A study of operating conditions of lightning arresters installed on overhead line towers

Distribution functions of both current loads and absorbed energies are obtained in arresters installed on towers of overhead lines (OHLs) with 500 and 1150 kV line voltages. To determine these characteristics, a procedure was used which took account of the orientation of lightning leader channel in the thundercloud/OHL system. The employment of the technique in question is shown to be capable of offering both not very stringent requirements to protection devices and improved scheme of line rope suspension on OHL which ensures the lowest probability of lightning breaking through the rope protection system