Effect of lightning induced voltages on gas pipelines using ATP-EMTP program

In this paper, the effect of lightning on a gas pipelines is investigated. The metallic pipelines were modelled as a short transmission line of PI-circuit model. A switch is represented as a pair of sphere-gaps and is used to model side-flash and insulation breakdown of air. The lightning strike leader is represented by a simple high current source generation with DC source and other elements. Results were then analysed to determine the minimum clearance required to install networks of pipelines with certain topology as to prevent flash-over of inter pipeline phenomena. Results showed that a distance of one hundred sixty seven centimetres between the pipes will prevent flashover at air breakdown of minimum 0.6 kilovolt per centimetre. Effectiveness of this model could be determined if experimental work is done and the results obtained are then compared with the simulation results as an alternative to identify the minimum distance.