A pulse generator with inductive energy storage for measuring the grounding resistance of transmission line towers

The pulse method may be used to measure the footing resistance of transmission towers with overhead grounding wires. Measuring systems that obtain the time dependent transient impedance may be used to measure the low-frequency resistance of transmission tower grounding devices. Current pulse generators with rectangular pulse shape are used in the measuring systems. The current pulses must have short rising time and constant magnitude during a measurement interval. Experimental investigations have shown that a pulse generator with inductive energy storage may be used in the measuring system. Generators with inductive energy storage have a number of advantages over pulse generators with capacitive energy storage. Namely, in case of unevenly distributed surge impedance along the current lead or in case of reflections from the remote end of the current lead an inductive generator allows to form a current pulse with a constant shape. Inductive pulse generators have high pulse energy...