INVESTIGATION AND MODELLING OF DYNAMIC

CHARACTERISTICS OF METAL-OXIDE SURGE ARRESTERS

Stanisaw Wyderka
swyderka@prz.rzeszow.pl
Rzeszw University of Technology
Poland


Abstract: The paper presents an analysis of actual
problems of laboratory investigations and numerical
modelling of metal-oxide arresters (MOA). The
analysis was performed basing on attainable literature
on the subject and on authors own experience in this
field. Dynamic characteristics of arresters are the
main problem regarding both investigation and
modelling of them. In the first field a significant
progress can be noticed in recent years. However,
modelling of arresters with regard to their dynamic
characteristics is still difficult. Authors proposition to
overcome this problem is presented in the paper.

Keywords: metal-oxide arresters, investigation,
modelling

. INTRODUCTION

From the beginning of application of metal-oxide
arresters to protect of electrical and electronic devices
and systems it was known that their characteristics depend
not only on maximum values of disturbances (voltage and
current surges) but also on their rate of change in time.
Investigations of dynamic characteristics of MOA,
conducted for about thirty years, are not easy and require
high level of skills and knowledge on the subject.

Investigation results of dynamic characteristics of
MOA have various applications. First of all they serve for
better understanding of MOA conduction mechanism.
Manufacturers of MOA use them for determination of
parameters of their own products. While scientists dealing
with overvoltage protection use them for creation of
MOA models which in turn serve for simulation of
performance of arresters protecting various electrical and
electronic devices and systems.

In literature on the subject one can find not only a lot
of MOA investigation results but also many attempts to
create of MOA models taking into account their dynamic
characteristics. Some created models arouse controversy,
moreover, the authors often do not define the
appropriation of their models.

2. INVESTIGATION OF MOA DYNAMIC
CHARACTERISTICS

Investigation of dynamic characteristics of arresters is
not an easy task. It consists most often in registration of
arrester residual voltage as its answer to fast changing
current, i.e. current impulses with rise speed (di/dt) from
5 to 50 kA/ s. Generation of such impulses requires to
overcome a lot of difficulties. Furthermore, correct
measurement (registration) of these impulses and arrester
residual voltages is considerably more difficult task.

The difficulties are connected mainly with conversion
of measured current and voltage impulses in a current
shunt and in a voltage divider, respectively. Additional
currents and voltages are induced in these transducers and
circuits connected with them. Strong and fast changing
magnetic and electric fields, generated by current surge
generator, are the reason of those phenomena. One of the
methods of elimination of measuring errors caused by
magnetic and electric fields is separation of transducers
and measuring circuits from them.

Fast changing electric fields are formed mainly in an
initial moment of current impulse generation, as a result
of abrupt voltage decrease (from several or tens of
kilovolts to zero) when a switch or spark gap closes the
generator main circuit. These electric fields, coupling
with measuring system, are the cause of some kind of
initial spikes on registered residual voltage of an arrester.

Transition of the switch or spark gap to conduction
has not a character of ideal jump of resistance from very
high (insulation gap) to very low or zero (short-circuit).
Fast oscillatory changes of this resistance reflect
themselves sometimes as very distinct oscillations at the
start of rising front of current impulse.

7p.1
lcL 2002 Ctocow, lo|ood Sop|obot 2, 2002 09
Upon analysis of published investigation results of
MOA characteristics it can be found that the authors
present different understanding level of influence of
coupling between test and measuring circuits on the
results. Investigation results presented in [1] are an
example of correct elimination of errors caused by
magnetic fields. Non-inductive shunt and coaxial divider
were used to measure current impulses and residual
voltages, respectively. As a result, the influence of
magnetic field and influence of inductance of the shunt
and divider were eliminated almost entirely. Small initial
spikes on residual voltage of investigated MOA can come
from influence of small rest of magnetic coupling
between test circuit and voltage divider. Dependence of
spike amplitude on current surge rise speed speaks for
such interpretation.

Similar initial spikes are visible on oscillograms
presented in [2, 3, 4], but only in the case of non-coaxial
voltage divider. Residual voltage measured directly on a
thin ZnO disk connected in series to main ZnO block of
an arrester, with guaranteed complete screening of
measuring circuit against magnetic and electric fields [3],
or measured with the use of system with two dividers [4],
did not show any initial spikes. This is the evidence that
delay of tunnel effect expansion, which could be
accounted for occurrence of such spikes, is considerably
smaller than it was estimated in [1].

Different kind of initial spikes can be seen on residual
voltage oscillograms presented in [5]. These spikes could
be caused by abrupt change of electrical field (at the
moment of closing of a surge generator main circuit), i.e.
by oscillatory discharge of small parasitic capacitances
between the generator and voltage divider. The spikes
could also be caused by fast changing magnetic field
produced by current oscillations (connected with dynamic
changes of resistance of closing device) visible on
oscillograms at the start of current surge. Similar initial
spikes of residual voltage can be seen also on
investigation results presented in [4, 6, 7, 8].

3. IDENTIFICATION OF MOA ELECTRICAL
PARAMETERS

In the literature on investigation of dynamic
characteristics of metal-oxide surge arresters one can find
many attempts of creation of electrical (circuital),
mathematical and numerical models of these arresters, for
the purpose of simulation of their performance.

Modelling of MOA non-linear resistance does not
create any essential problems. The fundamental problem
is to take into account of non-linear inductance of an
arresters, i.e. dependence of the inductance on current
change speed (di/dt). Moreover, big value of this
inductance (for small value of di/dt) is often
misinterpreted. It is easy to show that the inductance is
many times bigger than the own inductance of an arrester
treated as rectilinear conductor, which elementary
inductance of 1 H/m is most often accepted for.

Big value of MOA inductance comes from different
reason than for inductance of ordinary conductor,
therefore, for distinction, different name inertia was
proposed [9] for the former. The essence of this inertia
results from physical phenomena proceeding in arrester
material in time of its transient state, i.e. transition from
non-conduction to conduction state.

Inertia, that is a delay of conduction current after
growing voltage on an arrester, has direct connection with
tunnel effect proceeding in barrier layers at the boundary
of ZnO grains and separating insulating layers. Basing on
many investigations conducted in the seventies of
previous century, e.g. [10, 11], it was acknowledge that
transition from non-conduction to conduction state of
MOA consists in expansion of tunnel effect.

The connection of inertia with tunnel effect consists in
established dependence: an increase of current flowing
through barrier layer can take place only after increase of
voltage on this layer, what is connected with determined
time necessary for gathering and distribution of electrical
charge at both sides of barrier layer. Therefore, tunnel
effect is the direct reason of big delay of the current after
the voltage. The delay is many times bigger than it could
result from inductance of ordinary conductor.

One of the first attempts to evaluate the MOA inertia
were done by author of this paper [9, 12], where proposed
model of ZnO arrester was composed of two elements:
non-linear resistance R
n
and non-linear inertia A.
Estimated value of inertia of examined MOA for small
di/dt was from 10 to 20 H per meter of MOA overall
height [9]. Similar value can be evaluated basing on
results presented in [1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15].

Value of arrester inertia is the biggest one taking into
account all inductive elements of residual voltage
measurement system, even for arrester having only
several centimetres of overall height. Total inductance of
remaining elements of measuring system (divider and
connecting conductors) does not exceed 0.1 to 0.2 H [4].
Then, the inertia can be easily recognised.

Inertia of MOA manifests itself as distinct asymmetry
of registered residual voltage impulses. The asymmetry
depends on change speed of surge current, and bigger
asymmetry is for higher change speed of the current, as it
was proved in [9].

The essence of the asymmetry consists in that the
instant values of residual voltage are higher in first part of
the impulse, before the current surge reaches its peak
value voltage drop on arrester inertia (A di/dt) is added

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to static component of residual voltage (R
n
i). In second
part of residual voltage impulse, voltage instant values are
lower A di/dt is subtracted from R
n
i after current
passing its peak value.

Such inclination of residual voltage impulse in the
direction of time axis can result only from an influence of
big inductance such as inertia of MOA. The influence of
inductance of MOA treated as an ordinary conductor,
together with inductance of conductors connecting the
MOA to rest of test circuit, is significantly weaker, and it
can be one of the causes of initial spikes on residual
voltage impulses. Possible electric and magnetic
couplings between generator circuit and measuring
circuits have also weak influence.

4. INTERACTION BETWEEN SURGE
GENERATOR AND ARRESTER

Current surge generator and examined arrester have
essential influence on each other. The main circuit of
surge generator consists of in series connected RLC
elements and a switch. Non-linear MOA resistance R
n
is a
part of total resistance R of the main circuit. Similarly,
non-linear MOA inertia A is a part of total inductance L.
As a result, generated current impulse depends also on
mentioned MOA parameters.

On the other hand, values of examined MOA
parameters depend on surge generator parameters. For
instance, values of MOA inertia depend on value of
voltage on charged main capacitor of the generator before
the start of current impulse forming. In spite of
appearances, the control of this voltage serves not only
for amplitude adjustment of generated current impulses,
but also has influence on their shape, what was observed
in [6], but not properly interpreted. Current surges
generated at higher voltages cause the decrease of MOA
inertia. At the moment of generator switching on, almost
entire voltage on closing switch moves to MOA. Tunnel
effect develops easier for higher voltages as a result the
inertia is smaller. Then, smaller inertia and consistently
smaller entire inductance of generator test circuit enables
faster increase of generated current rise times of current
impulses are shorter for their higher amplitudes, that is for
higher generator voltage observed in [6].

5. SOME ASPECTS OF MOA MODELLING

Published examples of creation of MOA models for
different purposes lead to conclusion that the most
important characteristics of arresters, which should be
taken into account in their models, are: non-linear
resistance and non-linear inductance (non-linear inertia).
The first characteristic has static nature value of MOA
resistance is a function of current instant value
irrespective of its change speed. The second characteristic
has dynamic nature value of MOA inertia is a function
of change speed of current flowing through an arrester
(di/dt). Other parameters, such as arrester capacitance or
resistance of ZnO grains, are lesser important, especially
in models of MOA-s intended for simulation of their
protection performance in electrical systems.

Modelling of non-linear characteristic of MOA
resistance, R
n
= f(i), does not create substantial difficulty.
Some computer programs are fitted out with special
subroutines to create accurate numerical models of that
characteristic on the base of specified number of voltage-
current value pairs as input data. More difficult problem
is to obtain of these input data. Accurate data can be
obtained on the base of measurements done on specific
arrester [9]. Lesser accurate data for creation of numerical
model of R
n
= f(i) characteristic can be, in some cases,
obtained on the base of catalogue data [12].

Different methods (having different degree of
generalisation) of calculation of non-linear characteristic
of MOA resistance can be found in the literature. One of
the first published and most often used, is a generalised
method based on two unitary characteristics of non-linear
resistance predetermined by the authors in proposed
MOA model [16]. This method was adopted without
changes by authors of arrester models presented in [7, 17,
18]. These models differ only in modelling of MOA
dynamic properties. Different methods of modelling of
arrester non-linear resistance are presented in [1, 19].

Taking into account dynamic properties of MOA in its
model is a more difficult task. These properties are
connected with dependence of arrester inertia on change
speed of current flowing through it, A = f(di/dt). This
dependence can not be realised directly in an electrical
model. Elements specific for automatic control systems
must be used. Modelling of MOA inertia, in that case,
consists in modelling of voltage drop on it, U = f(di/dt),
using a voltage source controlled with signal shaped in a
block having specified transfer function. Current flowing
from a generator model to MOA model is an input signal
for that block which calculates its time derivative (di/dt),
and then calculates value of inertia.

After conduction of series measurements on selected
ZnO arresters [9] and determination of dependence
A = f(di/dt), it was accepted [12] that this dependence can
be approximated with following function:

dt
di
D 1
A
A
0
+
= (1)

where: A
0
static value of inertia, D coefficient. Values
of both elements were calculated basing on results of
conducted measurements.

.
.

lcL 2002 Ctocow, lo|ood Sop|obot 2, 2002 11

Determination of dependence A = f(di/dt) for
specified type of arresters enables to use it for creation of
two-element models

R
n
and A connected in series of
these arresters basing on their catalogue data. Many
authors, willing to achieve pure electrical (circuital)
models, have made an attempt to approximate the
dependence A = f(di/dt) with suitable combination of RLC
elements. Many of such models [6, 7, 13, 17, 18] were
created basing on classical MOA model [16].

6. CONCLUSIONS

Basing on analysis presented above, it can be stated
that problems of laboratory investigations of MOA
characteristics are mastered in great measure. However,
investigations which provide reliable results are
expensive. All investigation aspects (construction of test
and measuring system, conduction of measurements,
interpretation of results) need high level of knowledge
and experience. Problems of various field couplings
between current surge generator and measuring circuits
must be treated with great care, just as problems of
interactions between the generator and examined arrester.

In the presence of wide possibilities of numerical
modelling, an attempt to create of MOA models
complying electrical circuit laws is inexpedient.
Attainable computer programs, e.g. ATP-EMTP, enable
to create models comprising non-linear elements with
characteristics dependent not only on value of current or
voltage, but also on their derivatives. Identification of
these characteristics is not such difficult task as it is often
estimated in literature on the subject. For lesser accurate
MOA models it is possible, in most cases, to determine
them on the base of catalogue data. For accurate models,
investigations of arresters should be conducted. But, such
investigations can be done on only one specimen
representative for determined class of arresters.

Natural approach to an issue of MOA modelling is
direct regard to non-linear characteristic of its inertia
A = f(di/dt). Supplementary ways of modelling of this
dependence lead to models which can be used for
simulation of MOA protecting performance in limited
range of di/dt changes.

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