Abstract

Finding the optimum parameters of the Marx generator during the power transformers factory test to attain a standard lightning impulse (LI) wave shape is usually done by a try and error procedure. To avoid this time consuming process, a new analytic method is introduced in this paper. In this method, the frequency response of the transformer is measured at first. Then, a semi-analytic approach is utilized to attain a proper structure of the transformer’s impedance model and subsequently its parameters are simply obtained by solving an optimization problem. Afterwards, by employing the equivalent model of the LI test circuit, an analytic method is proposed to select the Marx generator’s parameters to achieve the desired predefined characteristics of the LI wave shape. The proposed approach has the ability to make the whole procedure automatic which makes it fast and cost-effective. Finally, by performing some experimental tests using a real 12 stage high voltage Marx generator, the efficiency of the proposed method is investigated.