T&D Companies – Arresters - Lightning - Distribution

A lightning arrester on transmission lines is expected to reduce lightning incidents; however, the problems of the application guide to be established such as the method of application, the treating capacity for lightning energy, and the coordination to an arc horn remain as they are. The method of application for a lightning arrester on transmission lines and its effect are examined from the viewpoint of the generating incident on transmission lines by lightning and the operating viewpoint of a lightning arrester for a 77kV system. The double circuit setup of a lightning arrester is the best method to reduce the lightning incidents and the single circuit setup can reduce the incident rate by 40 percent preventing the flashover of the circuit on which the lightning arrester is not set up. For installing a lightning arrester on a short section, the flashover point can transfer to the next steel tower where the arrester is not set up, only when lightning strikes the last steel tower. Inflowing current into an arrester from a direct lightning strike is considerably large and the energy at that time becomes large but this energy can be reduced by the operation of the arrester set up on another steel tower.

Lightning arrester technology is designed to provide lightning and surge protection in order to prevent destruction and injury. Lighting arrester systems provide a means by which lightning may enter or leave the earth without passing through and damaging non-conducting parts of a structure. Lightning arrester systems do not prevent lightning from striking. Instead, a lightning arrester provides a way to control the lightning and preventing damage by providing a low resistance path for the discharge of lightning energy. The main purpose of a lightning arrester is to prevent property damage, equipment damage, and bodily injury from electrical surges and lightning strikes.