Application of a hybrid electromagnetic circuit method to lightning surge analysis

This paper proposes a partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) method based on a thin wire structure for lightning surge analyses which are comprised of a tower surge responses and transient performance of a grounding electrode. A comparison of the simulation results by the proposed method in the time and frequency domains and experimental data shows satisfactory agreement not only for amplitudes but also for waveshapes. The retardation of electromagnetic coupling in the PEEC simulation is investigated. A promise time efficiency of the time-domain (TD) PEEC method neglecting the retardation is found when it is compared with that of the full-wave PEEC method in the frequency domain. The TD PEEC method neglecting the retardation provides over-estimated results which is applicable for upper bound insulation design. The PEEC method is an attractive approach as the numerical electromagnetic analysis methods for a lightning surge study in a power system.