Surge Arresters

Application and Selection

Adria Jones
 Functions of Surge Arresters

Mounted in parallel to the transformer/equipment

Handle over voltage surge, clamp it down

Absorb energy from the surge

Discharge the surge current to the ground

Protect the transformer / equipment

Dissipate the energy and remain thermally stable

Provide reliable & predictable service, safe performance

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 Sources of Surges

Lightning

Switching

System generated TOV

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Fundamentals of Insulation Coordination

Possible voltages without arresters

Magnitude of (over.)voltage / p.u.

Withstand voltage of equipment

Voltages limited by arresters

0
Lightning overvoltages Switching overvoltages Temporary overvoltages Highest system voltage
(Microseconds) (Milliseconds) (Seconds) (Continuously)

Time duration of (over-

Page 4 May 2012 )voltage © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Design Transformations

SiC + Porcelain ( thru 1978 )

MOV + Porcelain ( 1978 thru 1986 )

MOV + Polymer ( 1986 thru now )

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 Internal Elements and Housing

MOV Vs SiC

Porc Vs SR

SR Vs EPDM

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Silicone Carbide Gapped Arrester

SiC blocks in Porcelain housing with

gap structure
Design prior to mid 70s
Had serious problems of
-Moisture Ingress
-Unstable Protective Levels
-Violent Failures

Page 7 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 10 kA
VOLTAGE

Discharge
Voltage ZnO
IR

IR

SiC

SiC
MCOV

< 1 mA 50 A 100 – 500 Amps 1– 10 kA

Page 8 May 2012 CURRENT © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Silicone Housed Surge Arresters
- Effect of Hydrophobicity

Page 9 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Different Polymers: Silicone vs. EPDM

Silicone (+++)
Non-hydrophobic
Low UV Rating
poor pollution and
long-term stability

Highly Hydrophobic (water-repellent)

UV-resistant
the best pollution & long-term stability

EPDM ( - - -)

Refer to Dow Corning R & D Paper

Page 10 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Test data Compare
SR against EPDM
and PORCELAIN
Recommends SR
as the best insulation
for Power Systems
Applications
Most utilities prefer
SR for housings and
insulators

Page 11 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Types of Surge Arresters

Station Class

Intermediate Class

Distribution Class ( HD, ND, RP )

Transmission Line Arresters ( TLA )

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Surge Arresters Classification
Performance Requirements
( Table B.1 of Annex B from IEEE Std C62.11 )

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 Key Features for Arrester Selection

Protection ( IR, TOV, Energy )

Durability ( MOV blocks, Construction, Mechanical strength, Creepage

distance, PD level )

Safety ( Non-fragmenting design, Moisture proof )

Page 16 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Current Designs

Gapless MOV

Poly Wrapped with Grease or Dry interface

Poly Cage – Directly molded

Poly Tube – Directly molded

Metal Enclosed (GIS)

Page 17 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Porcelain Housed Surge Arresters for High Voltage

O-ring seal Bolt terminal

(flat terminal available)
Sulphur cement bonding
(non-porous) Pressure relief diaphragm
Housing filled with nitrogen Material: Stainless steel
to avoid oxygen
(causing moisture)

Porcelain housing
Pressure relief vent
MO column Material: Aluminium

Support for MO column

Material: FRP rods

Fixing plate (FRP)

Ø 2.6 in Ø 4 in

Aluminium flange
Ø 2.3 in
Ø 2 in

Ø 1.6 in
Ø 3 in
Ø 1.3 in

Page 18 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Silicone Housed Surge Arresters for High Voltage
High Strength Cage Design, Directly Molded

Silicone rubber housing

Material: LSR
directly molded onto the
active part

Cage of 8 FRP rods

as reinforcement structure

Column of MO resistors
totally surrounded
by silicone rubber (SR)

Page 19 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Polymer Housed Surge Arresters for High Voltage
- Wrapped Design with Grease Interface

EPDM housing in multiple units

Not directly moulded
No mechanical member inside
Deflects under load -- potential for moisture ingress

Page 20 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Ploymer Housed Surge Arresters for High Voltage
Cantilever Strength Compared

Cantilever Strength ( inch -lbs)

MFR - 1 MFR - 2 MFR - 3

Directly Molded Wrapped ( *) Directly Molded

SR EPDM SR

WORKING 24,782 10,000 – 3,000 22,125 – 7,000

ULTIMATE 35,400 20,000 – 5,000 35,400 – 11,500

( * ) JOINTS BETWEEN THE RUBBERS – POOR MECHANICALS -- HIGH DEFLECTION

Page 21 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Silicone Housed Surge Arresters for High Voltage
Extra High Strength Tube Design

Pressure relief diaphragm Silicone rubber sheds

Material: Stainless steel Material: SR
directly molded onto
FRP tube

Housing filled with nitrogen

to avoid oxygen

MO column

Support for MO column

Material: FRP rods

Pressure relief vent FRP tube for extra – high mechanical strength
Material: Aluminium

Page 22 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Silicone Housed Surge Arresters for High Voltage
Comparison of Cantilever Strength Compared

Cantilever Strength ( inch - lbs)

MFR - 1 MFR - 2 MFR - 3

Tube Design Hollow Core Tube Design

SR SR SR

WORKING 446,000 35,000 168,000

Typical porcelain
ULTIMATE 637,000 70, 800 240,000 arresters:
Ultimate 150,000 in-lbf
Working 60,000 in-lbf

Page 23 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Directly Molded SR Housed Surge Arresters for
Distribution Systems
(Completely sealed, one piece construction)
stainless steel stud

Aluminium end fitting

Silicone Rubber sheds

directly molded on active part

Metal oxide varistor (MOV)

Glass coating on MOV block

Cage of FRP Rods

surrounding MOV column

Aluminium end fitting

Horizontal cross sectional
view of surge arrester

stainless steel stud

Page 24 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
“Gapped” SR housed Surge Arrester
for Distribution Systems

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Wrapped Design, EPDM Housed
Surge Arrester for Distribution Systems

Fibre-glass wrapped around Pre-manufactured EPDM-housing

MOV resistor column pushed over the wrapped core
impregnated with grease

Cover plate with grease Screw used for “sealing” with Top
Cap plate
Page 26 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Arrester Terms and Definitions

MOV
Short circuit / Pressure
MCOV relief rating

Duty Cycle voltage Creepage distance

Discharge Voltage Cantilever Strength

BIL Grading Ring

Protective Margin Corona Ring

TOV

Page 27 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Arresters Ratings
Duty Cycle and MCOV
( Table 1. of IEEE Std C62.11 )

Page 28 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Surge Arrester’s Application Data
Refer to Manufacturers’ Catalog

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Page 30 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Recommeded Installation Points

1
GIS trans- cable generator
former

G
overhead tower portal Surge cable GIS 3
line arrester

2
4

generally at transitions overhead line - cable

generally at the entrance of overhead lines into a station
usually in the HV-bushing area of transformers
additionally at breakers

Page 31 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Service Conditions
Arresters Applications
Per IEEE Std. C62.11

Usual Service Conditions :

Temperature : ( - ) 40 to ( + ) 40 degrees C ambient air ;

arresters max. 60 C
Altitude 1800 meters ( 6000 ft. )
48 – 62 Hz
Upright mounting

Unusual Service Conditions :

Higher temperatures
Higher altitude
Highly contaminated environments
High mechanical , wind, and seismic loads
Underhung, horizontal mounting

Page 32 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Arrester Selection
System Parameters Required

Equipment being protected and its BIL

Nominal System Voltage - U n

Maximum System Voltage - U m U n 1.05

Maximum L – G voltage, i.e. MCOV
Grounding Condition (grounded system ?)
Expected fault current level
Expected TOV
Expected switching surge energy
Pollution level and creepage distance
Excessive mechanical loadings (wind,
ice, seismic)
Application altitude
Temperature range
Mounting – Underhung, horizontal?
Cap bank ?

Page 33 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Effects of Separation Distance

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 230 kV System - 950 kV BIL Station
192 kV Rated Arresters / 152 kV MCOV
c = speed of light
Steepness of voltage wave = 3 x 10 meters / second
= 11 kV/ s, per kV MCOV
= 300 meters / s

Distance = 10 meters
Surge Arrester

Equipment being
10 kA, 8/20 s Discharge Voltage of = 461 kV

950 kV BIL
protected
V
V
= 461 kV

V = Voltage stress at the equipment 10 Protective Margin

meters away from the arrester
2 S 950 573
V1 PM % 100
C 573
2 (11 152 ) kV / s 10 meters 377
461 100
300 meters / s 573
461 112 66%

573 kV
Page 35 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Effects of Lead Length

Page 36 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
230 kV System - 950 kV BIL
192 kV Rated Arresters / 152 kV MCOV

Steepness of voltage wave (S) = 11 kV/ s, per kV MCOV

Z = Surge Impedance = 350
25 ft. long lead

L = Inductance of the lead

25 ft 0.4 H / ft
10 H
di 2 S 2 (11kV / s 152)
dt Z 350
2 1672
9.55kA / s
350
Voltage drop due to di
L
25 ft. lead length dt
10 9 . 55
Page 37 May 2012 95 . 5 kV © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Arresters Clearances

Page 38 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Arrester Clearance Calculation

1. Recommended Clearance Table 5 in Application Guide C62.22

2. Quick rough calculation for minimum clearance:
Use (20 kA, 8/20 Discharge Voltage – IR), air insulation strength of
500 kV/meter, factor for safety of 1.30 to account for variation in
atmospheric conditions and discharge current higher than normal

20 kA
Minimum
8 / 20 1 . 30 Divided by Insulation
Clearance strength of air
IR
512 1 . 30
500
1 . 33 M
52 inches
Page 39 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Altitude Correction for Clearance

IEEE / ANSI standard considers 1800 meters as normal application

altitude.
Insulation strength of air diminishes with higher altitude.
Allow 1% additional clearance for every 100 meters beyond 1800 meters.

Example: 10,000 ft. altitude

3,000 meters

Therefore,
3000 1800
12 % additional clearance
100

Page 40 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 BIL of Arresters Housing

1. Surge Arresters are voltage sensitive devices

2. Clamp the over voltage down below the BIL of the equipment
3. BIL of the Arresters’ housing is irrelevant
4. Check insulator withstand capability of the housing (Use paragraph 8.1.2.4
of C62.11 and manufacturer’s data sheet).

****Lightning Impulse withstand value must be > 20 kA 8/20 IR x 1.42****

512 1.42 Actual

727kV 850 kV
**** Wet power-frequency withstand value > switching impulse discharge voltage x 0.82

378 0.82 Actual

310kV 400 kV

Page 41 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Energy from Switching Surge
(Refer Annex G of IEEE Application Guide C62.22)

V (Volts)

UL

U res

0 I I (Amps)
Page 42 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Switching Surge
Energy Calculation
Energy Discharged into the arrester
Voltage x Current x (Duration of Switching Surge) Time
U L U res 2 L
U res watt - sec. (or Joules)
Z C

L
0 .021 MCOV kJ/kV of MCOV
Z

UL G Max rms L - G voltage i.e. MCOV

UL Line charging voltage UL G 2) 2 .6 MCOV 2 2.6
U res Switching Surge Discharge Voltage MCOV 2 1.64

I Switching Surge Current

L Length of line in km.
Z Surge Impedance of the line 350 - 400
C Speed of light 300,000 km / sec.
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Page 44 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Solution for unshielded or poorly shielded
Transmission Lines

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TLA Application – Cross Arm Mounted

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TLA Application – Suspended from phase conductor

Page 47 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Routine Factory Tests
Per IEEE Std. C62.11

Discharge Voltage Test

On MOV blocks, arrester sections, or complete arresters

Partial Discharge ( PD ) Test

Very important test, Less than 2 pC preferred

Sealing Test
Vacuum decay test method preferred

Watt Loss Test @ MCOV x 1.20 to 1.25

{ Diagrams or pictures of test set ups, raw test data , and

oscillograms can substitute for pre-shipment inspections
and acceptance tests . }

Page 48 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Pressure Relief Testing - - Failure Mode
Avoid Potentials of Violent Failures with Porcelain Housing

3EQ (tube design) 3EP Cage Design

Before the test Successful Arc burns through silicone

3EQ 3EP Cage Design

After the test Successful No mechanical structure left

Page 49 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Minimize number of segments per arrester

Preferred Example left side (Preferred):

2 segments for up to 550 kV system voltage
Poor Design
Example right side (avoid them):
4 units per stack for the same voltage level or
arrester with additional insulators for stabilization or
multiple segment arrester built up with MV arresters

Minimizing the number of segments

per arrester means:
more stability
= higher cantilever strength
less segments to mount
= less installation time / costs
better voltage distribution

Multiple-segment arresters are generally not recommended

as their electrical and mechanical performance is poor!

Page 50 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Silicone Housed Surge Arresters for High Voltage
IEEE 693 of 2005 - Seismic Performance Level
Shake Table Test

Page 51 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Monitoring Devices

Arrester monitor with

remote indication
3EX5 060/062
Control Spark Gap Surge Counter Surge Counter with Arrester Condition
leakage current meter Indicator
3EX6 040 3EX5 030
3EX5 050 3EX5 070

Page 52 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
3EX5 070 – Arrester Condition Indicator

Page 53 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
Field Testing Arresters

Understanding remaining life of a

critical component – IMPORTANT
Common Methods for Sensing
Gapless MOV Arresters
1. Infrared Thermography
2. Leakage Current – resistive
component
3. Watt Loss
Surge Counters with Leakage
Current Meter
-not very effective

Page 54 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 Surge Arresters are the Best Insurance
for Your Assests

Surge arrester protects your costly equipment (like transformers,

breakers) from damage due to switching or lightning over voltages.

Source: APS

Source: APS
DO NOT ECONOMIZE ON SURGE ARRSTERS !
Page 55 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved
 For additional information call me:

Adria D. Jones
Application Engineer
Jackson, MS

E-mail : [email protected]

http://www.energy.siemens.com/fi/en/power-transmission/high-voltage-
products/surge-arresters-limiters/

Thank you for your time!

Page 56 May 2012 © 2009 Siemens Energy, Inc. All rights reserved