Analysis of Transient Response Behavior and Frequency-Dependent Ground Impedances of the Carbon Ground Electrodes

This paper presents transient response behavior and frequency-dependent ground impedance of a single carbon ground electrode. The ground impedance of the carbon ground electrode was measured as a function of frequency of injected currents and simulated by using the distributed parameter circuit model with due regard to the frequency-dependent soil parameters, and the transient response behavior of the carbon ground electrode against impulse currents were investigated. As a consequence, the frequency-dependent ground impedance of the carbon ground electrode showed the capacitive behavior, that is, the ground impedance decreases with increasing the frequency of injected currents and lowers at the fast front time of impulse current. It was found that the carbon ground electrode is effective in grounding system for lightning protection. The ground impedance simulated with due regard to the frequency-dependent soil parameters was in good agreement with the measured data. The adequacy of the simulation technique and the distributed parameter circuit model for the carbon ground electrode was verified. It is expected that the simulation methodology, which analyzes the frequency-dependent ground impedance of the carbon ground electrode proposed in this work, can be used in the design of a grounding system for protection against lightning.