Comparative study of approximate and rigorous approaches to lightning discharge through power system towers

The project performs comparative study of simplified and rigorous approaches to analysis of lightning strike discharge through complex 3D structures of the power line towers and their grounding systems. Simplified models of the commercial tools such as PSCAD and TFlash will be compared to the new rigorous electromagnetic model (EM) based on full-wave algorithms analysis. The rigorous 3D EM modeling (developed at the University of Manitoba) is based on the novel fast direct method of moments solution of the integral equations of electromagnetics which account for the presence of the stratified media of the soil. The rigorous modelling results will be used to identify deficiencies in simplified models at the high frequencies (above 100kHz) where the full-wave effects become important. Such effects are commonly distorted in simple models, yielding an overall high error in predicting the performance of the lightning strike protection systems, including the grounding electrodes buried in the soil.

Faculty Supervisor:

Vladimir Okhmatovski

Student:

Farhad Sheikh Hosseini Lori

Partner:

Manitoba Hydro

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Energy

University:

University of Manitoba