CAUSES OF OVER-VOLTAGE

SURGES
PHENOMENA CAUSES EFFECT
1. Lightning Coulds get charged Line insulators
during thunderstorms, flashover or puncture.
the high potential Travelling waves
gradient causes carries its effects to
breakdown of sub-stations and
insulation of air Power Station.
producing a lightning Insulation of the
stroke, which hits the system is stressed.
earth, and is attracted
by overhead lines.
 CAUSES EFFECT

2. Switching (a) Breaking (a) CB voltage

Inductive stressed
Circuits: energy (b) Restrike
stored in possible
inductances (c) Wave travels to
gives rise to a both sides of
potential rise CB.
across
capacitors. (d) Voltage
Oscillation in
sub-circuit.
(b) Switching-on (a) Transmission
capacitive line: line insulation
charging stressed.
currents gives
rise to a (b) Terminal
travelling wave. apparatus
insulation
(c) Other switching stressed by
operations. travelling
waves.
PHENOMENA CAUSES EFFECT

3. Arcing Grounds Line to ground (a) Temporary fault

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

5. Resonance The fault causing Rapid increase in

resonance over-voltages,
between insulation failure
inductance and likely to occur.
capacitance in a
part of circuit. Reflected wave
High voltage gets
6. Travelling waves get superimposed on
Waves reflected on initial waves;
reaching a Voltage rises to
junction or end. 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 High voltage shunt reactors
line. connected to line to reduce power
frequency-overvoltages.
Condition of switching Method of reducing
switching overvoltage
2. Elimination of trapped charge Line shunting after opening
on the line 1

3. Reduction of current chopping Opening Resistors (Resistance

Switching)
R 2
1
Condition of Method of reducing
switching switching overvoltage
4. Reducing the switching Single stage pre-closing resistors
overvoltages due to insertion
closing R 1

Two stage pre-closing resistors

insertion
2
R R

1
3
Condition of Method of reducing
switching switching overvoltage
Closing resistors in line between
circuit breaker and shunt reactor
1 R

2
5. Reducing switching Synchronous switching of three
overvoltages by poles
improved switching
sequence
Condition of Method of reducing
switching 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: R

CB RESISTOR

LIGHTNING
REACTORS
ARRESTER
1, 2, 3 ETC. SEQUENCE OF OPERATION