LIGHTNING IMPULSE TEST

Purpose of test:
 The purpose of the test is to secure that the transformer
insulations withstand the lightning overvoltages which may
occur in service.
METHOD OF TESTING:
 The testing is conducted by artificial generation of
lightning impulse using IMPULSe GENERATORS.(FIG 1)

 Capacitor banks are charged in parallel from a d.c source and

is discharged in series to create impulse voltage of wave front
1.2micro seconds&tail of 50 micro seconds.(FIG 2)

 There are 20 capacitors of 150 kv each &together they

produce 3 million volts.(shown only 4 capacitors in fig)
FIG: impulse generator

C1 = impulse capacitor
Rh = charging resistor
Rf = low-ohmic discharging resistor
Rc = high-ohmic discharging resistor
F1 = spark-gaps
F2 = calibration resistor
C2 = capacitance of voltage divider
R = resistance of voltage divider
 The impulse wave applied is negative because positive wave
can cause distarge from line to earth since all coils are
earthed.(FIG 2)

 The impulse voltage is applied to the transformer under test,

if the insulation has failed then response wave will be
distorted or will be chopped.

 The response is obtained in an impulse analyser taken by

means of potential divider.
FIG-2
 The lightning impulse test is normally applied to the H.V.
winding. The impulse test-sequence is applied successively to
each of the line terminals of the tested winding. The other
line terminals and the other winding are earthed (FIG 3).
TRANSFORMER IMPULSE TESTING
CONNECTIONS

FIG-3
 RATED WITHSTAND VOLTAGES FOR
TRANSFORMER WINDINGS

HIGHEST VOLTAGE RATED LIGHTNING WITHSTAND

VOLTAGE
KV r.m.s KV peak

15 95
121 350
245 650
420 1050
800 1800
 Test circuit

CG-Impulse generator Pd-potential Divider

Rs-series resitor to adjust wave front C load- load capacitance(transformer)
Rp-parallel resitor to adjust wave tail
 procedure
 The impulse voltage wave form is obtained at reduced level
from the potential divider by polishing its front & tail using Rs
and Rp.

 The sphere is calibrated to know the voltage to be applied or

can be checked using analyser.

 All winding except the test winding is earthed .

 The calibrated impulse wave is applied to the test windings.

 Its response is recorded using impulse analyser.

Presented by
JIBIN
JOY