Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering

c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg

Copyright

ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9

INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF A LIGHTNING IMPULSE

WAVEFORM EXCEEDING 600 KV ON THE DIELECTRIC STRENGTH
OF SF6GAS AND INSULATION OIL
Hiroshi Koyama1, Toshihiro Hoshino1, Masahiro Hanai 1
Shigemitsu Okabe2, Toshihiro Tsuboi2, Jun Takami2
1
Toshiba Corporation, Japan
2
Tokyo Electric Power Company, Japan
*Email: hiroshi.koyama@toshiba.co.jp
Abstract: The waveform of the lightning impulse voltage of transmission and distribution
apparatus has been prescribed as the standard lightning impulse that has a front time [1.2 s
30] and a time to half-value [50 s20] [1]. In recent years, however, it has become difficult
to apply such a standard waveform due to the increased use of higher capacitance equipment.
Although confined to within the allowable range in accordance with currently applicable standards,
tests are performed for waveforms that have a large overshoot in some cases. According to
existing standards, a problem has been noted that evaluations of voltage values vary significantly
in a discontinuous depending on whether the frequency of a vibrational component near the peak
value of the waveform is higher or lower than 0.5 MHz. Many examinations are currently in
progress on how to evaluate oscillatory waveforms of lightning impulse voltage [2][3][4]. We
investigated the extent to which dielectric breakdowns differ for SF6 gas gap and oil gap using
electrodes that have a large area and cubic volume depending on differences in the waveform of
negative-polarity impulse voltage. The test results reveal that the difference in lightning impulse
voltage has an impact, to a certain degree, on dielectric breakdown depending on differences in
front time and overshoot rate.

1.

conductor was laid out around a columnar, central

conductor, in a pressure vessel. The central conductor
and the grounded conductor were made of aluminum.
The diameter of the central conductor of the test
electrode for applying the voltage was 120 mm, and the
grounded, cylindrical conductor was 270 mm in inner
diameter and 1000 mm in length. Consequently, the
area of this high-voltage conductor, on which the
electric field is effectively applied, was approximately
3770 cm2. This test electrode is classified as a largescale electrode. The gas pressure for the test was set to
0.45 MPa.

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, increasing numbers of transmission and

distribution apparatus with rated voltages exceeding
1000 kV have been developed, resulting in higher
capacitance equipment. As a result, it has become
difficult to apply the prescribed waveform by
employing an impulse voltage generator owned by
transmission and distribution apparatus manufacturers.
Consequently, we must cope with this methodological
issue either using oscillatory waves by adjusting rise
time or using non-oscillatory waves by delaying rise
time.

1000

As the test voltage was originally intended to guarantee

the insulation performance of transmission and
distribution apparatus, the lightning impulse voltage,
which is deemed to be an equivalent test voltage, must
have the same dielectric breakdown characteristics.
Similar examinations in the past were performed for
transmission and distribution apparatus with a rated
voltage range of only 200 kV or less. [2][3][4] Here,
we report on the extent of differences found in the
dielectric breakdown voltage regarding SF6 gas and oil
in the voltage range above 600 kV, depending on
differences in the waveform of lightning impulse
voltage.
2.

120

270

Figure 1: Structure of coaxial cylindrical electrode

used for tests in SF6 gas.
For the oil gap tests, as shown in Figure 2, the
aluminum electrode, whose surface was prepared to be
smooth, was used in the composition of flat-plate
versus flat-plate. The curvature radius of R75 was
adopted to prevent dielectric breakdown at this curved
portion of the electrode end. As the gap length was 40
mm between the two flat-plates and the diameter of the
flat-plate electrodes was 1000 mm, the cubic volume of
the test electrode, on which 90% of the maximum
electric field is applied, was calculated to be 3.1104
cm3. As a result, the cubic volume of the model

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

For SF6 gas gap tests, the electrode had a coaxial

cylindrical structure, which is almost the same as that
of an actual gas insulated switchgear (GIS). As shown
in Figure 1, tests were performed after having installed
a coaxial electrode, on which a grounded, cylindrical
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Paper A-3

Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering

c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg
Copyright

ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9

electrode was almost equal to one-fourth of the cubic

volume of a 500 kV actual transformer, on which 90%
of the maximum electric field is applied at a point on
the main insulation among winding wires.

of 0%, reflecting restrictions of the testing apparatus.

The waveforms with an overshoot were made to agree
with almost a 50% area of the wave tail portion of the
standard waveform.
For the SF6 gas gap tests, a negative-polarity lightning
impulse with a low breakdown voltage under quaisuniform electric field gap was used. We pursued the
breakdown characteristics with the voltage up-anddown method for a total of 20 breakdowns. The voltage
step was set to approximately 5% of the applied
voltage. In view of the possibility of being affected by
ions floating in the gas, a five-minute time interval was
kept between applying voltages. The tests were
performed after replacing the original gas with a new
SF6 gas under each experimental condition.

1000

40

For the oil gap tests, every test was started after the
testing apparatus was left for more than 24 hours next
to the electrode setting, making a vacuum and oil
filling. The applied voltage was a negative-polarity
lightning impulse voltage, which had the same negative
polarity as in the case of the gas gap. The voltage step
was set to approximately 5% of the applied voltage. A
pump was installed in the oil tank so that particle could
be homogenized in the insulation oil by circulating the
insulation oil between the electrodes once a dielectric
breakdown occurred. Tests under the five conditions
above were performed continuously for several days
without replacing the oil.

Figure 2: Structures of flat-plate electrodes used for

tests in oil.
Figure 3 shows the appearance of the testing apparatus
on which respective electrodes are installed. The SF6
gas gap tests were performed on testing apparatus
equipped with a composite bushing, which is located at
the center of the figure. The oil gap tests were
performed using testing apparatus equipped with an oil
bushing that has a large high-voltage shield at the left
in the figure. The lightning impulse voltage was
produced and applied by the impulse voltage generator
at 6 MV in rated voltage, and the applied voltage was
measured by a voltage divider.

3.
Impulse voltage generator

Voltage divider

RESULTS OF EXPERIMENT

In this paper, the overshoot rate () is defined by the

equation (1) below, as a waveform shown in Figure 4.
U

Ue

Recorded curve

Ump
Base curve

Oil gap testing vessel

Residual curve
0

SF6 gas gap testing bus

Figure 4: Recorded and base curve showing overshoot

and residual curve.
(Ue-Ump)
=
(1).
Ue

Figure 3: Appearance of testing apparatus.

2.1.

Test procedure and test conditions

3.1.

Waveforms of applied lightning impulse voltage were

tested under five conditions for the two test types. The
SF6 gas gap tests were performed for one basic case
with a front time of 1.2 s and an overshoot rate of 0%,
two cases with a front time of 1.2 s and varied
overshoot rates of 10% and 20%, and two cases with a
varied front time of 2.4 s and 4.8 s and an overshoot
rate of 0%. The oil gap tests were performed for three
cases with a front time of 1.4 s and a varied overshoot
rates of 2%, 10%, and 20% and two cases with varied
front times of 2.4 s and 4.8 s and an overshoot rate

SF6 gas gap

Table 1 summarizes the results of dielectric breakdown

characteristics obtained with front time (Tf) and
overshoot rate () as the parameters for the SF6 gas
gap. Figures 5 and 6 show the changes in a 50%
breakdown voltage (U50) and average breakdown time
(Ave. BDT) for the respective parameters. The error
bars in the Figures refer to the standard deviation (v)
obtained from test data. v values of not more than 5%
in these SF6 gas gap tests were lower than the applied
voltage step except for one case.
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Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering

c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg
Copyright

ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9

It was found that U50 values generally tend to decline

in proportion to the increase of Tf values. U50 values
remained almost constant regardless of changes of
value, so there was little impact due to the difference in
. Ave. BDT values were near the peak value for the
standard waveform with the front time of 1.2 s.
However, as Tf values increase, dielectric breakdowns
tend to occur at the wave tail portion. Dielectric
breakdowns occurred near the peak value for most
waveforms with an overshoot.

The error bars in these Figures refer to the v obtained

from test data. The v values in these oil gap tests were
5%-16%, which is considerably higher than those for
the SF6 gas gap. These v values of not less than 5% in
these tests were higher than the applied voltage step.
Although the U50 values tend to increase slightly
proportionately as either Tf values or values increase,
the gradient was smaller than in the SF6 gas cases. Ave.
BDT values tend to increase as Tf values increase for
most waveforms without an overshoot. Dielectric
breakdowns occurred at portions near the peak value
up to the wave tail. Most dielectric breakdowns
occurred near the wave tail portion after having passed
the peak value for most waveforms with an overshoot.
No significant relationship was found between Ave.
BDT and values.

Table 1: Dielectric breakdown characteristics

regarding the waveform parameters for SF6 gas.
Base curve

Longer front time

With overshoot

Tf [s]

1.2

2.4

4.8

1.2

1.2

'[%]

10

20

U50[kV]

1432

1408

1357

1435

1431

v[kV]

51

27

75

49

Ave.BDT[s]

2.3

7.3

11.6

1.5

1.4

SF6 gas

[kV]

1500

1.4

2.4

4.8

1.4

1.4

'[%]

10

20

U50[kV]

657

670

671

661

683

v[kV]

40

80

109

39

105

Ave.BDT[s]

5.6

5.9

7.3

4.4

5.2

1200

1100

1000
900

Ave.BDT

1300

With overshoot

Tf [s]

10

1400

Longer front time

Base curve

[s]
12

1600

Oil

[kV]
900

[s]
8

2
800

U50

6
[s]

Tf
Ave. BDT

Figure 5: Changes in U50 and Ave. BDT with regard to

front time.

700

Ave.BDT

800

U 50

U50

Table 2: Dielectric breakdown characteristics

regarding the waveform parameters for oil.

600
2
500

SF6 gas

[kV]

[s]

10

1400

1300

1200
1100

6
[s]

Tf
Ave. BDT

Figure 7: Changes in U50 and Ave. BDT with regard to

front time.
Oil

[kV]

1000

U50

Ave.BDT

1500

[s]

900

800

900
800
5

U50

10

15

'
Ave. BDT

20

[]

700

Ave.BDT

U50

U50

12

1600

600

Figure 6: Changes in U50 and Ave. BDT with regard to

overshoot rate.

2
500

3.2.

Oil gap

10

15

'

Table 2 summarizes the results of dielectric breakdown

characteristics obtained with Tf and as parameters
for the oil gap. Figures 7 and 8 show the changes in U50
and Ave. BDT regarding the respective parameters.

U50

20

0
[]

Ave. BDT

Figure 8: Changes in U50 and Ave. BDT with regard to

overshoot rate.
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Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering

c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg
Copyright

4.

DISCUSSION

4.1.

Consideration about the test voltage factor

k(f)

one side in an imbalanced state. According to the study,

at least five minutes are considered to be necessary to
restore the ion distribution before application of
lightning impulse voltage after such application. [5]

The center frequency of the vibrational component at

the overshoot portion of the voltage waveform, to
which voltage was applied in the tests, was calculated
to be 270 kHz and 280 kHz by the FFT method in the
SF6 gas gap tests. Figure 9 plots the test results
together with the proposed voltage factor curve. The
test voltage factor k(f) was almost 1.0 and deviated
slightly from the proposed voltage factor curve, both of
which are the same as those obtained for the
conventional peak value without using the voltage
factor k(f). As the test voltage factor k(f) remained at
almost 1.0 in the SF6 gas gap tests, it proved that the
occurrence of dielectric breakdowns is mostly
determined by the peak value up to around 270 kHz for
the frequency of the vibrational component. There is
concern that this could not be sufficiently verified as
the voltage step was higher than the v value in the
tests.

The voltage waveform standardized

Figures 10 and 11 plot the voltage waveform

standardized by the peak voltage against the
breakdown time to which the maximum voltage was
applied. It reveals that the number of breakdowns
increases after having passed the peak value point as
the Tf increases. In addition, it was also confirmed that
breakdowns occurred in the range of more than 80% of
the peak voltage at both wave crest and wave tail with
regard to breakdown time. As a result, a voltage level
of less than 80% does not contribute to the occurrence
of dielectric breakdowns.

The center frequency of the vibrational component at a

voltage waveform with an overshoot was calculated to
be 270 kHz and 245 kHz by the FFT method for the oil
gap tests. For the oil gap, the test voltage factor k(f)
tends to decline as the overshoot rate increases, as
represented, for example, by 0.91 in the center
frequency of the vibrational component when the
value is 10% and 0.81 when the value is 20%
approaches 270 kHz. There is concern that withstand
voltage performance cannot be sufficiently verified in
insulation tests.

The voltage waveform standardized

0.2
0.1
0
0.1

(f)

SF6 gas gap

10

[MHz]

100

Oil gap

Figure 9: Test voltage factor.

4.2.
4.2.1

1000

0.8

800

0.6

600

0.4

400

0.2

200

10

2.4s/0%
2.4s/BDT

0
20

[s

4.8s/0%
4.8s/BDT

Consideration about dielectric breakdown

characteristics
SF6 gas gap

1.6

1600

1.4

1400

1.2

1200

1000

0.8

800

0.6

600

0.4

400

0.2

200

At least five minutes were taken as the interval

between applying voltages because the application of
lightning impulse voltage would cause ions in the gas
to be drawn to the electrode, where they would be
neutralized and converted into SF6 molecules due to the
effects of electric potential of difference, which is
produced by the lightning impulse voltage, or drawn to

10

Time

1.2s/0%
0%/BDT

1.2s/10%
10%/BDT

BDV [kV]

k(f)

1
(1+2.2f 2)

0.01

1200

For waveforms with an overshoot, dielectric

breakdown occurs near the peak value in most cases. In
the case of Tf at 1.2 s with an overshoot, breakdowns
were concentrated intensively on the crest portion. The
test result in this case was different from the cases of
the Tf with 2.4 s and 4.8 s.

0.6

0.001

1.2

Figure 10: The voltage waveform standardized and

changes in BDT with regard to front time.

0.7

0.3

1400

Time

0.8

k(f)

1.4

1.2s/0%
1.2s/BDT

0.4

1600

0.9

0.5

1.6

BDV [kV]

ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9

0
20

[s

1.2s/20%
20%/BDT

Figure 11: The voltage waveform standardized and

changes in BDT with regard to overshoot rate.
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Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering

c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg
Copyright

Figures 13 and 14 plot standardized voltage waveform

against breakdown time. Breakdown time tends to
decrease proportionately as voltage increases. The
plotted points present the ever-decreasing v-t
characteristic. We may consider that this tendency in
the data is attributable to a v value that was higher
than the voltage step value in the tests. The voltage
step value for the oil gap was appropriate. There were
only a few waveforms that accompanied a considerably
delayed dielectric breakdown in the case of a longer
front time, unlike the case of the SF6 gas gap. The oil
gap values are smaller than those of the SF6 gas gap in
terms of Ave. BDT.

We may consider that the breakdown voltage did not

present any large change because the waveform before
achieving the near peak value may be regarded to be
almost the same as the previous one despite the change
of values. It may become necessary to examine the
effects of overshoot by verifying whether a breakdown
occurs at the wave tail portion after reducing the
voltage step of the applied voltage to less than the v
value.

The voltage waveform stand ardized

Next, we examined the relationship of waveform area

with breakdown voltage for a certain voltage level and
peak value. Figure 12 plots projections of breakdown
voltage for the respective measured voltage waveforms,
both of which were then converted into areas with the
front time as the parameter for conversion between the
peak value and a 95% portion and between the peak
value and a 97% portion, on the basis of the standard
waveform. The error bar in the Figure refers to v
obtained from test data. According to calculations
based on conversion into area, breakdown voltage
values tend to decline as front time increases. As
breakdown voltage values tend to decline
proportionately as front time increases also for the
measured values, the relationship between Tf and U50
can be explained, to a certain degree, by the area rules.

1.6

800

1.4

700

1.2

600

500

0.8

400

0.6

300

0.4

200

0.2

100

[kV]

1.4s/0%
1.4s/BDT

1600

2.4s/0%
2.4s/BDT

[s]

4.8s/0%
4.8s/BDT

Figure 13: The voltage waveform standardized and

changes in BDT with regard to front time.

1500
1400
1300

For waveforms with an overshoot, the breakdown time

tends to increase and follow the area rules as overshoot
rate increases, similar to the case of a longer front time.
The plotted points present ever-decreasing v-t
characteristics. Most of the dielectric breakdowns for
the oil gap occurred at the wave tail portion after
having passed the peak value point.

1200
1100
1000
900
0

Front time

[s]

The voltage waveform standardized

Measured values
97% calculated values on standard impulse
95% calculated values on standard impulse

Figure 12: Relationship between waveform area and

breakdown voltage.
Oil gap

The most influential factor in the dielectric breakdown

of insulation oil is the existence of particle in the oil.
Consequently, any increase/decrease of particles in the
course of tests may change the breakdown voltage. If
insulation oil undergoes a dielectric breakdown, it is
decomposed by the heat of the arc, which is determined
by the product of the current and the voltage caused by
the breakdown, and produces carbon. If the resulting
carbon floats in insulation oil filled between the
electrodes as a kind of particle, the likelihood of
affecting breakdown voltage becomes high.

1.6

800

1.4

700

1.2

600

500

0.8

400

0.6

300

0.4

200

0.2

100

10

20

Time

1.4s/2%
2%/BDT

1.4s/10%
10%/BDT

BDV [kV]

BDV

20

Time

1700

4.2.2

10

BDV [kV]

ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9

[s]

1.4s/20%
20%/BDT

Figure 14: The voltage waveform standardized and

changes in BDT with regard to overshoot rate.

Pg. 5

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Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on High Voltage Engineering

c 2009 SAIEE, Innes House, Johannesburg
Copyright

ISBN 978-0-620-44584-9

We examined the relationship of waveform area up to

the peak value with breakdown voltage in a similar
way to the cases of the SF6 gas gap. Figure 15 plots
projections of the breakdown voltage for the respective
measured voltage waveforms, both of which were then
converted into areas with front time as the parameter
for conversion between peak value and 90% portion
and between peak value and 80% portion, on the basis
of the standard waveform. The error bar in the Figure
refers to v obtained from test data. According to
calculations based on conversion into area, the
breakdown voltage values tend to decline as the front
time increases. The breakdown voltage values tend to
rise slightly proportionately as front time increases for
the measured values, but such variations remained
confined to within a predicted variability.

sufficiently verified for the waveforms with an

overshoot because the voltage factor k(f) tends to
vary due to differences in overshoot rate at almost
the same vibrational frequency.
(3) The dielectric breakdown voltage does not change
so much with a longer front time for waveforms
without an overshoot compared to similar ones
with an overshoot. As a result, we may consider
that changing in front time may be effective only
for apparatus with higher capacitance.
6.

[1] IEC 60060-1 High-voltage test techniques, Part

1 : General definitions and test requirements,
(1989)
[2] S.Berlijn, F.Granacho, P.Simon, E.Gockenbach,
P.Werle, K.Hackemack and M. Watts, :Digital
Measurement of Parameters Using for Lightning
Impulse Tests for High Voltage Equipment, Final
Report, Contract PL-951210-SMT4-CT96-2132
(1999)
[3] P.Simon,
F.Grauacho,
S.M.Berlijn
and
E.Gockenbach, Determining the Test Voltage
Factor Function for the Evaluation of Lightning
Impulse with Oscillation and/or an Overshoot,
IEEE Trans. on Power Delivery, Vol.21, No.2,
pp.560-566 (2006)
[4] P.Simon, Research of the Characteristic
Parameters of the Behaviour of Dielectric Media
under Non Standard Lightning Impulses in High
Voltage, Politechnical University of Madrid
(2006)
[5] N.Wiegart, K.Niemeyer, F.Pinnekarp, W.Boeck,
J.Kindersberger, R.Morrow, W.Zangel, M,Zwicky,
L.Gallimberti, and S.A.Boggs: Inhomogeneous
Field Breakdown in GIS The Predication of
Breakdown Probabilities and Voltage , Part1:
Overview of a Theory for Inhomogeneous Field
Breakdown in SF6, Part 2: Ion Density and
Statistical Time Lag, Part 3: Discharge
Development in SF6 and Computer Model of
Breakdown, IEEE Trans. on Power Delivery,
Vol.3, No.3, pp923-946(1988)

[kV]
1000
900

BDV

800
700
600
500
400
300
0

Front time

6
[s]

Measured values
90% calculated values on standard impulse
80% calculated values on standard impulse

Figure 15: Relationship between waveform area and

breakdown voltage.
5.

REFERENCES

CONCLUSION

The following points have been proven by tests using

an electrode system that has a large area and cubic
volume assuming that an actual equipment is used.
(1) In the SF6 gas gap under quasi-uniform electric
field, occurrence of a dielectric breakdown of the
waveforms with an overshoot is determined by the
peak value. Consequently, if the new proposed
voltage factor k(f) is used, an excessive test
voltage may be applied. However, a voltage step
higher than the v value may have had an impact
on test results. About the waveforms of a longer
front time, a dielectric breakdown voltage tends to
lower than the standard waveforms and the
breakdown time is delayed behind the peak time.
(2) It is difficult to precisely evaluate the physical
characteristics of dielectric breakdown given
considerable variations in the breakdown voltage
in the oil gap. Yet, there is concern that withstand
voltage performance may not have been
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