Surge Arresters

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The World Leader in Diagnostic Test Instruments and
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Doble Testing Surge Arresters

Doble Engineering Company

2 December 28, 2007 Doble® Seminar

Executive Summary Terminology

• Test each individual surge arrester unit • Surge Arrester

Remove a surge arrester from its shipping container for
test.
• Test at recommended voltage, Results vary with applied
test voltage.
• Measure and evaluate the charging current and dielectric-
loss (Watts)
Power Factor is not calculated due to inherently low
charging current.
• Investigate questionable results with diagnostic tests
A protective device for limiting surge voltages on
equipment by diverting the surge current and returning the
device to its original status. It is capable of repeating these
functions as specified.
• Basic (lightning impulse) Insulation Level
(BIL)
A reference impulse insulation strength expressed in
terms of the crest (or maximum) value of withstand
voltage of a standard (1.2 by 50 µs) full impulse voltage
wave.
Source: IEEE

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5 December 28, 2007
Source: NASA
Doble® Seminar 6 December 28, 2007
Source: NASA
Doble® Seminar

Terminology Insulation Coordination

• Insulation Coordination
The process of correlating the insulation strengths of
electric equipment with expected overvoltages and with
the characteristics of surge-protective devices.

Source: IEEE BSL – Basic Switching (Impulse Insulation) Level

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 Reduced Insulation Levels Silicon Carbide Versus Metal Oxide

Reduced transformer BIL means:

• Reduced materials
• Reduced size
• Reduced weight
• Reduced cost

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Operating Characteristics Life of a Surge Arrester

Operating characteristics of two types of surge arresters
• It dissipates voltage surge
when above design rating
• Drops voltage to zero
• Generates its own surge
during recovery
• It dissipates voltage surge
when above design rating
• Clamps voltage
• Doesn’t drop voltage to zero
• Doesn’t generate its own
surge
• Normally is an insulator
• Becomes a conductor during a voltage surge
Has non-linear voltage-current characteristic.
• After diverting energy of surge goes back to being an
insulator
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The Doble dielectric loss test is a test of an arrester’s
insulating characteristics not its protective characteristics.

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 Surge Arrester Tests Surge Arrester Tests

Routinely includes these measurements. May also include these measurements.

• Dielectric loss • Insulation resistance
• Infra-red sensitive to contamination and deterioration
sensitive to hot-spots • LCM tests
verify protective characteristics of ZNO

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Test Policies Applied Test Voltages

Necessary to address specific aspects of this testing, to Surge arresters with older style silicon carbide discs
include:
• Applied test voltage » Unit kV Rating Test Voltage
losses vary with test voltage 3 2.5
4.5 4
6 5
7.5 7
9 7.5
12 and higher 10

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 Applied Test Voltages Test Policies

Surge arresters with metal-oxide discs • Averaging effect »

Perform separate test on each arrester unit to
*MCOV kV Rating Test Voltage maximize sensitivity of test to localized problems
2.7 to 3 2
higher than 3 and less than 15 2.5
higher than 15 10

*Metal-oxide arresters also have an Unit kV rating, that is

sometimes called “duty cycle rating”, which is a higher
value than the arrester MCOV kV rating.

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Tabulated Results Arrester Nameplate Screen

• Tabulation results are organized by Overall and Unit

identifying numbers.
• Identify each unit in a multi-unit stack by its unit
number.
• This number can be labeled catalog, model, style or
assembly number.
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 Surge Arrester Test Screen Surge Arrester Test Screen

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Surge Arrester Test Screen Surge Arrester Test Screen

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 Surge Arrester Test Screen Surge Arrester Test Screen

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Test Policies Very Low Capacitance Specimens

• Very low capacitance specimens »
Most surge arresters have very low capacitance.
Power factor not calculated for any specimen that
measures 300 µA (80 pF) or less for the following
reasons:
• Disproportion variation in power factor with negligible
change in loss
• Deleterious effect of any stray capacitance

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 Test Procedure Analysis

• Metal oxide
- higher than normal losses
▪ contamination of internal components with
moisture, dirt or dust
▪ corroded gap in early designs
newer designs are gapless
▪ cracked porcelain
- lower than normal losses
▪ broken disc
HV LV Leads ▪ open circuit in internal circuit
Cable Red Blue Test Mode
▪ improper assembly
Terminal - - GST Ground Red Blue
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Analysis Analysis

• Silicon carbide - lower than normal losses

- higher than normal losses ▪ broken shunting resistor
▪ contamination of internal components with ▪ broken pre-ionizing element
moisture, dirt or dust ▪ poor contact and open circuit between elements
▪ corroded gap ▪ improper assembly
▪ deposits of aluminum salts apparently caused by
the interaction between moisture and products
resulting from corona
▪ cracked porcelain

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 Test Procedure: 2 Unit Stack Test Procedure: 2 Unit Stack

2 Unit Stack
• High-voltage conductor grounded
and then disconnected.
• Procedure assumes each arrester
unit can be tested at same test
voltage.

HV LV Leads HV LV Leads
Test Cable Red Blue Test Mode Insulation Test Cable Red Blue Test Mode Insulation
1 B A - UST Measure Red Ground Blue 1 1 B A - UST Measure Red Ground Blue 1
2 B A - GST Guard Red Ground Blue 2
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Test Procedure: 2 Unit Stack Test Procedure: 3 Unit Stack with Line

3 Unit Stack with line connected

• Safety ground connected to high-
voltage conductor for all tests
• Procedure assumes each
arrester unit can be tested at
same test voltage

HV LV Leads
HV LV Leads Test Cable Red Blue Test Mode Insulation
Test Cable Red Blue Test Mode Insulation 1 B C - GST Guard Red Ground Blue 1
2 B C - UST Measure Red Ground Blue 2
2 B A - GST Guard Red Ground Blue 2 3 C B - GST Guard Red Ground Blue 3

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 Test Procedure: 3 Unit Stack Test Procedure: 4 Unit Stack with Line

3 Unit Stack with line disconnected 4 Unit Stack with line connected
• High-voltage conductor • Safety ground connected to high-
grounded and then disconnected voltage conductor for all tests
• Procedure assumes each • Procedure assumes each
arrester unit can be tested at arrester unit can be tested at
same test voltage same test voltage

HV LV Leads
HV LV Leads Test Cable Red Blue Test Mode Insulation
Test Cable Red Blue Test Mode Insulation 1 B C - GST Guard Red Ground Blue 1
1 B A C UST Measure Red Ground Blue 1 2 B C - UST Measure Red Ground Blue 2
2 B A C UST Measure Blue Ground Red 2 3 D C - UST Measure Red Ground Blue 3
3 C B - GST Guard Red Ground Blue 3 4 D C - GST Guard Red Ground Blue 4

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Test Procedure: 4 Unit Stack Case 1: Simulated Failure Modes

4 Unit Stack with line disconnected Comparison of typical and questionable 10-kV results for
• High-voltage conductor similar arresters
grounded and then
disconnected. Description I (µA) Watts
• Procedure assumes each Typical good arrester 230 0.050
arrester unit can be tested at Same arrester contaminated with arcing 370 17.5
same test voltage. byproducts
Same arrester contaminated with moisture 260 0.200
HV LV Leads
Test Cable Red Blue Test Mode Insulation
Same arrester, new, contaminated with 250 0.240
1 B A C UST Measure Red Ground Blue 1 factory dirt and metallic particles
2 B A C UST Measure Blue Ground Red 2
Same arrester, with broken internal parts 120 0.006
3 D - C UST Measure Blue Ground Red 3
4 D - C GST Guard Blue Ground Red 4 and open circuited
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 Case 2: Deteriorated Surge Arrester Case 2: Deteriorated Surge Arrester

10-kV Watts-Loss 0.800

Location April 9, 2001 March 8, 2003 March 6, 2005
0.700
A Top 0.330 0.291 0.292
A Middle 0.348 0.271 0.270 0.600
A Bottom 0.354 0.307 0.309 0.500

Watts Loss
B Top 0.359 0.551 0.781
0.400
B Middle 0.298 0.302 0.282
B Bottom 0.345 0.338 0.311 0.300

C Top 0.502 0.305 0.289 0.200

C Middle 0.318 0.290 0.274 0.100
C Bottom 0.353 0.340 0.315
0.000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Test Date
A Top A Middle A Bottom B Top B Middle B Bottom
Ohio Brass 1991 DynaVar 396 kV, Catalog No. 216318, Unit Assy No. 215915-3127 C Top C Middle C Bottom

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Case 3: Deteriorated Surge Arrester Case 4: Deteriorated Surge Arrester

10-kV Watts-Loss Location kV mA Watts

Unit No. and Location Initial Later * H1 10 0.685 5.475
9L16ABD 905 Top 0.029 0.072 0.028 – 0.044
H2 10 0.371 0.910
9L16ABD 904 2nd 0.029 0.600 0.021 – 0.030
H3 10 0.280 0.247
9L16ABD 903 3rd 0.030 0.028 0.023 – 0.033
9L16ABD 904 4th 0.031 0.024 0.024 – 0.036
9L16ABD 901 Bottom 0.025 0.032 0.021 – 0.047 Distribution of data for majority of similar units is from
0.005 to 0.05 Watts.
*Range of results for 6 other similar arresters at same location, H1 arrester failed hours after being energized.
excluding 2 questionable units.
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Doble Limit: 0.02 – 0.10 Watts

General Electric 588 kV Arrester, Model No. 9L16BBA588 Ohio Brass DynaVar 300 kV, Catalog No. 211345

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 Case 5: Deteriorated Surge Arrester

Location kV mA Watts
P-56745 10 1.581 14.45
P-56736 10 0.248 0.233
P-60229 10 0.250 0.076
P-60243 10 0.173 0.090

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Doble Limit: 0.020 – 0.100 Watts

Ohio Brass Type VN-Metal Oxide Arresters, 66 kV, Catalog No. 21774

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