On the Distribution of Lightning Current among Interconnected Grounding Systems in Medium Voltage Grids

Guido Ala, Salvatore Favuzza, Elisa Francomano, Graziella Giglia and Gaetano Zizzo
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Guido Ala: Department of Energy, Information Engineering and Mathematical Models (DEIM)—University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze-Edificio 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Salvatore Favuzza: Department of Energy, Information Engineering and Mathematical Models (DEIM)—University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze-Edificio 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Elisa Francomano: Department of Industrial and Digital Innovation (DIID)—University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze-Edificio 8, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Graziella Giglia: Department of Energy, Information Engineering and Mathematical Models (DEIM)—University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze-Edificio 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Gaetano Zizzo: Department of Energy, Information Engineering and Mathematical Models (DEIM)—University of Palermo, viale delle Scienze-Edificio 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a first investigation on the effects of lightning stroke on medium voltage installations’ grounding systems, interconnected with the metal shields of the Medium Voltage (MV) distribution grid cables or with bare buried copper ropes. The study enables us to evaluate the distribution of the lightning current among interconnected ground electrodes in order to estimate if the interconnection, usually created to reduce ground potential rise during a single-line-to-ground fault, can give place to dangerous situations far from the installation hit by the lightning stroke. Four different case studies of direct lightning stroke are presented and discussed: (1) two secondary substations interconnected by the cables’ shields; (2) two secondary substations interconnected by a bare buried conductor; (3) a high voltage/medium voltage station connected with a secondary substation by the medium voltage cables’ shields; (4) a high voltage/medium voltage station connected with a secondary substation by a bare buried conductor. The results of the simulations show that a higher peak-lowering action on the lighting-stroke current occurs due to the use of bare conductors as interconnection elements in comparison to the cables’ shields.

Keywords: lightning current; lightning stroke; grounding; full-wave; Lightning Protection System (LPS); metal shields; bare buried rope (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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