Simulation of overvoltage stresses on surge arrester insulation.

Impulse voltage testing is generally carried out for assessing the insulation strength of power equipment using standard impulse voltage waveforms in high-voltage laboratory. However, in actual field, the power equipment experiences standard and non-standard lightning impulse voltages. The main objective of this work is to analyse the voltage stress on surge arresters under standard and non-standard lightning impulse waveforms. Surge arrester models are developed in matlab (The MathWorks, Inc., Natick, Massachusetts, United States), and residual voltage test results are compared with manufacturer data for validation. Impulse voltage test is performed on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers surge arrester model using standard and non-standard lightning impulse voltage waveforms. The obtained test results showed that non-standard impulses have the potential to develop higher voltage stress and hence pose a high risk to surge arresters. However, results of this study provide the basis for further laboratory-based investigation considering a wide variety of impulse voltage waveforms representing the real lightning overvoltages. The test results will contribute to identify the need for modifying existing test standards or introducing new standards for impulse testing of surge arrester. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]