Fundamental Notions

Transients
electrical manifestation of a sudden change in circuit conditions
switch opens switch closes network fault

transient period is very short relative to the time spent in steady state operation, but is extremely important
greatest stresses on circuit components excessive currents and voltages circuit damage

January 2004

Power System Transients

Understanding Transients
Most power engineers have only the haziest concepts of what is happening in the circuit during transients Some view the subject as bordering the occult

Transient can be understood Course objective: Learn to

calculate and assess behaviors, and prevent or control damaging transient energies
January 2004 Power System Transients

Basics of Transients
circuit parameters: R, L, and C
all components and devices have all three parameters these attribute differ to a greater or lesser degree under steady-state conditions, one will dominate in transient conditions the conditions are very different

lumped vs. distributed parameters

in reality, parameters are distributed in nature in circuit analysis, we frequently lump the parameters for ease of analysis under many conditions, good analysis requires using distributed parameters
January 2004 Power System Transients

Lumped Parameter Modeling

When are the resistance, inductance, and capacitance effects important or necessary to model?

a capacitor?
January 2004 Power System Transients

an inductor?

Energy Concepts
electric field energy storage: magnetic field energy storage: energy dissipation:
1 2
1 2

CV2
L I2

R I2

January 2004

Power System Transients

Energy Balance
Under steady-state conditions
dc circuit the energy stored is constant ac circuit the energy is being transferred cyclically between the Ls and Cs of the circuit

Sudden changes in a circuit causes a redistribution of energy

energy redistribution cannot take place instantaneously change in the magnetic field requires a change dI in current, but is opposed by the induced emf: e = L dt change in the electric field requires a change dV dQ = in the charge or the voltage, but is opposed I = C dt dt by the flow of current:
January 2004 Power System Transients

Energy Conservation Law

Redistribution of energy following a circuit change takes a finite time All circuits at all times are governed by the conservation of energy

Esupply = Estorage + Edissipation dEsupply dt = dEstorage dt + dEdissipation dt

January 2004

Power System Transients

Circuit Modeling
set down the differential or algebraic equations
use Kirchhoffs voltage and current laws

example: switch closing

I Sw V R C V1

1 V = IR + I dt C dQ dV1 I= =C dt dt dV V V1 = RC 1 dt dV1 dt V V1 = RC

January 2004

Power System Transients

Circuit Modeling
dV1 dt = V V1 RC t ln (V V1 ) = + const RC V1 = V A e
t RC

V V1 V1(0)

given : V1 (0 ) A = V V1 (0 )
t RC

V1 = V (V V1 (0 )) e

Time

January 2004

Power System Transients

Lump Circuit Characteristics

Three basic circuit types:

L
R t

e
C

jt
L

RC

e
L

e
C

LC

jt LC

January 2004

Power System Transients

Lump Circuit Characteristics

the only kind of response that is evoked when a linear electric circuit comprising lumped elements is disturbed takes the form of exponential functions or combinations of exponential functions with real or imaginary components (sine or cosine functions) for circuits with more elements, the responses may be more complicated but they are no more complex

January 2004

Power System Transients

Superposition
very powerful tool for solving problems
in a linear system, if a stimulus S1 produces a response R1 and a stimulus S2 produces a response R2, then S1 and S2 applied simultaneously will evoke a response R1+R2

switching operations
an event in which a new path for current is created or an existing path is eliminated
including faults, circuit breaker operations, and lightning strikes

transients are a response to switching operations

January 2004

Power System Transients

Superposition and Switches

Example opening a switch
Z1 E Z2
Time

Contacts part

I1 = A sin ( t )

I1
Time

I2

I 2 = A sin ( t ) u (t ) I1 + I 2 = 0 t >
January 2004 Power System Transients

Superposition
Example
initially, C1 is charged to 100 kV and C2 is uncharged switch S is closed and at 40 s later the gap G sparks over determine the current in R2 and the voltage on C1 immediately after the sparkover

S C1 5 F

R1 100 C2 0.5 F

G R2 1.0 k

January 2004

Power System Transients