Lightning performance analysis of transmission lines using the Monte Carlo method and parallel computing

Abstract

An accurate calculation of lightning overvoltages is crucial for the design of overhead lines. Given the random nature of the lightning phenomenon, the procedure to be used must be statistical and generally based on the Monte Carlo method. Several simulation tools have been used to date for estimating the lightning performance of transmission lines. Some popular approaches use an EMTP-like tool. This type of approach has some drawbacks: the line must be represented using a complex and sophisticated model, and the application of a Monte Carlo method requires a high number of runs. A solution to this problem is the usage of a parallel computing environment, which can reduce the simulation time in a ratio close to the number of cores used in calculations. This paper presents a summary of the effort made by the authors for the development of a Monte Carlo procedure aimed at estimating the lightning performance of transmission lines by means of an EMTP-like tool and the use of a multicore installation, in which the EMTP is controlled from a custom-made application implemented in MATLAB.