OBLUM METAL OXIDE SURGE ARRESTERS OPERATION & MAINTENANCE MANUAL GED overvoltages switching surges. CONSTRUCTION: The assembly consists ofa stack of metal oxide elements with contact plates between discs and held rigidly by a tie rod assembly. The striking aspect of this arrester is its simplicity of construction with no grading components, no gaps either in series or in parallel. system of silicone bumpers on each contact plate provides thermal dissipation of the heat generated in the elements for Temporary Over Voltages and Transmission Line Discharge in addition to ruggedized support to prevent damage in shipping. Double gasket seals and pressure relief vents are provided for hermetical sealing. ‘The pressure relief arrangement consists of reverse acting rupture diaphragm rupturing against knife edges, placed inside a pressure release plate, and for directional venting to transfer the internal arc to outside, in the remote event of Arrester failure RAL: Metal Oxide Surge Arresters protect the costly outdoor electrical equipment from ised by atmospheric disturbances due to lightning and intemal disturbances due to YaOBLUM ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED MAXIMUM CONTINUOUS OPERATING VOLTAGE : Under actual service conditions OBLUM Arrester functions as an insulator at the maximum line to ground operating voltage. For each arrester rating, there is a limit to the magnitude of the voltage that may be continuously applied. Therefore MCOV is the designated maximum permissible power frequency voltage that may be applied continuously across the arrester terminals. NAME PLATE : The name plate fixed to the bottom end casting contains the details of the make, the arrester rating, arrester number, unit number in case of multi unit Arresters and the discharge class and the model of the arrester. } APPLICATION : The basic rules for applying a metal oxide arrester are : (@) Determine the maximum phase to neutral operating voltage and the maximum per unit over voltage that can occur in the power system. (b) Determine the duration for which over voltage conditions can persist. (©) Select the Arrester with a Maximum Continuous Operating Voltage (M.C.O.V) equal to or greater than the maximum system operating voltage, (d) Using the temporary over voltage - time characteristics, check whether the system T.O.V conditions fall within the T.O.V capability of the arrester selected. If the T.O.V. condition exceeds the T.0.V capability of the arrester, select or use an arrester with a higher .O.V. Caution : Under no circumstances, the maximum continuous power frequency voltage between phase and ground appearing across the arrester should exceed the arrester MCOV as specified on the name plate. INSTALLATION: For effective protection, the following factors need to be considered during the installation of surge arresters : The Surge Arrester is mounted on an Insulating Base where Surge Monitor is to be connected in series with the Arrester. The Surge Monitor is to be fixed at a height of 1.5 meters from the ground level for better viewing of the meter. Arrester should be properly connected to ground or to a low resistance terminal for effective discharge of the surge current. Arrester should be mounted close to the equipment to be protected and connected with shortest possible lead on both the line and ground side to reduce the inductive effects while discharg- ing large surge currents. For transformer winding protection, it is desirable to interconnect the ground lead of the ar- | rester with the tank and also the neutral of the secondary. The interconnection reduces theOBLUM ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED stress imposed on the transformer winding by the surge currents to the extent of the drop across the earth resistance and the inductive drop across the ground lead. Periodic cleaning of the arresters is necessary in polluted areas and particularly in the highly polluted areas such as cement plant location, coastal areas, areas of chemical pollution, desert areas, areas of industrial smoke and areas exposed to strong winds carrying sand, salt smoke and chemicals. The deterioration of the Arrester under heavy pollution conditions is not ruled out. This is because of the fact that arrester would experience severe stresses due to the presence of thick polluted layer on the housing which could endanger the life of the arrester. The clearance between the arrester and the other equipments should be met as per the Insulation coordination practices. Note that if the clearance is less than the suggested values, the voltage distribution of the arrester would be disturbed. The distance between the arrester and the equipment to be protected should be optimised keeping the above (factor E)in mind. Besides, it is important to note that if the distance between the arrester and the equipment to be protected is high the later will be subjected to a higher over voltage. The voltage stress on the equipment to be protected (U2) can be esti- mated using the following empercial relationship : U2=U1+(2 x s x INV. {Where U1- residual voltage of arrester, s-steepness of the incoming wave (KV/micro seconds). |-distance between the arrester & the equipment to be protected, V-Velocity of wave propagation (m/micro seconds)} MAINTENANCE No maintenance is necessary except for cleaning of the arrester housing (if the surface of the arrester housing is contaminated) before taking the reading as the ammeter reads the leakage current of the arrester housing and the metal oxide element as well Connecting lead between surge arrester and surge monitor should be insulated. Insulated aluminium cable of 35 sq.mm. cross section is adequate as connecting lead. The connecting lead can get raised to high potential during Arrester operation. The earth terminal of the Arrester should never be isolated. In the remote event of Surge Monitor disconnection, it should be by-passed by an earthing shunt. Surge monitor being sensitive instrument proper handling of the instrument is suggested. INDICATION OF THE ARRESTER FAILURE: A red diaphragm with the inscription " THIS RED DIAPHRAGM BLOWS OUT IN THE REMOTE EVENT OF ARRESTER FAILURE". closing the Pressure Relief vent blows out in the remote event of the arrester failure. This helps in locating the failed arrester and eases in its replacement.OBLUM ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED OBLUM 216 K.V ARRESTERS 400 K.V. /220 K.V. SWITCHYARD VIZAG-ANDHARA PRADESH - INDIA. OBLUM ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED A 16 & 17, Assisted Private Industrial Estate, Balanagar, Hyderabad - 500 037. AP, INDIA. Grams : Phones: +91 (040) 23 77 27 08 / 23 77 41 84/2377 18.80, Fax: +91 (040) 2377 11 06 E-mail : [email protected], [email protected]_ Internet : www.oblum. ae