ATP analysis of direct lightning strike on a telecommunication tower suited over multistoriec building

Abstract

Now a days lightning performance of telecommunication tower is an important issue of major interest for wireless communication service provider utility companies. Lightning is the most important and severe external transient phenomenon that can cause dangerous over voltages on transmission line, damages of sophisticated electronic equipment, terrible induced high voltages as well as electromagnetic compatibility problems on power transmission and telecommunication system. Telecommunication tower suited on the roof of multistoried building can be easily hit by direct lightning strike and telecommunication tower can cause dangerous overvoltages, which can result in malfunction of the sensitive equipment as well as dangerous step and touch voltages then finally hampered the communication system connected to the tower. This paper demonstrates the lightning surge response and effect of direct stroke for typical mobile phone tower suited on multistoried building roof. The simulation of the electromagnetic transient process, caused from the lightning stroke on the different portion of the tower and building have been carried out over the usage of the ATP Draw (Alternative Transient Program) software tool. ATP Draw is a mouse-driven, graphical preprocessor to the ATP version of the Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP) on the Microsoft Windows platform. The Alternative Transients Program (ATP) is considered to be one of the most widely used universal program in electric power systems for digital simulation of transient phenomena of electromagnetic as well as electromechanical nature. The key focus of the study has been the assessment of the surge characteristics of the different portion of the structure under the effect of a lightning sources. Surge impedance, Voltage and currents at different portion of this tower are evaluated to observe lightning phenomena for designing of protective equipment to save the sensitive electronic parts and equipment contains tower and building.