Voltage Surge

Definition:
Voltage surge is defined as the sudden rise in
excessive voltage which damages the electrical
equipment of an installation. The overvoltage in
the lines occurs because of a rise in voltage
between both phases and between phase and
ground. The voltage surges are mainly classified
under two heading; internal and external voltages.

Types of Voltage Surge

Internal Overvoltage
When the voltage in the system raises itself
beyond the rated voltage, then such type of
voltage is called internal overvoltage. The internal
voltage may be transient, dynamic or stationary in
nature. If the overvoltage wave is transient in
nature, then there frequency is unrelated to the
normal frequency, and it will persist few cycles
only.
Transient overvoltage can be caused by the
operation of circuit breakers when switching
inductive or capacitive loads. These voltages can
also be generated by interrupting very small
current or by the sudden grounding of one phase
of a system with an insulated neutral.
Dynamic overvoltage occurs at the normal
frequency and persists only for a few seconds.
These voltages may be generated by the
disconnection of a generator or because of
suddenly thrown off a large portion of the load.
Stationary overvoltage occurs at system frequency
and remains for sometimes may be for an hour.
Such type of voltages is generated when an earth
fault on one line is continued for a long time. This
voltage can also be caused when the neutral is
grounded through an arc suppression coil, thereby
leading to the overvoltage on the sound phase.
These voltages exceed three to five times the
normal phase to neutral peak voltage of the
system and relatively harmless for equipment
having proper insulation.
The internal overvoltage mainly causes because of
the following reasons;
 Switching Operation on Unloaded Line
– During the switching operation, the line is
connected to a source of voltage and travelling
waves are set up which rapidly charge the line.
These waves instantly attained the voltage of
the magnitude not exceeding twice the supply
voltage at the instant of disconnection.
 Sudden Opening of Load Line – When the
load on the line is suddenly opened a transient
voltage of the value of e = i z0 is set up, where i
is the instantaneous value of the current at the
instant of opening of the line and Z0 is the
natural or the surge impedance of the line. The
transient overvoltage of the line does not
depend on the line voltage and therefore low
voltage transmission system is liable to
overvoltage of the same magnitude as
compared to high voltage system.
 Insulation Failure – The failure of insulation
between the line and the earth is very frequent.
When the insulation breakdown occurs the
potential at fault suddenly falls from maximum
to zero and therefore a negative voltage wave
of very steep front in the form of surges are
generated in both directions.

External Overvoltages
The overvoltage which is caused by the
atmospheric discharge such as static discharge or
lightning strokes such type of voltage is called
external overvoltage. External overvoltage can
cause considerable stress on the insulation.The
intensity of the voltages is varied in the case of the
lightning.
The intensity of lightning depends on the how
directly the line is struck, i.e., directly by the main
discharge, directly by a branch or streamer, or by
the induction due to a flash passing near to but not
touching the line.
The installation in the power station is mainly
classified into two types the one which is
electrically exposed, resulting in the apparatus
being subjected to overvoltages of the
atmospheric origin and another which is
electrically non-exposed and therefore not subject
to this type of overvoltage.