Expulsion & Valve type

Lightning Arresters
PRESENTED BY:SOMYA JAIN
(0105EX101113)
SHIPRA DWIVEDI
(0105EX101107)

When lightning strikes

Lightning stroke hits power line

Overvoltage travels over power line, to

equipments such as transformer

Insulation withstand voltage exceeded
Dielectric breakdown
Short circuit
Severe equipment damage

What is a lightning arrester???

Device used onelectrical power systems to

protect the insulationand conductors of the

system from the damaging effects
oflightning.
The typical lightning arrester has a

high-voltageterminal and a ground terminal.

It provids low resistance path for the surges

current through itself and divert it to earth.

Types of lightning arresters

Rod arrester
Horn gap arrester
Multi gap arrester
Expulsion type lightning arrester
Valve type lightning arrester

Expulsion type lightning arrester

Construction
o This

type of arrester is also

called protector
tube.
o It is used on system operating
at voltages up
to 33kV.
o It essentially consists of a rod
gap AA in
series with a second gap
enclosed within the
fiber tube. The gap in the
fiber tube is formed

Operation of expulsion type lightning arrester

On the occurrence of an over voltage

on the line, the series gap AA spanned

and an arc is stuck between the
electrodes in the tube.
The heat of the arc vaporizes some of
the fiber of tube walls resulting in the
production of neutral gas.
In an extremely short time, the gas
builds up high pressure and is expelled
through the lower electrode, which is

Advantages
They are not very expensive.
They are improved form of rod

gap arresters as they block the

flow of power frequency follow
currents.
They can be easily installed.

Disadvantages
An expulsion type arrester can

perform only limited number of

operations as during each operation
some of the fiber material is used up.
This type of arrester cannot be
mounted on enclosed equipment due
to discharge of gases during operation.
Due to the poor volt/am characteristic
of the arrester, it is not suitable for
protection of expensive equipment

Valve type

Construction
It consists of two assemblies
(i) series spark gaps and
(ii) non-linear resistor discs in series.
Both the assemblies are accommodated in tight
porcelain container.
The spark gapis a multiple assembly consisting
of a number of identical spark gaps in series. Each
gap consists of two electrodes with fixed gap
spacing.
The non-linear resistor discsare made of
inorganic compound such as thyrite or metrosil.

Operation of valve type lightning arrester

Under normal conditions, the normal

system voltage is insufficient to cause

the break down of air gap assembly.
On the occurrence of an over voltage,
the breakdown of the series spark gap
takes place and the surge current is
conducted to earth via the non-linear
resistors.
The non-linear elements will offer a
very low resistance to the passage of
surge.When the surge is over, the
non-linear resistors assume high
resistance to stop the flow of current.