltages
are measured during tests of insulation in high-voltage laboratories.
Analysis of results from research of breakdown in long air gaps
indicates that some critical conditions exist which determine either
complete breakdown or withstand.
For electrodes with large radii the flash-stage of leader
development practically does not exist. After some flashes of
streamer corona a leader starts and develops in continuous form. In
fact, for a round electrode with large radius, corona inception
voltage is considerably higher than that of a rod. At this voltage a
great amount of charge is accumulated on the electrode and
creates the electric field which slowly decreases with the distance
from the electrode. The first flashes of streamer corona make the
field more uniform and enhance it. As long as the voltage is
increased the power of a successive flash of streamers becomes
sufficient to initiate a leader and to provide for its continuous
propagation.
design. It is interesting to note that parameters of leader development
(leader velocity, length of streamer zone, etc.) in both continuous
phenomenological picture of breakdown process in long air stage and final jump are practically the same for different gaps.
This is valid, for example, for rod-plane and ring-plane gaps which
94 077-8 P ~ D A paper and approved have essentially different electrical strength (for S = 10 m u50%
by the IEEE Transmission and Distribution Committee rod-plane = 1.85MV and Uso%ring-plane = 2.02MV) .
Of the IEEE Power Engineering Society for presentat- Furthermore, as indicated in [5], parameters of leader do not
New York, January 30 - February 3, 1994. Manuscript
submitted July 8, 1993; made available for printing Independence of leader parameters from electrode shape and
December 7, 1993.
even from voltage level, either in the continuous stage or in the final
jump,supports the assumption that the breakdown voltage is
mainly determined by the conditions of leader formation in its initial
phase.
Due to results of intensive research in several laboratories a
ion at the IEEEIPES
Winter Meeting, New York,
depend on probability of flashover.
In this work an attempt was made to find these critical
0885-8977/95/$04.00 0 1994 IEEE
366
Fig.1. Equivalent analytic scheme of conductors with space
charge for evaluation of 50%-breakdown voltages.
conditions of breakdown development based on the analysis of
the electric field distribution modified by space charge. At the
present stage the model deals with long time front switching
impulses (7 f= 1OOO-4000~ sec) which are typical for UHV lines.
A CRITERIA FOR CALCULATION OF U50%
A voltage surge of positive polarity acting on a conductor bundle
results in extended positive space charge zones (called simply
zones in what follows) forming near subconductors (see Fig. 1).
In order to estimate parameters of these zones the breakdown
voltages of conductor-to-plane gaps and the total charges of
subcondoctors due to switching surges with a time front 4000 psec
have been measured [6,7] for various bundles and insulation gap
lengths (Fig. 2).
The number of subconductors in a bundle n was varied from 1 to
16. For n=2, four different subspacings were used: 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and
4.0 meters. For n=4, two subspacings: 0.4 m and 0.8 m. For n=8,
three bundle configurations
n = l n = 2 n . 4 n . 8
ds0. 5, d. 0. 4 r, =0. 6 n . 8 n =16
10.2XL4JJ 0.8 1.5 WTl M rm=1.6m
a) b) c) d) e)
Fig. 2. Conductor configurations tested.
were studied: two with symmetrical subconductor distribution
around a circle with bundle radius rb =0.6 and 1.5 m (Fig 2d) and
one with a form similar to a halfellipsoid with unsymmetrical
subconductor distribution (Fig. 2e). The bundle configuration of Fig.
2e was determined .in [8] by using a special optimization technique
in order to increase the 50% breakdown voltages of conductor-to-
plane gaps.
Gap length was varied from 1 to 7 m for all type of conductors of
Fig. 2 [7] and for bundles with n=8, rb= 0.6m and rb=1.5m,
measurements were also carried out for gaps up to 10 m [6]. Using
results of charge and voltage measurements the maximum-
likelihood distribution of the field strength in zones of space charge
has been established for the 50% breakdown voltages [7]. It has
been shown that the field strength at the conductor surface is equal
to the corona inception field strength, Eo, whereas the field strength
along zones is invariably equal to 4.5 kV/cm. It has also been found
that irrespective of conductor design and insulation gap length
(H 1 5 m), the average field strength on a 3 m long segment near
a conductor in the direction to the ground plane is 4 kV/cm, i.e.,
cp(0) -cp(A)
Ecr = = 4 kV/cm (1)
A
wherecp(O)=U50% is the conductor potential equal to the 50%
breakdown voltage and cp( A) =cp(3), the potential of a point at a
distance ofA =3 m in the direction to the ground plane.
The energy of electric field accumulated in a volume V is equal
to:
We1 = I, r02E2 dV
(2)
At the 50% breakdown voltage the mean value of the electric field
strength at a 3 m long segment is equal to Ecr=4 kV/cm (see
formula (1)).
Using the mean value Ecr formula (2) can be rewritten in
approximate form
2
60 Ecr
We1 V ( 3 )
2
The minimum volume to estimate the energy of the electric field
is chosen as the volume of a zone of space charge for a single
conductor extended up to 3 meters. Taking into account that the
angle of zone of space charge 0 was estimated in [7] as 30, the
values of V =1.2 m3 and We1 -- 1.7 J /m are obtained for one
meter of conductor length.
In a general form some physical comments can be made about
the criteria defined by (1). For the formation of streamers which are
powerful enough to initiate a continuously propagating leader with
50% probability to flash over a long conductor-to-plane gap an
accumulation of certain amount of energy of electric field (about 2 J
for a 1 m of conductor length) is necessary. This amount of energy
does not depend on conductor configuration and gap length (for H
L 5m).
CONDUCTOR -TO-PIANE GAPS
Using the criteria of eq. (l), the 50% breakdown voltages of
conductor-to-plane gaps can be calculated for the different
3 67
along the axes of the subconductors. Control points are set on the
surface of each subconductor and on the boundary 0: each space
charge parallelepiped. The vimber of control points is equal to the
number of unknown elementary charges N =n(m +1).
For an even number of components in consequence of symmetry
about the vertical axis the number of unknown charges is halved
(Fig. 1).
The flow-chart of calculations is shown in Fig. 3. The input data
are the number n, the radius ro and coordinates of subconductors.
Initially a zero approximation of the lengths of the streamer zones
of all the subconductors is arbitrarily set, for example, all zones are
equal to 1 m. Equivalent space charge and corresponding control
points are then placed along the direction of maximum electrical
field strength (see. Fig. 1).
Now the values of all equivalent charges can be calculated from
the condition of the electric field strength being equal to the corona
onset field at the surface of subconductors Ei =Eo and Ei =4.5
kV/cm at all other control points. For this, a system of N linear
conductor configurations. The calculation method reduces to the
computation of such lengths of zones for which condition (1) is
satisfied and the conductor potential will be thus equal to the 50%
breakdown voltage.
In the analysis it is assumed that the space charge regions are
infinitely long triangular prisms parallel to the conductor (Fig.1).
Along the conductor the charge is assumed to be uniformly
distributed and conuctors are strictly parallel to ground-level.
The zone occupied by the space charge is divided into m
infinitely long parallelepipeds parallel to the subconductors of the
bundled conductor. The charge is assumed to be uniformly
distributed throughout each parallelepiped. The charges on the
surface of the subconductors are replaced by line charges
1) Input:number,coordinates and radius of subconductors
1
2) Preliminary definition of the zone lengths Ij,i=1,2, ..., n;
I
3) Calculation of displacement of equivalent charges and
control points
1
4) Computation of matrix of coefficients of the electric
field strength, [b]
I
5) Compilation of vector of E values at control points, [E]
1
6) Solving the system of linear equations[b][q] =[E] and
determination of charges [q]
I I
I
I 7 ) Potentials calculation of subconductors, qi =1,2,.,n;
I
1
9) Calculation of mean electric field strength, 3m from
subconductors: E ={cp (0) - cp (3)) /3
Fig. 3. A flow-chart of the program for calculation of U50% of
conductor-to-plane qaps.
equations
[bl[ql =[El
(4)
may be written, [b] is the matrix of field coefficients in the
equations Ei =bij qj , Ei being the field at a control point i due to
charge number j (i, j =1,2 ,,,., N).
By solving system (4) with respect to [q], the pc,entials at the
control points on the surface of each subconductors, (i =
1,2, ..., n), may be determined using the equation
N
( 5)
j=L
where$. is a potential contributed by an individdal charge qj. The
formulae for calculating bij and $
3
Since the zero approximation of the zones was arbitrarily taken ,
the potential of different subconductors for the same bundle may
be unequal, contradicting the general electrostatic laws.
The lengths of zones must have such values that the
subconductor potentials become equal. Considering the function
3
are given in the Appendix.
i=l
where 'pi is the subconductor potential and
n
cp = ( l/n) c 'pi is the mean value at the first iteration step,
i=1
the zone lengths li, i= 1,2, ..., n; must be calculated where @
becomes minimum (zero):
where c 1 =1*10'6 a value which was accepted for the
calculations.
Then the mean value of the electric field strength E at the
distance 3 m from subconductors is calculated (see block 9, Fig. 3).
In accordance with the criteria (1) for the 50% breakdown voltage
the value of mean field should be equal to Ecr =4 kV/cm. For the
computer program it is interpreted as
-
a) <e 1 ( 7 )
I E - %, I < e 2 1 (8)
where e 2 =1*10-4 a value which was used for the calculations.
368
If this criteria does not fit together with the condition (7) the
lengths of zones are changed, for example as it is shown in the
block 11, and iteration process continues.
If both condition (7) and (8) are fulfilled the mean value of
potentials of the subconductors is assumed as 50% - breakdown
voltage
(9)
Using above described technique the 50% breakdown voltages
of conductor-to-plane gaps were calculated for the different
conductor configurations experimentally tested. The agreement
between calculated and measured values, Us % in the range of up
to 11 m is reasonable, the discrepancy not exceeding 5%.
The good agreement between values calculated from the unified
condition given by eq.(l) and experimental data for substantially
different conductor configurations (n =1 to 16,rb=ro to 1.6m)
justifies the use of eq.(l) for extrapolating the experimental cuives
up to a range of long gaps not yet experimentally tested. Another
use is the calculation of the insulation strength of conductor-to-
plane gaps for any specified conductor configurations without
carrying out preliminary experiments (Fig. 4).As can be seen, the
electric strength of conductor-to-plane air gaps increases with
the number of subconductors in a bundle and bundle dimensions.
The influence of the bundle configuratian is enhanced when the
gap length increases.
4 7
4.0-
3.6-
3.2-
E- 2.8-
e
>
X- 2.4-
$
= 2.0-
1.6-
B
I
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32
H. m
Fig. 4. 50% breakdown voltages of a conductor-to-plane gap (solid
lines) and corresponding lengths of critical streamer zones
(dashed lines) for different conductor configurations
(o),( 0)-experimental points, n =8 [8]
(0)-conventional bundle, rb =0.6m
( O)-optimized bundle (see Fig. 2.).
CONDUCTOR-TO-CONDUCTOR GAPS
Because the discharge development in long air gaps is
determined by the field strength distribution near a positively
charged electrode from which a leader develops, it is reasonable to
apply condition (l), used earlier to calculate the breakdown
voltages of conductor-to-plane gaps, to the calculation of the
electric strength of air gaps between parallel conductors.
The calculation technique is in many respects similar to that for
conductor-to-ground plane gaps. The difference consists in the fact
that, in addition to the effect of the ground plane, the presence of
neighboring conductors must be considered (Fig. 5).
Under the action of a surge impulse of positive polarity on a
conductor, a positive space charge is formed nearby and a
negative charge is induced on a neighboring conductor. Its value is
much greater if a surge of negative polarity simultaneously is
applied to the neighboring conductor. In both cases, the magnitude
of the negative charge may exceed a level which gives rise to an
intense corona of the conductor. Therefore, calculations must
consider the presence of a negative space charge near a
neighboring conductor. This charge may be taken into account in
the same manner as a positive space charge, i.e., by modelling
space charge zones with a specified law of field strength
distribution, with the only difference that the field strength in the
streamer zone with negative polarity is approximately 1.8 times
higher than the one with positive polarity.
For symmetrical round bundles, it is simpler to replace, in
calculations, a negatively charged conductor exhibiting a corona by
an equivalent cylinder having a corresponding radius re*.
Reference [9] presents calculation results for re* as a function of
the ratio qm/qi of the maximum of the total charge on a conductor,
qm , to the corona inception charge, qi , for different symmetrical
conductor bundle designs.
By processing the calculated results of [9] by the multiple linear
regression method, a simple equation could be obtained which
describes the calculated results with an error not greater than 10%
DO II
* I X
U- I
e. . - c;
. n (
///////////////////////////////////I
Fig. 5. Design-basic schematic for evaluating the 50% breakdown
voltages of gaps between parallel conductor bundles.
3 69
The bundles are the same as in [l 11 (see Fig. 6, curve 3). Three
phase systems with different line configurations were analyzed:
flat, delta and inverted delta.
The switching impulse of positive polarity is applied to the
middle phase 6: Ug =U+. The negative overvoltage has the
same value as the positive one U- =U+(or ratio a =U-/(U++U'
) =0.5). Two cases of overvoltage distribution among phases were
analyzed: 1) negative overvoltage was applied to an outer phase
and another outer phase was grounded; 2) negative overvoltage of
equal value U- =U+ was applied to both outer phases.
The curve 2 of Fig. 7 for three phase system practically coincides
with the curve 3 of Fig. 6 for two phase system. This result is in
agreement with experimental conclusions of different laboratories
(see ,for example, [l l ]) that a third phase does not appreciably
influence the phase-to-phase strength when the phase is at ground
potential.
The phase-to-phase insulation level of a 1200 kV line for
switching overvoltages can be estimated as:
4.44
I
+.
n
3
2.4-
2.0-
/ 01
I.
1 KJ
U. m
Fig.6. 50% breakdown voltages between conductors, U=%, as
functions of phase-to-phase gap, D (solid lines: calculation;
points and dashed lines: experiment)
1: nl=n2=8, rbl=rb2=0.6m, ro=Zcm,U'/U+=l,
2: nl=8, rbl=0.6m, n2=2, rb2=0.2m, r0=1.36cm,
U-/U+=1, tf=3000psS, (0 ),(experimentat data obtained
at St. Petersburg Technical University)
3: ni =n2=8, rbl =rb2=0.6m, r0=2.75cm, u-/u+=I,
t f =l mp s [l l ]
4: n~=2,rb=0.2m,r~=1.36cm,n2=l,r~=1.36cm,
tf=1000ps ( 0) [lo]
u2=-0.5 MV ( 0 ) [12].
where a =55/17 - 0.2, and re =rb (nro/rb) l/n - equivalent radius
of a conductor bundle, equation (10) being valid for n =2 ... 16 with
The main idea of how to calculate breakdown voltages is to
determine such lengths of zones of positively and negatively
charged conductors at which the average field strength on a 3 m
long segment, in the direction of the strongest field, near the
subconductor exhibiting the strongest corona discharge in a
positively charged conductor bundle is Ecr =4 kV/cm (Fig.5). The
voltages at positively and negatively charged conductors which
correspond to the zone lengths determined by calculation are the
50% breakdown voltages.
Using the above technique, the 50% breakdown voltages of
parallel conductors have been calculated for different conductor
designs and heights above the ground plane with the gap lengths
and voltages at negatively charged conductors varyingd in a wide
range (see Fig.6).
Figure 6 shows that calculated values are in good agreement
with experimental data for various geometrical parameters of
systems, which attests the viability of the calculation technique here
suggested. The latter may be used to calculate the electric strength
of phase-to-phase gaps for conductor bundles of any design and
phases displacement.
At Fig. 7 results of calculation of 50% breakdown voltages
between conductors of 1200 kV line are presented.
15 qm/qi<3.
k*Unom*d2
1-3a
'50%' (Po/P) = 3 . 3 3 MV, (11)
*
where
K =1.7 - switching overvoltage (P.u.);
Unom =1200 kV - nominal voltage;
U* =0.03 - coefficient of variation;
Po/P =1.05 - pressure factor of air at sea level Po and at an actual
line route height P.
As it is seen from Fig. 7 when one phase is grounded for the
1200 kV insulation level U50% =3.33 MV there is practically no
influence of the type of line configurations: flat, delta or inverted
delta
=-Us
.U-..
2 .oJ r
4 m
t-19. 1. 50% breakdown voltages of air gaps between conductors of
three phase 1200kV vs. gap length when positive over-
voltage i s applied at middle phase (Ug=U+) and U-=U+
- solid lines: U- is applied at the outer phase, third phase
-dashed lines: U' is applied at both outer phases
1,l':inverted delta ( A , A )
2,2':f1at( ,m )
3,3':delta(o , ).
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
being grounded
370
However if negative overvoltage is applied to both outer phases,
the 50% breakdown voltage of the three phase system is much
lower than the one of the two-phase system especially for delta and
inverted delta configurations. In this case, for a line insulation level
of 3.33 MV, for flat line configuration, D = 1 1 m, for A -
configuration D =13 m and, for v -configuration D =15 m. This
result shows that for practical design of 1200 kV a precise
distribution of overvoltage among phases is still needed. However,
according to [13] the third phase can be considered at ground
potential and for this case insulation distance does not depend on
the line configuration (D- 10 m).
In order to increase transmission capacity of a line it is necessary
to increase the number of subconductors in a bundle and optimize
the bundle configuration [2]. In this case, the electric strength of
phase-to-phase air gaps also increases.
For the sake of illustration, Fig. 8 presents the calculated 50%
breakdown voltages of phase-to-phase gaps in 500 kV overhead
lines for two phase designs:
(i) n =4,d =0.4m, round phases,PSiL =900 MW
(ii) n=6,ellips.phases, PSIL =1700 MW, [2].
Two variants of application of surge impulses to phases have
been considered. In the first case, an impulse of positive polarity
acts on the inner phase whereas in the second case, it acts on an
outer phase. In both variants, the voltages with respect to the
ground plane, at the two other phases, are negative and equal.
As seen from Fig. 8, when an impulse of positive polarity acts on
the inner phase of a line with n =4 and round bundles, the electric
strength of the system of phase-to-phase air gaps is at a minimum
(for U-/Ut =1, U5o%=U+ +U- =2.66 MV, curve 1). For small
values of U', the gap strengths are virtually the same irrespective of
the impulse of positive polarity being applied to the inner or outer
phase. But when a positive polarity impulse is applied to an outer
phase and U-/U+=1
I I I I I I 1 / 1
>
I
E
n
3
2.0' I I I
I V I I I I
U; MV
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8
Fig. 8.50% breakdown voltages between phases,U50%, as
functions of voltage U' at neighboring phases for 5w)kV
overhead lines (D =7.5m)
1: n =4, d =0.4m, positive-polarity impulse applied to inner
phase, UB =U+, and negative-polarity surges at outer
phases, UA =Uc =U-
2: same but UA =U+, UB =uc =U-
3: n=6, ellipsoidal phases, UB =U+, UA =Uc =U-
4: Same but UA =U+, UB =uc =U-.
then,
(curve 2).
Us % =2.85 MV, i.e. , by about 200 kV or 7.5% higher
In the case of a line with ellipsoidal bundles the U=% vs. U-
curve for the inner phase (curve 3) is placed higher than for the
line with round bundles (for U- =0, by 16%, and for U-/U+=1,
U=% =2.85 MV, i.e., by 7.5%).
A system of gaps exhibits a maximum strength when a surge
impulse of positive polarity acts on an optimized ellipsoidal outer
phase (curve 4).
For U-/U+= 1, the breakdown voltage is U50% =3.25 MV, i.e.,
about 22% higher than that for a line with round bundles (with U+
applied to the inner phase ) and about 15% higher as compared to
the case where an impulse of positive polarity acts on the inner
phase of a line with ellipsoidal bundles.
CONCLUSIONS
1. The method suggested provides means to calculate the electric
strength of composite systems of air gaps between conductors and
plane and between parallel conductors of any design, also with a
due account of all the three phases of a power transmission line.
2. The electric strength of conductor-to-plane, conductor-to-
conductor air gaps increases with the number of subconductors in
a bundle and bundle dimensions. The influence of bundle
configuration enhances when the gap length increases.
3. For three phase conductor-to-conductor systems the influence of
the third phase is negligible when this phase has ground potential,
and there is no difference for flat, delta or inverted delta line
configurations.
4. However, if positive overvoltage is applied at the inner phase and
both outer phases also have negative overvoltages of the same
magnitude as the positive one, the electrical strength of a three
phase system is much lower than the one of a two-phase system
especially for delta and inverted delta configurations.
The electric strength is lower when a surge impulse is applied on
the inner phase as compared to a similar application on an outer
phase.
5. For a practical design of UHV lines a precise distribution of
overvoltages among phases is needed.
6. Ellipsoidal bundles in compact lines with enhanced transmission
capacity determine a higher electric strength of phase-to-phase
gaps as compared to round bundles in conventional design. This
allows a reduction in phase-to-phase spacings or ensures a higher
operational reliability for the same phase-to-phase spacings of a
line.
APPENDIX
Consider a uniformly charged and infinitely long parallelepiped
with a cross-section 2a*d and the space charge density q/2ad,
where q is the running charge density in Coulomb/m (Fig. Al).
371
The component of the electric field strength vector along the
abscissa axis and the potential at the point 0 are determined by the
formulas:
(d2/a) arctg (a/d2)] ;
1 1
It is interesting to compare these two formulas with the electric
field strength and potential formulas for a line charge in the centre
of the parallelepiped (Fig. 7):
1
(1/R) (A-3)
b' =-
2neo
(A-4)
When R/d >4 the difference between the values calculated from
the formulas (A-l),(A-2) and (A-3), (A-4) respectively is no more than
1 per cent. Thus, in the analysis the formulas (A-1) and (A-2) are
only used in the cases where the elementary charge and the control
point are on the same axis, the formulas (A-3) and (A-4) being used
in the other cases.
Fig. A1 -Analytic scheme for determination of the field strength and
potential.
REFERENCES
[l ] "Compacting Overhead Transmission Lines", - E
Symposium, LeninQrad 3-5 J une, 1991.
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optimization of overhead transmission line bundled
conductors", Electric Technology U.S.S.R., NO. 4, 1988, pp. 1-
15.
[3] H. Parekh, M. A. Salama, K. D. Srivastava, "Physical models of
corona onset and breakdown in non-uniform air gaps", Paper
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[4] F. A. M. Rizk, "A model for switching impulse leader inception
and breakdown of long air-gaps", IEEE Transactions on
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[6] G. N. Alexandrov, H. Menemenlis, G. V. Podporkin, "Further
improvement of the critical charge method for the theoretical
evaluation of the breakdown voltage of conductor bundle-to-
phase gaps", IEEE PAS-99, 1980, No. 2, pp. 687-694.
[7] G. N. Alexandrov, G. V. Podporkin, A. D. Sivayev, "A method for
calculating the breakdown voltages of long air gaps in power
transmission lines", lXth International Conference on Gas
Discharges and their Applications, Venice, 1988.
[8] G.N. Alexandrov, G. V. Podporkin "Control of the electric
strength of long air gaps", IEEE PAS-101, no. 11, 1982, pp.
[9] G. V. Podporkin. "A technique for taking into account the corona
discharge of a conductor bundle in evaluating the electric
strength of composite insulating systems of long air gaps",
Energetika (Izv. VUZ'ov), 1976, no. 7, pp. 21-27 (in Russian).
[lo] I. Kishizima, K. Matsumata, and Y. Watanabe, "New facilities for
phase-to-phase switching impulse tests and some test
results". IEEE PAS-103, no. 6, pp. 1211-1216.
[ l 11Transmission Line Reference Book: "345 kV and Above Second
Edition". EPRI, 1982.
[12] G. N. Alexandrov, Yu. A. Gerasimov, V. L. Ivanov, V. P. Redkov,
"The electric strength of air gaps between conductors at
switching overvoltages", Electricheskie Stantsii, 1973, No. 4
(in Russian).
[13] ClGRE Work Group. "Phase-to-Phase Insulation Coordination",
Electra, No. 64, May 1979, pp. 137
4335-4398.
Georgij V. Podporkin was born in
St.Petersburg on 26 August 1950.
He received the B.S., Ph.D. and
Doctor of Science degrees from
StPetersburg Technical University
in 1973, 1977 and 1990,
respectively, all in electrical
engineering. 1973 until 1991 he
worked as a research scientist in
the Extra High Voltage Laboratory
of the St.Petersburg Technical
University. Currently he is a
Scientific Consultant of CEPEL.
372
Discussion the third phase is grounded (curve 1) and when it has
the same neQative voltaQe as the second phase
(curve 3). Also in Fig. 9 a new calculated cuke is
plotted for the which was suggested by D ~.
Esmeraldo, i.e. when the third phase has half of the
voltage on the second phase.
P. C. V. Esmeraldo (Furnas Centrais Eletricas, Rio de
J aneiro, RJ, Brazil): 1 wish to Congratulate Prof- Pod-
porkin for a very interesting and useful contribution to-
ward the better understanding of the insulation strength
evaluation.
The proposed methodology for U50, evaluation and the
agreement with the experimental results for some specific 2 36
several experiment investigations in different laboratories
support, with high confidence, the results obtained by the
analytical method. Nevertheless, as the phase-to-phase
U,,, evaluation is much more complex and considering
that the calculated results shown in the paper are in good
be appreciated: =) 3.2
uc= 0
0 Uc =0.5UA
0
situations, the following questions and comments would
-
s
In Figure 7, it is indicated that the influence of impulse
voltage presence in the third phase is appreciable,
however, in practical terms the voltage in the third
phase is not higher than half of voltage on the second
phase, thus its influence could be considered of less
importance, as shown in reference [l].
Considering that for the actual overvoltage, the alfa
factor (a.XU-/U-+ U) ranges from 0.33 to 0.50, it is
not clear how the proposed methodology could take
into account this variability in the U50, evaluation.
Another point of interest is related with the time shift
between the instant of the negative peak and the
positive peak. Tests have been indicating that at least a
reduction of 10% in the U,,, evaluation could be
reached when the phase-to-phase components are not
syncronized. As this effect seems of great importance,
how does Prof. Podporkin see his methodology to be
adapted to include that effect? In brief words, which
will be the difficulties envisaged to consider this?
Reference
[ l ] R. Vaisman, J . R. Fonseca, V. H. G. Andrade, P. C. V.
Esmeraldo, Switching Impulse Strength of Compact
Lines, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery, Vol. 8,
No. 3, July 1993.
Manuscript received March 7, 1994.
GEORGIJ V. PODPORKIN: The author is very
grateful to Dr. Esmeraldo for his interest in the work
and for the valuable comments.
In answer to Dr. Esmeraldo specific questions:
1. In Fig. 9 50% breakdown voltage vs. gap length
curves of Fig. 7 are reproduced for the cases when
2.0-1 I I I I I I I I
6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 I
D, m
Fig. 9. 50% breakdown voltages of air gaps between
conductors of three phase A type 1200 kV
line vs. gap length when positive overvoltage
is applied at middle phase (UB=U+) and
negative overvoltage of the same amplitude
is applied to the second phase UA=U-=-U+(a
=OS)
l-third phase C is grounded
2-the voltage on the third phase is a half of
the voltage of phase A
3-the voltage on the third phase is equal to
the voltage of phase .
As it seen from Fig. 9 at this case the influence of the
voltage at the third phase is also significant.
For the 1200 kV insulation level U50%=3.33 MV
according to curve 1 (Uc=O) it is necessary to have
9.6 m air gap between phases, and according to curve
2 (uC=-o.suB) the gap must be 11.2m.
2. By the proposed method it is possible to calculate
U50% between bundles for any arbitrary fixed voltage
at negative bundles.
In the program the voltage at negative bundle U- is
used as initial data, and then the lengths of negative
space charge zones l,-,l;, . . . , I; (see Fig. 5) are
calculated in order to obtain the specified voltage U-
at each subconductor of the negative bundle. By this
373
-
w
the alpha factor a=U- /(U- +U').
U-
U: +
1 en
3. The proposed methodology can be adopted to
include the time shift between the instant of the
negative and positive peaks.
Let us consider voltage-time diagram presented in
Fig. 10. At the instant tl negative impulse has it's
maximum U- and positive impulse has a value U+, .
U
U+
D O *I
Fig. 10. Voltage-time diagram
l-positive impulse
2-negative impulse. X
x x
1 2
Using U'1 and U- as initial data for the program it is
easy to calculate positive ( I , +, , . . .,In+ )and negative
( I ; , I ; , , . . , I ; )space charge zones (see Fig. 11 a).
// // // / / / / // / //// // / / / / / / /// / / / / / f
( e )
After the moment tl there is no generation of
negative space charge and it shifts out from the
negative subconductors. It is possible to estimate the
movement of negative space charge ( negative ions )
Fig. 11. Design-basic schematic for evaluating the
50% breakdown voltages taking into account
the time shift between the impulses
and its position at the moment t i at which positive
impulse has it's maximum U . U5p% can be
calculated by the method described in the paper
a) for the instant tl
b) for the instant t2
taking into account new position of negative space
charge (see Fig. 11 b). Manuscript received April 21, 1994.