Lightning is one of the main factors that cause Photovoltaic (PV) systems to fail. The PV modules inside PV systems, like any other electric equipment, will be degraded under electrical stress. The effect of electrical degradation of the PV modules caused by lightning induced voltage has been rarely reported. In the dissertation, the electrical properties degradation of a polycrystalline silicon module was studied. Firstly, lightning impulse voltages of positive polarity ranging from low to high are applied on different groups of the testing modules. All these lightning impulse voltage tests are conducted in the same experimental condition except for their stress voltage magnitudes. The maximum power output, I-V characteristics, and dark forward I-V curve are measured and reported periodically during the lightning impulse voltage tests. By comparing the maximum output power and changes in the internal electrical properties, it could be concluded that lightning impulse voltages, even medium voltage levels, will cause degradation to the sample. The relationship of the maximum output power and the number of applied impulses for different testing voltage levels are compared. An analysis of the electrical property changes caused by the lightning impulse voltages is presented. Secondly, a group of samples are tested with lightning impulse voltage of negative polarity. A comparison of the impulse voltage aging effects at the same voltage level with positive polarity is made. The maximum power output drop caused by positive and negative lightning impulses are compared. Laboratory results revealed that positive and negative lightning impulses will not only influence the degree of degradation, but also lead to different electrical property changes. Finally, a comparison of the effect of lightning impulses combined with other stress factors are discussed. The study simulates a field-aged sample’s behavior at lightning impulse voltage testing conditions. The result suggests that the degradation caused by lightning impulse voltage is greatly accelerated when the sample has bubbles and delamination. Electrical breakdown of the module is caused by the failure of the insulation.

No description available.

Ester liquids including both natural ester and synthetic ester are being considered as potential alternatives to mineral oil, due to their better environmental performance and for some liquids their higher fire point. Although these liquids have been widely used in distribution and traction transformers, it is still a significant step to adopt ester liquids in high-voltage power transformers because the high cost and severe consequence of a factory test failure and the high level of safety and reliability required in service for these units, tend to lead to a cautious approach to any step change in technology. Lightning impulse strength as basic insulation level is of importance for insulation design of power transformers and lightning impulse test is commonly required in the factory routine tests for high-voltage power transformers, so this thesis is aimed to investigate the electrical performances including pre-breakdown and breakdown of natural ester and synthetic ester under impulse voltage. Two types of field geometry were considered in the study, one is sphere-sphere configuration which represents the quasi-uniform fields inside a transformer and another is strongly non-uniform point-plane configuration which represents the situation of a defect or a source of discharge. In quasi-uniform field study, standard breakdown tests were carried out under negative lightning and switching impulse voltages. Influence of various testing methods on the measured lightning breakdown voltage was studied and the 1% lightning withstand voltage was obtained based on Weibull distribution fitting on the cumulative probability plot built up using the approximately 1000 impulse shots. As for strongly non-uniform field study, streamer propagation and breakdown event in ester liquids either with or without pressboard interface were investigated at various gap distances under both positive and negative lightning impulse voltages. A relationship between the results under lightning impulse and previously published results under step voltage was built up to predict the lightning breakdown voltage of ester liquids at very large gaps. The results indicated that impulse strengths of ester liquids for both breakdown and withstand in a quasi-uniform field, are comparable to those of mineral oil. In a strongly non-uniform field, streamers in ester liquids propagate faster and further, than in mineral oil at the same voltage level. Thus breakdown voltages of ester liquids are generally lower than those of mineral oil, which could be as low as 40% at a large gap distance of approximately 1000 mm. Introduction of parallel pressboard interface has no influence on the streamer propagation and thus does not weaken the breakdown voltage, but it tends to reduce the acceleration voltage particularly for mineral oil under positive polarity. Last but not least, a unique phenomenon of secondary reverse streamer (SRS) was observed in ester liquids, which occurs subsequently and well after the extinction of the primary streamer (PS) propagation within a single shot of impulse voltage and has the reverse polarity to the PS. The formation mechanism of SRS is explained mainly due to the reverse electric field induced by the residual space charges left by the PS.

Lightning causes important transient disturbances on transmission and distribution systems, with consequent damages to equipment, outages, and general decrease of the power quality. The assessment of the lightning dielectric strength of power equipment is generally based on tests performed using the standard lightning impulse voltage (1.2 / 50 µs waveshape), although the characteristics of the lightning overvoltages depend on many parameters and may vary widely. The behavior of insulators when subject to non-standard impulses depends both on the voltage amplitude and waveshape, and therefore a reliable model is required to produce the corresponding volt-time curves. Although there is no method universally accepted for this purpose, one of the most used is the Disruptive Effect (DE) model, which is based on the integration method concept. The application of this model involves the estimation of some parameters for which different procedures have been proposed in the literature, as for instance the procedures by Darveniza and Vlastos, by Hileman, by Chowdhuri et al., and by Ancajima et al. Tests of representative lightning overvoltages were performed to obtain the critical flashover overvoltages (CFO) and the volt-time curves of typical porcelain pin-type insulators considering three standard medium-voltage distribution classes (15 kV, 24 kV, and 36 kV) and five impulse voltage waveshapes, of both polarities. These tests provided data for the analyses of the insulators\' behavior and the results obtained using the different procedures for estimating the DE parameters. It is shown that in some cases insulator flashover is not predicted. A new method is then developed and proposed for evaluating the dielectric behavior of MV insulators. The method is validated using the typical insulators of the three voltage classes and the five lightning impulse voltages considered, of positive and negative polarities. The calculated volt-time curves showed in general a good agreement with the measured results for all the cases studied. The mean difference between the measured and calculated times to breakdown, for all the cases considered, was about 1.3 s; while the maximum difference was 4.0 s. The application of the proposed method to evaluate the occurrence of insulator flashovers in the shield wire line (SWL) system implemented in the State of Rondônia due to nearby lightning strikes supports previous conclusions that indicate that lightning has a significant impact on the SWL system performance in regions with high ground flash density. / Descargas atmosféricas produzem distúrbios transitórios significativos em sistemas de transmissão e distribuição, com consequentes danos em equipamentos, interrupções e redução geral na qualidade de energia elétrica. A avaliação da suportabilidade dielétrica frente às descargas atmosféricas do equipamento de potência é geralmente baseada em ensaios realizados usando o impulso atmosférico de tensão normalizada (forma de onda 1.2 / 50 µs), contudo as características das sobretensões atmosféricas dependem de muitos parâmetros e podem variar amplamente. O comportamento dos isoladores quando sujeitos a impulsos não normalizados depende tanto da magnitude como da forma de onda da tensão, e então um modelo confiável é necessário para se obter as curvas tensão-tempo correspondentes. Embora não haja um método universalmente aceito para essa finalidade, um dos mais utilizados é o modelo de Efeito Disruptivo (DE), que é baseado no conceito do método de integração. A aplicação desse modelo envolve a estimativa de alguns parâmetros para os quais diferentes procedimentos têm sido propostos na literatura, como por exemplo, os procedimentos de Darveniza e Vlastos, de Hileman, de Chowdhuri et al. e de Ancajima et al. Ensaios de sobretensões atmosféricas representativas foram feitos para obter as tensões de descarga disruptiva (CFO) e as curvas de tensão-tempo de isoladores de porcelana típicos, tipo pino, considerando três classes de tensão de distribuição de média tensão (15 kV, 24 kV e 36 kV) e cinco formas de onda de impulso de tensão, de ambas as polaridades. Estes ensaios proporcionaram dados para as análises do comportamento dos isoladores e os resultados obtidos usando os diferentes procedimentos para estimar os parâmetros necessários para a aplicação do modelo do Efeito Disruptivo. É mostrado que em alguns casos a disrupção no isolador não é prevista por tais procedimentos. Um novo método é, então, desenvolvido e proposto para avaliar o comportamento dielétrico dos isoladores de média tensão. O método é validado usando os isoladores típicos das três classes de tensão e as cinco formas de tensões de impulso atmosféricos consideradas, de polaridades positiva e negativa. As curvas tensão-tempo calculadas mostraram, em geral, boa concordância com os resultados medidos para todos os casos estudados. A diferença média entre os tempos de disrupção medidos e calculados, para todos os casos considerados, foi da ordem de 1,3 s; enquanto a máxima diferença foi de 4,0 s. A aplicação do método proposto para avaliar a ocorrência de disrupções em isoladores do Sistema de Cabo Para-raios Energizados (PRE), implementado no estado de Rondônia, devido a descargas atmosféricas indiretas, apoia as conclusões previamente obtidas que indicam que as descargas atmosféricas têm impacto significativo sobre o desempenho do sistema PRE em regiões com alta densidade de descargas para solo.

Lightning causes important transient disturbances on transmission and distribution systems, with consequent damages to equipment, outages, and general decrease of the power quality. The assessment of the lightning dielectric strength of power equipment is generally based on tests performed using the standard lightning impulse voltage (1.2 / 50 µs waveshape), although the characteristics of the lightning overvoltages depend on many parameters and may vary widely. The behavior of insulators when subject to non-standard impulses depends both on the voltage amplitude and waveshape, and therefore a reliable model is required to produce the corresponding volt-time curves. Although there is no method universally accepted for this purpose, one of the most used is the Disruptive Effect (DE) model, which is based on the integration method concept. The application of this model involves the estimation of some parameters for which different procedures have been proposed in the literature, as for instance the procedures by Darveniza and Vlastos, by Hileman, by Chowdhuri et al., and by Ancajima et al. Tests of representative lightning overvoltages were performed to obtain the critical flashover overvoltages (CFO) and the volt-time curves of typical porcelain pin-type insulators considering three standard medium-voltage distribution classes (15 kV, 24 kV, and 36 kV) and five impulse voltage waveshapes, of both polarities. These tests provided data for the analyses of the insulators\' behavior and the results obtained using the different procedures for estimating the DE parameters. It is shown that in some cases insulator flashover is not predicted. A new method is then developed and proposed for evaluating the dielectric behavior of MV insulators. The method is validated using the typical insulators of the three voltage classes and the five lightning impulse voltages considered, of positive and negative polarities. The calculated volt-time curves showed in general a good agreement with the measured results for all the cases studied. The mean difference between the measured and calculated times to breakdown, for all the cases considered, was about 1.3 s; while the maximum difference was 4.0 s. The application of the proposed method to evaluate the occurrence of insulator flashovers in the shield wire line (SWL) system implemented in the State of Rondônia due to nearby lightning strikes supports previous conclusions that indicate that lightning has a significant impact on the SWL system performance in regions with high ground flash density. / Descargas atmosféricas produzem distúrbios transitórios significativos em sistemas de transmissão e distribuição, com consequentes danos em equipamentos, interrupções e redução geral na qualidade de energia elétrica. A avaliação da suportabilidade dielétrica frente às descargas atmosféricas do equipamento de potência é geralmente baseada em ensaios realizados usando o impulso atmosférico de tensão normalizada (forma de onda 1.2 / 50 µs), contudo as características das sobretensões atmosféricas dependem de muitos parâmetros e podem variar amplamente. O comportamento dos isoladores quando sujeitos a impulsos não normalizados depende tanto da magnitude como da forma de onda da tensão, e então um modelo confiável é necessário para se obter as curvas tensão-tempo correspondentes. Embora não haja um método universalmente aceito para essa finalidade, um dos mais utilizados é o modelo de Efeito Disruptivo (DE), que é baseado no conceito do método de integração. A aplicação desse modelo envolve a estimativa de alguns parâmetros para os quais diferentes procedimentos têm sido propostos na literatura, como por exemplo, os procedimentos de Darveniza e Vlastos, de Hileman, de Chowdhuri et al. e de Ancajima et al. Ensaios de sobretensões atmosféricas representativas foram feitos para obter as tensões de descarga disruptiva (CFO) e as curvas de tensão-tempo de isoladores de porcelana típicos, tipo pino, considerando três classes de tensão de distribuição de média tensão (15 kV, 24 kV e 36 kV) e cinco formas de onda de impulso de tensão, de ambas as polaridades. Estes ensaios proporcionaram dados para as análises do comportamento dos isoladores e os resultados obtidos usando os diferentes procedimentos para estimar os parâmetros necessários para a aplicação do modelo do Efeito Disruptivo. É mostrado que em alguns casos a disrupção no isolador não é prevista por tais procedimentos. Um novo método é, então, desenvolvido e proposto para avaliar o comportamento dielétrico dos isoladores de média tensão. O método é validado usando os isoladores típicos das três classes de tensão e as cinco formas de tensões de impulso atmosféricos consideradas, de polaridades positiva e negativa. As curvas tensão-tempo calculadas mostraram, em geral, boa concordância com os resultados medidos para todos os casos estudados. A diferença média entre os tempos de disrupção medidos e calculados, para todos os casos considerados, foi da ordem de 1,3 s; enquanto a máxima diferença foi de 4,0 s. A aplicação do método proposto para avaliar a ocorrência de disrupções em isoladores do Sistema de Cabo Para-raios Energizados (PRE), implementado no estado de Rondônia, devido a descargas atmosféricas indiretas, apoia as conclusões previamente obtidas que indicam que as descargas atmosféricas têm impacto significativo sobre o desempenho do sistema PRE em regiões com alta densidade de descargas para solo.

Dans le présent travail, nous abordons une problématique essentielle liée aux accessoires des lignes électriques et plus particulièrement au connecteur à perforation d’isolant (TTDC 45501 FA), commercialisé par la société Sicame située à Arnac-Pompadour (Corrèze). Ce produit permet d’effectuer des dérivations de courant en moyenne tension gainé HTA entre 15 et 25kV. Cependant, il devient nécessaire de concevoir une nouvelle génération de connecteurs capable de fonctionner à une tension de 52 kV en raison de la constante augmentation des besoins en électricité. En réalité, le principal souci concernant ces produits réside dans l’apparition de décharges partielles dans le volume constitué par la matière isolante (polyamide 6 chargée à 50% en poids de fibres de verre). Ces décharges engendrent un vieillissement prématuré du produit sous l’action conjuguée d’une atmosphère corrosive (brouillard salin) et d’un champ électrique. Ainsi, l’objectif de la présente thèse est de faire, dans un premier temps, un choix approprié de matériaux isolants parmi des polymères thermoplastiques, thermodurcissables époxydes ou élastomères en EPDM, capables de résister à plusieurs contraintes : thermique, électrique, mécanique, chimique et climatique. La partie expérimentale concerne, tout d’abord, la mesure de la tension de contournement, de l’activité des décharges partielles se propageant à la surface des matériaux isolants et de la tension de claquage, en tension alternative (A.C.). Pour cela, des échantillons polymères qui comportent des surfaces planes ou des surfaces pourvues de protubérances ont été moulés en vue de comparer leur comportement diélectrique en présence d’atmosphères polluées de type brouillard salin; ces mesures sont nécessaires pour effectuer un choix approprié du matériau à intégrer dans le connecteur. Par la suite, l’étude et la caractérisation optique et électrique de décharges glissantes, se propageant en surface de divers matériaux polymères, en tension impulsionnelle (L.I.) pour les deux polarités (positive et négative) et pour deux types de champ électrique (normal et tangentiel) sont présentées pour le cas d’une interface solide/air. La mesure de la longueur finale des décharges glissantes et la visualisation de l’onde de courant sont les deux paramètres principaux pour différencier les caractéristiques des matériaux utilisés. L’ensemble des résultats de mesures a permis de sélectionner les résines époxydes cyclo-aliphatiques (CEP) comme candidates potentielles pour la conception d’une nouvelle génération de connecteurs. De plus, la simulation du champ électrique, à l’aide du logiciel Flux 2D/3D, sur le connecteur électrique (TTDC 45501FA) a permis d’aboutir à la proposition d’un prototype de connecteur présentant une nouvelle géométrie et pouvant fonctionner à 52kV. / In the present study, we deal with an essential problem related to electrical lines accessories and more particularly to piercing connectors (TTDC 45501FA) commercialized by a private company named Sicame and which is located in Arnac-Pompadour (Corrèze, France). This product/accessory is designed to provide power diversions on medium voltage live lines HVA operating between 15 and 25kV. However, it becomes required to design a new generation of piercing connectors able to operate on 52kV live lines because of the electrical power demands that are steadily increasing. Actually, the main concerns about these products are the occurrence of partial discharges within the insulating material volume (polyamide 6 containing 50%wt of glass fibers). Most of the time, these discharges induce an early ageing process of the accessory under the combined effects of a corrosive environment (as salt fog) and an electric field threshold. Thus, the main objective of the present Ph.D. thesis is to carry out an appropriate choice of insulating materials among several tested polymers such as thermoplastics and thermosetting epoxy resins and EPDM elastomers that are capable of withstanding several constraints: thermal and electrical and mechanical and chemical conditions. The experimental section is focusing on the measurements of flashover voltage and partial discharges activity propagating on polymeric surfaces and breakdown voltage within material bulks under A.C voltage. That is why polymeric samples with plane surfaces and textured surfaces are molded to compare their resistance to partial discharges when being subjected to polluted environments such as salt fog; these measurements are necessary to choose the suitable materials for the required application to be integrated in the new generation of connectors. Then, the optical and electrical characterization results of creeping discharges propagating on several polymeric surfaces under lightning impulse (L.I.) voltage with its both polarities (positive and negative) and for two kinds of applied electric field (normal and tangential) are presented in the case of solid/air interfaces. Final length measurements of creepage discharges are the main parameter for distinguishing material properties. The whole obtained results (under AC and LI voltages) allow us to point out the cycloaliphatic epoxy resins as potential candidates to the conception of a new generation of piercing connectors. In addition, the electric field simulation and modelling of the TTDC 45501FA connector by using the Flux 2D/3D software seems to be helpful to design a connector prototype which exhibits a new geometry and is able to reach a voltage level that equals 52kV.

Stromrichtertransformatoren der Hochspannungsgleichstromübertragung bilden das Bindeglied zwischen Gleichspannungs- und Drehstromsystem. Um den ausfallsicheren Betrieb über die gesamte Lebensdauer zu gewährleisten, muss deren Öl-Papier-Isoliersystem entsprechend dimensioniert werden. Eine optimale Dimensionierung setzt ein detailliertes Verständnis über die Beanspruchung des Isoliersystems sowie deren zuverlässige Modellierung sowohl unter Betriebsspannung als auch bei den überlagerten, transienten Überspannungen voraus. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wird daher das dielektrische Verhalten des Öl-Papier-Isoliersystems in Anlehnung an dielektrische Prüfungen sowohl unter Gleichspannungsbelastung als auch einer zusammengesetzten Spannungsbelastung aus einer Gleich- und einer Blitzstoßspannung (einer sog. Mischspannungsbelastung) untersucht. Der Vergleich von numerischen Berechnungen auf Grundlage eines ladungsträgerbasierten Ansatzes nach Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) mit Durchschlagexperimenten gibt dabei Aufschluss über die Beanspruchung des Öl-Papier-Isoliersystems. Weiterhin wird gezeigt, dass der in den etablierten, resistiv-kapazitiven Berechnungsmodellen vernachlässigte Ladungsträgereinfluss in Bezug auf die Beanspruchung des Isoliersystems unzureichende Ergebnisse zur Folge hat und demnach zwingend zu berücksichtigen ist. Die an realitätsnahen, Öl-Papier-isolierten Anordnungen erzielten Ergebnisse zeigen nicht nur den Einfluss der an Grenzflächen oder im Papier akkumulierten Ladungsträger auf die Beanspruchung des Isoliersystems. Ebenso werden die Annahmen des ladungsträgerbasierten Ansatzes und die Berechnungsergebnisse des PNP-Modells qualitativ bestätigt. Infolge der Ladungsakkumulation im Papier tritt die höchste Beanspruchung im Ölspalt und nicht im Papier auf. Öl-Papier-isolierte Anordnungen werden somit geringer beansprucht, als eine Strömungsfeldberechnung vermuten lässt. Dies widerspricht den Annahmen der etablierten Berechnungsmodelle und wird im Weiteren durch Polaritätseffekte an homogenen, aber unsymmetrischen, papierisolierten Elektrodenanordnungen oder durch den nachweisbaren Einfluss des Ölvolumens im Prüfgefäß auf die Beanspruchung einer Anordnung verdeutlicht. Unter Mischspannungsbelastung wird weiterhin gezeigt, dass eine Überlagerung der Gleichspannung und damit auch der Polaritätswechsel keine höhere Beanspruchung des Isoliersystems im Vergleich zur reinen Gleichspannungsbelastung zur Folge hat. Die etablierten, resistiv-kapazitiven Modelle ließen jedoch den Polaritätswechsel als kritischste Beanspruchung vermuten. Somit wird nicht nur die Anwendbarkeit der ladungsträgerbasierten PNP-Modellierung an Öl-Papier-Isolieranordnungen qualitativ verifiziert. Ebenso wird demonstriert, dass die stark vereinfachten Annahmen der etablierten Berechnungsmodelle die Beanspruchungen unter Gleich- und der untersuchten Mischspannungsbelastung nicht abbilden können. Der Einsatz klassischer Strömungsfeldberechnungen zur Nachbildung der Beanspruchung des Öl-Papier-Isoliersystems unter Gleichspannungsbelastung entspricht damit nicht mehr dem Stand der Forschung. / Converter transformers of HVDC transmission systems connect HVDC and HVAC systems. To ensure a reliable operation during the entire lifetime, their oil-paper-insulation system must be designed appropriately. An optimized dielectric design demands a fundamental understanding of the dielectric stresses as well as a reliable modeling of the insulation system both under operating voltages and under superimposed, transient overvoltages. Hence, in this work the dielectric behavior of the oil-paper-insulation system is investigated. Based on dielectric tests the investigations are performed under DC voltage stress and a composite voltage stress of a DC voltage in stationary conditions superimposed by a lightning impulse voltage. The comparison of numerical calculations using a charge-carrier-based approach according to Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) with breakdown experiments clarifies the dielectric stress of the oil-paper-insulation system. Furthermore, the comparison with results determined by the established, resistive-capacitive calculation models shows that it is mandatory to take the influence of the charge carrier accumulation into account. The presented results, which were obtained at oil-paper-insulated arrangements which represent the dielectic stress of real arrangements, show the influence of the charge carriers accumulating at interfaces or in the paper insulationon on the dielectric stress. The results confirm the calculations and the assumptions according to the charge-carrier-based model as well. Due to the charge carrier accumulation, the highest dielectric stress occurs in the mineral oil and not in the paper insulation. In contrast, the findings obtained assuming an ohmic conductivity would results in a higher dielectric stress of the oil-paperinsulated arrangements. Furthermore, polarity effects in homogeneous but asymmetrical, paper-insulated electrode arrangements or the influence of the surrounding oil in the test vessel demonstrate the effects of the charge carriers. Under composite voltage stresses it is also shown, that the applied superimposed voltage as well as the fast polarity reversal does not lead to a higher dielectric stress of the arrangements compared to the pure DC voltage stress. Commonly used calculation models would determine higher stresses due to the fast polarity reversal instead. Consequently, the applicability of the charge-carrier-based PNP calculation model is verified qualitatively in the presented investigations. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the simplified assumptions of the commonly used calculation models cannot simulate the dielectric stresses under DC voltage stress and under the investigated superimposed voltage stresses. Hence, the determination of the dielectric stresses of oil-paper-insulation systems under DC voltage stress according to the commonly used calculation models assuming an ohmic conductivity does not correspond to the current state of research.

Diese Dissertation widmet sich der Erfassung, Identifikation und Beschreibung von Entladungsprozessen, die an Überschlägen bei Blitzspannung auftreten. Es wird ein Messsystem entwickelt, welches die elektrischen und optischen Parameter der Entladungsprozesse an der Spitze-Spitze-Elektrodenanordnung bei standardisierter und oszillierender Blitzspannung mit hoher Empfindlichkeit und Synchronisationsgenauigkeit aufzeichnet. Mithilfe der Strommessungen und der fotografischen Aufzeichnungen von Entladungen können drei Phasen des Durchschlagprozesses identifiziert werden: In der Reihenfolge ihres Auftretens handelt es sich um die Streamerphase, die Kanalübergangsphase und die Kanalbildungsphase. Diese Phasen werden für die standardisierte und oszillierende Blitzspannung aufgezeigt, wobei Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede herausgestellt werden. Anhand von statistischen Beschreibungen des Durchschlagverhaltens und des Entladungsverhaltens werden daraufhin Abhängigkeiten in den Entladungsprozessen abgeleitet. / This thesis is dedicated to the acquisition, identification and description of discharge processes, which occur under lightning impulse voltage. A measuring system has been developed that records the electrical and optical parameters of the discharge processes with a high sensitivity and synchronization accuracy on a rod-rod electrode arrangement under standardised and oscillated lightning impulse voltage. With the current measurements and the photographic records of discharges, three phases of the breakdown process can be identified. In order of their occurrence these are the streamer phase, the channel transition phase and the channel formation phase. These phases are shown for the standardised and oscillated lightning impulse voltage, whereby similarities and differences are presented in detail. Using statistical descriptions of the breakdown and the discharge behaviour, dependencies in the discharge process will be derived.