Análisis de efectos fisiológicos en el ser humano debido a descargas atmosféricas que impactan líneas aéreas de distribución eléctrica.

Abstract

Electric energy in Ecuador is widely available for houses, industries, among others using advance power electronics systems. It is clear that human beings can be exposed to different effects of electric current. Because of its geographical conditions, Ecuador is located in a high and unpredictable isokeraunic zone which describes atmospheric discharges with high voltages and currents. That incurs in damage upon power distribution systems and health of people. In this thesis, a detailed analysis is presented based on a simulation process of the human body model, the distribution feeder and the direct and indirect atmospheric discharges in order to obtain values of current intensity that could enter the human body. Subsequently, by means of a stochastic analysis, it was possible to classify the physiological effects according to the current level. Regarding the simulation process, 21 values of current intensity due to atmospheric discharges were considered, 6 distances to which the atmospheric discharge impacts; and additionally 4 transversal distances corresponding to indirect rays were simulated, where an analysis of more than 3000 cases was performed, respectively. Results of this thesis work, show that different cases of atmospheric discharges can cause physiological effects on the human body, ranging from muscle contractions, alteration in blood pressure, respiratory distress, severe burns, fibrillations and cardiac arrest with high probability of death.