A Two-Layer Soil Model for the Calculation of Electrical Parameters of Grounding Systems under Lightning Strikes

Abstract—

This article aims to overcome the drawback of the consideration a uniform soil model in approaches based on the transmission line model by considering a two-layer soil structure. In this regard, the electrical parameters equations for the two-layer soil model based on the method of images in the literature which are suitable for power frequency waves are developed to be applicable to the lightning studies. Also, the developed equations are then used in the multiconductor transmission line approach to study the lightning behaviors of grounding systems. Furthermore, in order to check the validity of the procedure, the results of the multiconductor transmission line approach are compared with those obtained by the electromagnetic field approach through the simulation of horizontal, vertical and mesh grounding grids. The results show the accuracy of the two-layer soil model for the lightning analysis of grounding systems.

Keywords:

• Grounding system
• transmission line model
• two-layer soil
• lightning

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Morteza Jamali

Morteza Jamali received the B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran in 2007 and M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran in 2011. He is currently a Ph.D. student at Semnan University, Semnan, Iran. His main research interests are modeling and lightning studies of grounding systems.

Mohsen Niasati

Mohsen Niasati received the B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Tehran University, Tehran, Iran, in 1999. He received the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Iran Science and Technology University (IUST), Teheran, Iran, in 2002 and 2010, respectively. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran. His teaching and research interests include transient studies in power system (Earthing and lightning system and stray current in railways), power system studies, and insulation coordination in power system.

Mostafa Jazaeri

Mostafa Jazaeri received his B.Sc. degree from Sharif University of Technology in 1986, the M.Sc. degree from Ferdowsi University in 1992, both in Iran and the Ph.D. degree from University of Bath in the UK all in electrical power engineering area. He is a registered professional engineer in the province of Tehran. He joined Semnan University, Iran, since 1992. Dr. Jazaeri is currently an associate professor at Semnan University and his research interests are in the dynamic, stability and control issues in AC/DC/FACTS, power quality and transients of transmission lines in power systems.