02/12/2010

Indstria Eletromecnica Balestro - P

What are surge arresters for?

Surge arresters are used to protect equipment and electrical systems against damage provoked
by transitory overloads (atmospheric discharges, uncontrollable disturbances, etc) which are
displaced through electric conductors of high voltages and strike equipment, with high, medium or
low voltages.
Are all surge arresters the same ?
No. the surge arresters from one manufacturer to another differ in their project characteristics,
applied raw materials, routine tests, etc. A good surge arrester should have a project that meets
the demands of international standards, and careful production, which guarantees a good
performance in the field. Only time is capable of proving in practice that all of the theories taken
into account in the project are valid. However, it is essential that the manufacturer tests its surge
arresters frequently and exhaustively to assure its performance in the field.
What is the diffe rence be twee n the conventional surge arre ster SiC (silicon carbide)
and the ZnO (zinc oxide) surge arreste r?
The main difference is the type of non-lineal resistor (varistor) used. The conventional surge
arresters use SiC varistors, which possess a coefficient of low-resistance SiC, when compared to
ZnO. The non-linearity coefficient is a factor that determines the amount of variation of the ohmic
resistance of the varistor for a certain voltage increment. For this property, the ZnO surge
arresters usually do not possess gaps, whereas in SIC, these are obligatory.
What the advantages of the polymeric surge arre ster ove r the ones with ceramic
casing?
- Lighter;
- More compact;
- Explosion proof;
- More technology;
- Highly resistant to UV radiation and climatic conditions in general;
- Silicon rubber possesses a special advantage: its hydrophobicity, which provides water repellent
characteristics on the surge arrester casing, reducing its electric tracking and the flashover risk;
- Better performance under pollution.
How does the automatic cut-off work and whe re is it located in order to coordinate with
the ov er-current line and how does it coordinate with the 12K link downstream?
The automatic cut-off in the surge arrester works by the detonation of a capsule, instigated by the
circulation of short circuit currents, breaking its casing and terminating the earth connection of the
surge arrester, in such a way that the damaged surge arrester is turned off from the system and
this can continue operating. The cut-off is located below the surge arrester, close to the earth
connection. The automatic cut-off answer curve guarantees a faster answer than the 12 K fuse
link, although in some situations the two devices act simultaneously, due to subsequent arc
currents of the cut-offs performance. But this can only happen if there is really a 12 K link to the
upstream of the cut-off. With the downstream, any link can be installed, because the reduced
short circuit current from the damaged surge arrester will not circulate through this link (since the
reduced current comes from the source).
Can the automatic cut-off be replace d?
No, the cut-off cannot be replaced, because its breakage means that the surge arrester is
damaged, even though it continues to look good, because the body may continue to be intact,
but not always the active parts continue to work.
Do the surge arresters casings need to be expande d in size for higher attitude s?
For installation altitudes greater than 2500 msnm, the surge arrester casings need to be
increased. With the reduction of atmospheric pressure, the level of air supportability is also
reduced, thus reducing the dielectric supportability of the casings.
Was the resistance to UV checked?
The resistance to UV was checked in two types of tests: - resistance test to UV in a weather-meter
chamber and an aging test simulating the environmental conditions (5000 h). The performance of
the polymeric products of Balestro in these tests met the international standards.
What is the function of the automatic cut-off?
The automatic cut-off starts operating when the surge arrester is damaged, switching it off from
the system to guarantee the continuity of the systems operation. It must be activated by reduced
currents (short) earth-phase, which can only circulate through the surge arrester in case this
device fails. The cut-off is also a signaling device which warns of flaws, indicating the need to
replace the surge arrester.

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02/12/2010

Indstria Eletromecnica Balestro - P

created by: Guandeline

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