Backflashover simulation of HV transmission lines with enhanced counterpoise groundings

This paper deals with the backflashover phenomenon in HV overhead transmission lines (TLs) with towers grounded by means of long counterpoises, typically used in high resistivity soils. Although long counterpoises are effective in reducing the grounding impedance at power frequency, their impulse response may affect negatively the TL backflashover rate. The study is focused on the enhancement of TL lightning performance obtainable by adding a small number of vertical grounding rods to horizontal counterpoises. An extensive ATP-EMTP parametric analysis, based on a detailed 161 kV TL model including the leader progression model (LPM) of line insulations and the non-linear transient behaviour of grounding systems, has been carried out taking into account several different values of soil resistivity as well as varying numbers, locations and lengths of additional vertical rods. Critical lightning current ranges causing backflashover have been then predicted for several lightning waveforms, of different severity. The paper shows that the addition of a few vertical grounding rods significantly improves TL lightning performance by increasing critical lightning current values, even if their influence is negligible at power frequency. The authors have ascertained an increment of average critical backflashover current up to ∼55% for some typical TL grounding system configurations and lightning waveshapes.