Lightning Impulse Test of Power Transformers –Voltage Wave Shape Control

Sameek Dhar – Sr. Test Engineer - Power transformer; ABB India Ltd
Ritesh Bhambani – Test Manager - Power transformer; ABB India Ltd

ABSTRACT

Lightning Impulse voltage testing is a vital and important factory dielectric test for power transformers and
Reactors. It is becoming more and more a routine test not only for EHV transformers, but for HV range of transformers
also. Even though national standards stipulate 1.2/50 micro-seconds as the wave shape of the voltage to be used for
testing, many times it will be difficult to achieve this wave shape within the stipulated tolerances especially for EHV
/UHV transformer windings. This paper covers various test requirements for lightning and switching impulse tests, as
stated in various national and international standards Significance of dielectric stresses in windings due to the
change in the front and tail times and the effect of test object Capacitance & Inductance (also impulse generators C &
L) in achieving the timings are also discussed in the paper. The problems of achieving front timing in UHV/EHV
windings due to high value of winding capacitance and keeping the voltage overshoot at peak within specified limits
are also discussed. Achieving the impulse voltage waveform as defined in the standards is becoming more and more
difficult with increasing capacity and voltage ratings of transformers and means to achieve wave shape with in
tolerance limits are discussed.

1 Introduction impulse test is a routine test for transformers

with Um > 170 kV according to IEC [1] and Um
The impulse test was introduced in the
= 345 kV and above as per IEEE standard
1930’s to simulate the effects on transformer
[2].The purpose of the test is to verify the
from a lightning strike on high voltage line,
insulation integrity for transient over voltages,
connected to transformers.Initially the test
caused either by atmospheric phenomena
wave shape was 1.2/40 μs, and was revised
(lightning), network disturbances or switching
later to 1.2/50 μs. The first figure represents
operations. To achieve the above purpose,
the rise time from zero to 100% voltage, and
waveform of surge voltage used for impulse
the second figure represents the time above
testing shall be within the tolerances specified
50% voltage level.The test configurations are
in international standards. The waveform of the
selected to reflect the service situationas much
impulse voltage impinging the winding during
as possible.The lightning impulse test is a
the test depends on the characteristics of
routine test for transformers where Um ≥ 72.5
winding ( esp. L & C of the object) plus the test
kV according to IEC 60076-3 or ≥ 115 kV
circuit parameters of the impulse generator.
according to IEEE C57.12.00 and Switching
 2 Requirements As Per Standards (IEC
& IEEE)
The full wave lightning impulse test is specified
to verify the lightning withstand voltages as per
IEC 60076-3 [1] and IEEE Std C57.12.90[3].The
waveform of the impulse is aperiodic as shown
in fig 1.It has a specified rise time of 1.2μs and
duration of 50μs to half of peak value on tail.
The specified shape and tolerance on crest
value (±3%) are the same in both IEC and IEEE
standards. The waveform is characterized by :
Front : T1 = 1.2 μs , tolerance ± 30% -- (0.84 to
1.56 μs)
Tail : T2 = 50 μs , tolerance ± 20% -- ( 40 to 60
μs)
Polarity : Negative for oil insulated transformer.
Fig 1 :- Lightning Impulse waveform of 1.2/50 μs
Sometimes it is seen that, when testing
large capacity high voltage windings or low
voltage high current windings, the standard
lightning impulse waveform
achieved in line with standard tolerances
specified. The above mentioned problem
cases are dealt in IEC & IEEE in similar
manner though minor differences exist. Mainly
the problems in impulse wave shapes are of
two types. First is the compromise between the
relative overshoot (oscillation on the crest) and
front time (T1) (outside the upper limit) and the
second type is the tail time (T2) outside the
lower limit.
As per IEC 60060-1 relative overshoot (β’)
(𝑈𝑒 −𝑈𝑏 )
;𝛽 ′ = 100 ( 𝑈𝑏
) %, shown in fig 2.
Fig 2 :- Recorded and base curve showing overshoot
and residual curve
The relative overshoot should not exceed more
than 5% (IEC 60076 –3; 2014) ,but according to
IEC 60076-4 it can be upto 10%.For
transformers Um ≤ 800 kV ,if the relative
overshoot is more than 5% then front time can
be increased upto 2.5μs with additional chopped
wave test.
As per IEEE C57.12.90 the oscillations on the
front should not be more than 10% of the
applied voltage and front time limit is 2.5 μs.
In case minimum tail time of 40μs cannot be
cannot be achieved then the test voltage has to be
increased by 1% for every 2μs by which the tail
time is less than 40μs , as per IEC 600076- 3.
 3 Effect On Winding Dielectric Stresses Now the ultimate form of the voltage
From Impulse voltage Waveforms :- equation will be given below (detailed analysis
given in ref [7]).
To understand the dielectric stresses from the 𝑑2 𝐸 1 𝐶𝑔
𝑑𝑥 2
− 𝑙2 𝐶𝑠 𝐸 = 0 ,The solution is in the form of
application of impulse voltagewave ,a simple 1 𝐶𝑔
,𝐸 = 𝐴1 𝑒 𝑝𝑥 + 𝐴2 𝑒 −𝑝𝑥 , where 𝑃 = 𝑙
( 𝐶𝑠 )1/2 .
internal model of transformer winding is shown
in fig 3 in which only ground capacitance (Cg) The constants A1 and A2 will depend on

and series capacitance (Cs) is taken in account boundary conditions of the problem.

and all the winding inductances are omitted for

the reason that no current will penetrate the Case 1 ) If the neutral is grounded : then at

winding during the application of this high x= 0 , E = 0 and at x= l , E=V (V is the amplitude

frequency waveforms.It is assumed here that of the step impulse surge) . So the voltage equ.
𝛼𝑥
sin ℎ ( )
thecapacitance is uniformly distributed along the is, 𝐸 = 𝑉 𝑙
----(1)
sin ℎ𝛼
winding. In fig 4 an elementary length ∆x of the
winding is shown.
Case 2 ) If the neutral is isolated : then at x = l
, E= V and at x = 0, Is =0 .
𝛼𝑥
cos ℎ ( )
Thus voltage equ. is 𝐸 = 𝑉 cos ℎ𝛼
𝑙
----(2)

Equ. 1 and 2 describes the initial voltage

Fig 3 :- Modelling of transformer winding for initial

distributions for winding struck by a step functio
voltage distribution subjected to lightning surge surge voltage.Both the expressions depend on α
Fig 4:- Elementary length ∆x of the winding
, the ratio (Cg/Cs). Fig 5 and 6 shows a plot of
these results.
Ground capacitance per unit length = Cg/l and
series capacitance per unit length = Csl.Where l
is the length of the winding.
Let E= voltage to ground at any point in the
winding,Ig = total current in the ground
capacitance,Is = current in the series capacitance.In
fig 4 , ground capacitance will be (Cg/l)∆x and the
ground current through this element is given by ---
𝐶𝑔∆𝑥𝜔𝐸
∆𝐼𝑔 = 𝑙
, here ω is the frequency of
Fig 5:- Voltage waveform when Neutral grounded
voltageE.
 character and stress to earth increases with
increase in wave tail length.
Fig 6:- Voltage waveform when Neutral isolated
From the above figure , it can be said that as α
increases voltage distribution becomes more
nonlinear. When α = 10 , 60% of the voltage is
developed across the first 10% of the winding at
the line end and as a result the portion of the
winding is severly stressed.
For slow fronted surges, the stress on the line
turns will be less severe than the steep fronted
voltage just considered since the capacitance
will no longer dominate the voltage distribution
by the time surges reaches its peak.
When the wavefront time increases more than
1.2μs , the longitudinal voltage stress at line end
of the winding comes down ( approx 30- 40 %
stress decreases for 2 – 2.5 μs) ,stresses
increases to the same range with front time of
0.3-0.4 μs .But it has negligible effect on the
voltage stress to ground. Tail time ( time to half
the peak value ) exerts no marked effect on the
longitudinal voltage stress provided it is longer
than 20-25 μs. Voltage stress to earth is a
function of the ratio of the tail to the length of
period of the fundamental frequency of the
winding.This function has an exponential
4 Capacitance and Inductance
Parameters for Impulse Generator Vs
Test Object:-
Achieving the 1.2/50μs impulse waveform
within the permitted tolerances is very difficult
with large power transformers as test object
.The transformer windings having capacitances
(series& parallel) , inductances and resistances,
all distributed throughout the whole winding are
unique with each other with respect to circuit
parameters. To generate high impulse voltages
several identical impulse capacitors are charged
in parallel and then discharged in series,
obtaining in this way a multiplied total charging
voltage, corresponding to the number of stages.
The load capacitance Cload (transformer) is
loaded by the impulse generator capacitors
through the front resistors (in impulse generator)
and both capacitors are discharged through the
tail resistors (in impulse generators).For the
deciding the necessary values for the series
and parallel resistors in impulse generator for
different winding capacitances, the multiplier
circuit could be reduced to an equivalent circuit
diagram for one stage ( fig 7).
Fig:- 7 Equivalent circuit of multiplier circuit
C's : Resulting Impulse Capacitance = Cs/n ; n is
the no of stages of Impulse generator.
R's : Front ( series) Resistor = n.Rs and
Tail ( parallel) Resistor = n. Rp.
Cload : Load capacitance ( Transformer + Divideri)
+ Stray Capacitance ) .
Lloop : Inductance of impulse generator + external
inductance of total test configuration ; SG :
Spark Gap of Impulse Generator .
Now the value of the circuit elements determines
the impulse voltage wave shape. Neglecting theii)
inductance ( Lloop) , the impulse voltage is given
by the difference of two exponentially decaying
functions with time constants τ1 and τ2 .𝑢(𝑡) =
1 1
𝑈0 𝜏 𝜏
. 𝜏 1−𝜏
. 2
. [𝑒 𝜏2 −𝑒 ]
𝜏1 ,
𝑅𝑆′ .𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 2 1
with usually satisfied approximation
C's>>R's .Cload the following expressions are
obtained –
𝐶𝑆′ . 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
𝜏1 ≈ 𝑅𝑆′ . and𝜏2 ≈ 𝑅𝑝′ . ( 𝐶𝑆′ + 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 )
𝐶𝑆′ + 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
There are existing correlations between τ1 and τ2
and front and tail time is as below –
𝐶 .𝐶
𝑇1 = 𝐾1 . 𝜏1 = 2.96 . 𝑅𝑆′ . 𝐶 𝑆+ 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 and𝑇2 = 𝐾2 . 𝜏2 = v)
𝑆 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
0.7 𝑅𝑝′ . (𝐶𝑠 + 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 )where K1 and K2 is 2.96 and
0.7 respectively for 1.2/50 μs impulse waveform.
From the above equations, the basic techniques
for waveform timing control are summarized as
below:
Front Time (T1)
The front time will be adjusted with the seriesvi)
resistor Rs. Increasing the value of Rs will
increase T1 and can be decreased with a
lower value of Rs.With higher value of series
resistance Rs overshoot will decrease.
R'p : The Inductance of the test object does not affect
the impulse front time.
Too low value of the front time can be increased
by adding a load capacitor in parallel with the
test object.
Tail Time (T2)
i) The capacitance of the test object has only very
slight effect on tail time.
Increasing the parallel resistance ( Rp) will of
increase the tail time (T2) but it will increase the
undershoot which is to be limited by 50% as per
IEC standards.
iii) In case of low voltage windings, when the test
voltage is lower than the maximum output
R'p .
voltage of impulse generator then some stages
of generator can be connected in parallel to
boost up the capacitance of impulse generator.
iv) In low inductive windings , tail time is achieved
by connecting of the non-tested terminals
together and then grounded ,which will increase
the effective inductance.
Resistance earthing (≥400 ohm) of non-tested
terminals also increase the effective inductance
there by the tail time , but the voltage on the
non tested terminals shall be below 75% (for
star connected windings) and 50% (for delta
connected windings) .This type of connection
will slightly reduce the sensitivity for failure
detection by the current waveform[4].
Placing an inductance (100 - 200μH) in the
impulse generator in parallel with series
resistance (Rs) will increases the total circuit
 inductance , to increase the voltage tail time. impulse terminal can be calculated by using
This type of connection is known as Glaninger 𝑈𝑐𝑐 .𝑈 2
𝑝ℎ
the formula :- 𝐿𝑐𝑐 = 100 .𝜔.𝑃 ; where Lcc
𝑛
circuit.
: short circuit inductance of the winding,Ucc :
The discharge time constant is inversely
short circuit impedance in % ; Uph : rated ph-ph
proportional to series resistance (Rs) .So
voltage of transformer ;Pn : rated power per
decreasing Rs will increase tail time with an
phase and ω : 2* π*f with f rated frequency of
increased overshoot on the peak which can be
the transformer .
solved by placing a load capacitor.
Now, depending on the test connections of
the windings ,inductanceof the winding seen
5 Specific Problems With Large
from the impulsed terminal (Lb) will change
Capacity LV Windings , UHV/EHV
.Some examples are given in figure 8:-
Voltage Windings :-

We have seen the various circuit parameters

in winding and impulse generator that affect the
resulting impulse voltage wave shape. As the
power and the voltage ratings of large power
transformers are going up ,problems faced in
achieving impulse waveform timings esp in case
of tail time (T2) with large capacity LV windings
Fig:- 8 Equivalent test inductance
(due to very low inductances) and in front time
Impulse generators must have sufficient energy
(T1) with high voltage windings(due to high
to achieve the voltage tail time with in the
capacitance to earth).
tolerance limits. Formula(approximate) for
Problem of tail time ( T2) control in LV
calculating the minimum energy required to
windings :-
achieve 40μs tail time is given in IEC 60076 –3 (
clause 13.2.1, page no 28).
In large power transformers low voltage
winding ( esp in generator transformers) is a
low inductive winding. Sometime winding time
i) Problem of front time (T1) control in HV
constant (L/R) is not sufficient to achieve a tail
winding:-
time of 40μs (lowest tolerance limit) and it is
Achieving the impulse voltage front time
irrespective of the value of tail resistance
for UHV/EHV windings is sometimes very
connected in impulse generator.The
difficult due to high winding capacitances .
inductance of that winding seen from the
As T1 ~ Rs .Cload ,beyond a certain
 capacitive load , the value of the resistance The problem of achieving the tail time in low
Rs has to be so small that resulting inductive winding can be solved by some
overshoot at the peak of the impulse would improvements in impulse generator .The below
exceed 5%.This is due to the unavoidable circuit was proposed in 1973 by Kannan and
stray inductance of the impulse generator Narayana Rao and adapted further for extremely
and test circuit .The value of this stray small inductances by Glaninger in 1975 ( fig 9 &
inductance ( or loop inductance ) depends 10).
mainly on the structure of impulse generator
and the distance of the transformer ( test
object) from it. In order to prevent
disturbing oscillations, the circuit must be
over damped, so the front resistor R/s must
have the following value :
Fig 9 :- Circuit proposed by Kannan& Narayana Rao
𝐶𝑆′ + 𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑
𝑅𝑆′ ≥ 2. √𝐿𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑝 .
𝐶𝑆′ .𝐶𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑

So, the value of Rs is limited by two extreme

conditions.One of them is described in above
equation and the other limit is posed by upper
limit of front time (1.56 μs) .
For a given test circuit , there exists a maximum
load capacitance that can
conditions.If the test capacitance is higher than
this value it is not possible to fulfill all
requirements of the IEC 60060-1 (limitations of
oscillations and tolerances of the front time) .
6 Developments In Impulse Generators For
Perfect Wave Forms & Limiting Overshoot:-
1) Achieving impulse voltage tail time (T2) with
limited undershoot in case of low
inductance windings of large power
transformer :-
Fig 10 :- Circuit proposed by Glaninger
satisfy both
The Glaninger circuit consists of an inductance
Ld and a parallel resistor Rd. The glaninger
inductance Ld has a high impedance compared
to the front resistor during the front rise of the
impulse wave shape and does not influence the
front time ( it can be calculated by the above
formula ). The inductor Ld short circuits the
series resistance Rs on the tail of the impulse so
that the time to half value becomes a cosine
oscillation of ( Ld + Lb) with Cs which is damped
by the parallel resistor Rp of the impulse
 generator.Rd can be calculated with the The overshoot compensation (marked by dotted
following formula. line) and the capacitance of the test object forms
a low pass filter.The high frequencies of the front
of the same order of magnitudes as the series of an overshooting impulse are more damped
inductance Ld .The resistance is superfluous as than the lower frequency of the tail .The
long as Lload ≥ 10* Ld .Connecting series damping
𝐿
resistance Rs in series with the glaninger 𝑅𝑑 = 𝑅𝑠 𝐿𝑏 .Resistance Rd should be
𝑑
inductance Ld will reduce the tail time T2 and the
connected in the circuit when the load
undershoot of the curves. The effect increase
inductance ( Lload) is
with higher values of R2 [7].
by the low pass filter reduces the applied voltage
at test object during the front rise but has no

2) Achieving impulse voltage front time (T1) with effect on the tail of impulse voltage.

limited overshoot in case of UHV/EHV windings

:- 7 Case History of Impulse Voltage Wave
Shape Control :-

Earlier all the efforts to lower the overshoot were

directed towards decreasing the inherent
i) Reducing the voltage overshoot (β’) in 333 MVA
inductance of the impulse generators although
, 765 /400 / 33 kV single phase Auto-
the main reason was the inductance of the total
Transformer :-
test loop.The overshoot compensator ,made by
HAEFELY Switzerland, compensates the
oscillations on the test object by additional Below HV impulse wave shapes of two different
passive elements. Below figure shows the cases are given. Test Object Rating is 333 MVA
extended impulse test circuit. ,765 kV /400kV /33 kV . The first wave shape is
of without overshoot compensation used in
generator and the (fig12),with relative overshoot
was approx. 21% and front time was more than
1.565 µs .In this case both the parameters were
out of the specified limit.

Fig:- 11 Impulse circuit with overshoot compensation


Fig 12:- HV impulse wave with 21% relative overshoot.
Fig 13 shows the lightning impulse waveform
with overshoot compensation connected in the
circuit .The relative overshoot reduces to well
below 5% and the front time value is well within
upper limit (1.16 µs)
Fig 13:- HV impulse wave with relative overshoot and
front time well within limit.
Reducing the voltage overshoot (β’) in 500 MVA
, 765 /400 / 33 kV single phase Auto-
Transformer :-
Test object Rating is 500MVA , 765/400/33 kV ,
single phase auto transformer. BIL of HV
winding was 1950 kVp .The achieved voltage
waveshape (T1 is 1.28 µs with zero overshoot)
for HV Winding is given in fig 14 .
Fig 14:- HV impulse wave with zero relative overshoot
and front time of 1.2µs in 500 MVA transformer.
Fig 15 shows the lightning impulse waveshape
of Intermediate voltage winding (IV winding –
400kV , BIL 1300 kVp) of the same transformer
. with zero overshoot and front time of 1.2µs.
Fig 15:- IV impulse wave with zero relative overshoot
and front time of 1.2µs in 500 MVA transformer.
8 Conclusion
It is important that during impulse test ,voltage
wave shape shall be within the tolerances
specified in the standard to ensure that the
winding insulation is properly stressed as in the
service . Moreover by keeping the test circuit
inductances as low as possible and with
improvements achieved in modern impulse
 generator with low self- inductances [8] Greenwood, A.N.,“Electrical Transients in
and
Power Systems” ed 2.0 , John Wiley & Sons
overshoot compensation circuits it is possible to
achieve standard impulse wave shapes with
1998.
overshoots below 5%.In spite of these
[9] K.Feser“Circuit Design of Impulse
improvements ,in rare cases, it may be difficult
Generators for the Lightning Impulse Voltage
Testing of Transformers”
to achieve the standard lightning impulse wave ;HAEFELY High
shape with overshoots below 5% .In such cases
Voltage Technology,E1-41 ,Bd.68(1977).
[10] Martin j Heathcote , “ The J&P Transformer
,wider tolerances in waveshape needs to be
Book “ ed 12.0 ,Newnes Imprint 1998 .
allowed by mutual agreement between customer
and manufacturer. [11] Charles S Q “Electromagnetic Transients in
Transformer and Rotating Machine” , IGI
GLOBAL Snippet, 2013
References :-

[1] IEC 60076-3 (ed3.0 -2013) Power

Transformers –Part 3 : Insulation levels,
Dielectric Tests and External clearances in air.
[2] IEEE StdC57.12.00-2010 General
requirements for liquid immersed Distribution
Power and Regulating transformers.
[3] IEEE Std C57.12.90 – 2010 Test code for
liquid immersed Distribution Power and
Regulating transformers.
[4] IEEE Std C57.98 – 2011 Guide for
Transformer Impulse Test .
[5] IEC 60076-4 (ed1.0) Power Transformers –
Part 4 :Guide to the lightning impulse and
switching impulse testing.
[6] IEC 60060-I (ed 3.0 -2010) High Voltage test
techniques- Part 1 :General definition and test
requirements.
[7] Operating Instructions SGVA 3200-320,
KA11100734, (Impulse Generator) HAEFELY
High Voltage Test, July -2011.