Di

scr
eteAl
lMo
dePr
ote
cti
on

Ho
wdo
esaT
VSSc
ont
rol
tra
nsi
ent
s?

Whe ntransienta ct
ivi
tyoccurstheideal TVSSi nstantl
ybondse verywi rec ombi nati
ontothes amepo tenti
al(vol
tage).Byes t
abli
s hi
ngt his
i
nstantaneo use quipot
entia
lbond( al
lo fthec onduc tor
sareheldtot hes amev o l
tage)
,thereisnopo tenti
aldif
ferencebe t
we ena nyo fthe
combinationso fwi r
es.I
fthereisnopo tentialdif
fe re
ncebetwe enanyo fthec ombinati
onso fwires,t
he rewillbenot r
ans i
entcurrentf l
ow
andnoe qui pme ntdama ge.Theflowo fcurrentre quir
esthatapo tentia
l dif
ference(vol
tage)e x
ist.El
iminatethet r
ansientvol
tage
dif
fere
nc ebe twe enallo
fthewi recombi natio
nsa ndthetendenc yfortransientc urr
entfl
owi salsoeli
mi nate
d. Thetotalcont
rolof
tr
ansientvo l
tage sandtransi
entc ur
rentsr equiresEne r
gyCo ntr
olSy stems exclusi
vediscret
ea l
l modepr o
tectio
n. Thediscret
ea llmo de
prot
ectio
no ftheSineTame r
pr oductc ontrol
st het ra
nsie
ntv ol
tagesf ora l
lconduc t
orcombi nat
ions(therebyc o
ntroll
i
ngt hetrans i
ent
curr
ents),divertsthetransi
entene r
gya wa yfromt heprot
ectedsy s
te m, andc onvert
sapo rti
ono fthi
se ner
gyt ohe atwhichistrans f
e rr
ed
harmlesslyintot heai
r.

Wha
tisdi
scr
etea
llmo
depr
ote
cti
ona
ndwha
tisr
educ
edmo
depr
ote
cti
on?

EnergyCo ntrol Sys t

ems
uni quedi sc retea l
l mo depr otectio
npr ov i
de sde dicateda nddi sti
nc ts uppr es s
ionc i
rcuitryfo rallc ombina ti
onsof
conductors( l
ine -t
o -l
ine,li
ne -to -
neut ral,l
ine -to-ground, andne ut r
a l
-to-ground) .Typica l
reduc e dmo des uppr e ssorso nlypr ov i
de
suppressionc ircuitryfroml ine -t
o-ne utral,orl i
ne -t
o-ne utral
a ndne utra
l-to-gro und. F orexampl e ,at hreepha seWy er educ edmo de
suppressorma yha veo nl
yt hre eoffo urs etso findividua landdi sti
nc tsuppr es sionc ircuit
swhi let hedi scretea ll
mo deSi ne Tame r
productha st en. Ther educedmo deuni twitht hr eeorfo urdisti
nc tmo de so fpro tecti
o nc anno tco ntrolthet rans i
entv o l
tage sbe twe enall
combinationso fwi r
es .Forex ampl e,s omes uppl ier
ss ellthre
emo del ine-to-ne utral TVSSwi thnoc o mmo nmo depr otec t
ionf orappl ic
ati
on
attheservic ee ntranceo nat hreepha seWy ee lec t
ri
ca l
s ervi
ce .Whe nahi t(suc ha sf roml i
ght ning)c ome sino nallthr eepha sesa ndthe
neutral
wi ref r
o mt hepo l
e-mo untedt rans f
o rme r,somepr ot
ec ti
oni spr o
v i
de dbyt hist hreemo del ine-to-ne utralonlyT VSS. Be c
aus ethe
vit
alli
ne-to-gro unda ndne ut ral-
to-gro undpr otec t
ionismi ssing,thisr educ edmo depr otect
ions che mec ana ctuallya ll
owe quipme ntto
beda mage d, whi chits houldha vepr ote ct
e d. Withahi to nallthreepha sesa ndne ut ral
,thet hreel ine-to-ne utralprote cti
o nc i
rcuitsfir
e
anddumpt het ransiento ntot hene utra l
bus s.Addi t
iona l
ly
,thet ransiento nt hene utralbus sa ppe arswi thnopr otectionc ircuit
ryt o
contr
olitandhe adsf orthegr o undr odbypa s si
ngt hrought hegr ound- to-neut raljumpe rint hepa ne l.
T het ransientsf romt het hre e
phasesha vea ls obe endumpe do nt ot hene utralbus sa ndarehe adedf orthegr oundr odbypa ssingt hrought hene utralbus stot he
neutral
-to-groundpa neljumpe rtothegr oundbus sa ndo uttot hegr oundr od. Thene teffecto fthisr educ edmo depr otections che meis
thati
tcreate sagr ound- t
o -
ne ut r
altrans ientpo t
e nti
alshi f
torgr oundbo unc e.T hisgr oundbo unc ec ande stroys ens i
tivee qui pme nt.The
groundbo unc ei sc reatedwhe nthes ur gec ur r
ent sfromt het hreepha s
e sa nd/o rne utralpasst hr ought hene ut r
al-to-gro undbo nding
str
apint hepa ne l
.Ifat ot
a l
s ur gecur rento f12, 000a mps( 3,000a mpspo we rpha sea nd3, 000a mpso nne utral
)a nda n8x20
Microsecondpul ses ha pepa s sesthro ughabus sbo ndings trapwi tha ninduc tanc eo f0.1mi c rohe nrie
s( equi val
e ntt oa bout4i nc hesof
bondings trapl ength) ,weha vec re
a tedagr o undbo unc eof:

Gro
undBounce=Ldi
/dt,
whe r
eL=0.1x10-6henr
ies
,di=12,
000a
mps
,
anddt=8x10-6seco
nds
=(0.1x10-
6henr
ie
s)(
12,000amps
)(8x10-
6s e
conds)
=150vol
ts

Thi
s150v ol
tsbe t
we engr ounda ndne utr
alismo rethane no ught odestroys e
ns i
ti
velowv olt
ageintegr
atedcirc
uitswhicha refr
eque nt
ly
ref
ere
nc edtothegr oundbus s.
Reducedmo deTVSSde s
igns ,whi chpr ovideonlyl ine-t
o -neut ra
l prot
ection,arealsocapableofproduci
ngl i
ne-t
o -
li
netransi
e nt
swhi le
oper
ati
ng .Suppo sethatli
ght ninginduc es10,000- vol
ttrans i
e ntso nall
thr eeincomingpha sewiresofathreephaseWy es yste
m. Si
nc ei
t
i
simpo ssi
bletogua ranteet hata l
lthreeo fthesei ncomingt r
a nsientswilla r
riv
ea texact
lythesamet imeandi nphaseands inceitis
i
mpo ssibl
etogua ranteetha tallthreepha se-to-ne utr
als uppr essioncircuitswi l
lact
ivat
es i
multaneousl
y,onepha se-
to-neutr
a l
suppressi
onc ir
cuitwillactivatebe f
o retheo t
hert wo .Thus ,ifpha seAa ctivatesfi
rst,i
twil
lreducethetransie
ntv ol
ta
gef r
ompha seAt o
neutr
altoitslet
-throughv oltage. F
o rex a
mpl e,we llas
s umet hislet-t
hroughi s1,000v ol
ts.Now, t
hev o
lt
a gedisposi
ti
ono nthethree
phasesis:
1.PhaseAt one utr
al(atlet-throughv ol
tage)-1, 000v olts
2.PhaseBt one utr
al(hasnta cti
v a
te dy et
)=10, 000v olts
3.PhaseCt one utr
al(hasnta cti
v a
te dy et
)-10, 000v ol
ts
Thi
sreduc edmo deT VSSha sc r
e at
edne wt ra
ns i
e ntv o
ltage ss hownbe l
o w:
4.PhaseAt oPha seB( 10,000V-1, 000V=9, 000V)=9, 000V
5.PhaseAt oPha seC( 10,000V-1, 000V=9, 000V)=9, 000V
Addit
ional
ly,asthes urgec urrentsfrompha sesA, B,andCf lowf romt hepha s
e stoneutr
alandthroughthene utral
-t
o-groundbo nding
str
ap,t
he ycreategroundbo unc etrans i
entproble msa se x pl
a i
ne da bove.
Ma nyo therr e
duc edmo deT VSSde si
gnsi nc l
udei ndependenta nddi scretes uppr essioncircuit
ryf romne ut ral
-to-groundT hisde sign
prov i
de sf ourmo de sofdis t
incta ndinde pe nde ntpr ot
ecti
onc ircuitryf orat hre epha seWy es ervice. Whi l
et hea dditiono fthe
ground- to-neut ralsuppre ssionc i
rcuit
ryi mpr o vespe r
formanc ebyr e duc inggr oundbo uncet othel et-throughl evelofthec i
rcuitryitdoes
notc o ntrolit.
Addi t
ionall
y, t
hisne utral
-to-gr ounds uppressi
o nc ir
c uitryiss ubj ecttoinc r
eas edwe ara ndt ear.Thene ut r
al-to-ground
tr
a ns i
e ntswi l
l us ethiscircuitrye x
c l
usively.T hepha s
e-to-
ne ut ra
l trans i
e ntc ur r
entswi lldivi
dede pe ndingupo nt hes urgei mpe da nceor
highf r
e que ncyi mpe danc ethe ys e
el oo
k i
ngba ckt owardtothegr ound- to-ne ut r
albo ndings tra
pi nt hepa ne l
.Itistobee xpe ctedtha ta
portiono fthene utral
-to-groundt ransientc urre ntwi l
lfl
owt hro ught hene utra l
-to-groundpr otectionc i
rcuitry.Thus ,thi
sl egiso ftent he
we ak es tli
nkint histypeo fs uppressorde s i
gn.
Cons ide radi scre t
ea l
lmo deSi neTame r
pr oduc tforathreepha seWy es erv i
c e.ThisSine Tamerpr oduc tpr o
v i
de s10i ndiv i
dua land
distinc tsetso fs uppress i
o nc i
rcuit
rybe twe ena llcombinati
o nso ft hec o nduc tor
s .Li
ne -t
o-ne utr
a l
,line -t
o- ground, li
ne -
to -
line,and
neut ral-to-groundpr otectionispr ovi
ded. If10, 000v o
lttr
ans i
e ntsa ppe a ro npha sesA, B,a ndCt hel ine -t
o -neutralandl ine-to-ground
ci
rc uitrya ctiv
a tebo ndingne utralandgr oundt ot helet-
throughv olta geo ft hec ir
cuitry.Ne utr
ala ndgr ounda r
eno wa tthes amepo t
e nt
ia
l
sot hepo tenti
a ldiffer
enc ebe twe enthemi s0v ol
tswhi chme a nsnogr oundbo unc ea ndnot rans i
entc urrentflowc ausingda ma ge.
Addi tiona l
l
y ,t
hes urgec urrentdi vi
desbe twe ent hediscret
ea ndi nde pe nde ntc i
rcuit
r yfroml i
ne-to- ne utr
a landl i
ne -
to -
gr ound. Roughl y
halft hes urgec urrents(itdividesbe twe ent hel ine-to
-neutral andl ine -
to -gro undpr otecti
o nc i
rcuitry)f l
owt hrought hel i
ne -t
o -
ne utral
andl ine -to-grounds uppr essionc i
rcuit
swhi c hme ansapprox ima telyha lfo fthehe atisge neratedint heline -t
o-ne utraland
l
ine -to-gr o
unds uppressio nc i
rcuit
ryins t
e ado fallofi
tinar educ e dmo deT VSS.

Withar e
duc edmo deTVSS,all
oftheheatandwe a
ra ndtearappearsintheli
ne-to
-neutr
a lci
rcui
try.Wit
hdiscre
teall
mo deprote
c t
io
n,t
he
workisspreada r
oundf o
rgreate
rrel
iabi
li
ty,
lesshea t
ingpe rmode,buil
tinredundancy,
a nde xcept
ionall
i
fe.Andwithdiscr
eteallmode
prot
ectio
nt heneutral
-t
o-gro
undpr ot
ecti
onwillcontrolanytra
nsie
nt swhichappearinthismo de.Supposethesuppressi
oncirc
uitr
yfor
phaseAa ctiv
atesfir
st.
Thiswill
causetheli
ne-to-l
inepro t
ecti
onci
rcuitr
ytoa ct
iva
tecontroll
i
ngt heli
ne-t
o -
li
netra
nsientvo
ltageswhil
e
theotherprotec
ti
onmo desac t
iv
ateasrequir
edt otot
a l
l
yc ontr
olt
het ra
nsientact
ivi
ty
.Onlydi s
c r
eteall
mo deprot
ecti
oniscapableof
provi
dingthepr o
tecti
ontoday
ssensiti
veandv i
talel
e c
tronicsy
stemsne ed.
Whe nav endorprovi
deslet
-thr
oughv ol
tagesf
o ral
lmo deo nadatas heet
,doesthi
sme ant heunitisadiscr
eteal
lmo dedesi
gn?

No ,andt hiscaus esal otofc onfusiona mo nge ngineersa ndbuy ers.F orat hreepha seWy es yst
em, themi nimumnumbe rofdiscr
e t
e
protectionc i
rcuitstopro duc eallmo delet-throughv ol
ta ge sisfour.Fo re xa
mpl e,BrandXpr ovi
despr otecti
onf r
oml i
ne-to-neutra
l(thre
e
mo de s
)a ndne ut ra
l-to-
gr ound( onemo de)fo ratota
l offo urmo des. Bra ndXha stheuni tte
s t
edline-to-neutralandreportsthelet
- t
hrough
forthismo de.Thel et
-throughr e
sultsfromt hesurgec ur rentpulsepa ss i
ngt hrought hediscret
eline -
to-neutralci
rcui
try.BrandXha sthe
unittes t
edf orli
ne -t
o -l
i
nel e t
-through.T hi
st imethet es tpul s
et ra
v elsf ro
mpha seAt one utrala
ndba cktopha seB. Notethatthereisno
direct,disti
ncta ndinde pende ntline-to-li
nepr ote
c t
ion. Thus ,foraline -to-
linehit,suppr e
ss i
onc i
rcuit
rymus tdodo ubleduty.BrandX
getsanumbe rtor eportint hei
rma r
k e
tingl i
terat
urebutt hepubl icisn ttol
dwha tha ppened. Next,BrandXha stheunittested
l
ine -
to-gro und.T hi
st i
met het e s
tpul setrave l
sthrought hel i
ne-to-ne utralsuppr e
ssionc i
rcuitandt henthrought hene utr
al-to
-ground
suppr essionc i
rcuit.Again, BrandXge t
sanumbe rfort hema rketi
ngl iterat
ur e,butwo ntte
llyouho w. Justasf o
urga l
lonso fgasoli
ne
wo ntdot hewo rko fl0.Fourmo deso fprotec ti
onwo ntdot hewo rko f10mo des.Fourisno tequalto10. Sincebyi ndustrys t
andardswe
onlyt e
s tonemo dea tat i
me ,i
tisrelat
ivelye asyforaT VSSma nufactur ertoc onfusethepubl icbypr ovidi
ngda tawhi chse e
mst oindicate
thepr esenc eoftruea llmo depr ot
e cti
on.

Wha
tar
ethebe
nef
it
sofdi
scr
etea
llmo
depr
ote
cti
on?Whyc
hoo
sedi
scr
etea
llmo
depr
ote
cti
on?

Discr
e t
ea llmodepro t
ect
ionistheonlythingthatwo rks
Discr
e t
ea llmodepro t
ect
ionisma ndator
ya tpane l
sandbr anchpa nelsser
vings e
nsiti
veorvit
alel
ect
roni
cs y
stemsa ndshouldbeus
ed
i
nc onjunc t
ionwi tht
heT o
talPro
tecti
onNe twork.Thisistheo nlypr ot
ecti
onme t
ho dthatcancont
rolt
ransi
entvolt
ages(andthei
r
tr
ans i
entc urr
ents)noma tt
erwha tmo de,o
rmo de s,t
heyo ccuro n.And, doi
twithoutma ki
ngma tt
ersworsebycreat
inggroundbounc
eor
al
lowingl argetransi
entvol
tagediff
erenti
al
st ooccuront hemo de swhi charenotdire
c t
lyprot
ect
edwithindiv
idualanddiscr
ete
prot
e c
tionc ir
cuit
ry.
Becauset hereisnos ubst
it
utefordoingitri
ght,thereisnos ubs ti
tutefordi
scret
ea l
lmo deprot
ect
ion.
And, mostpeoplef
indtheyr
eal
l
y
dontneedt opa ymoretogetthek i
ndo fprot
ectionthatwo r
ks. Doi tr
ightwithSineTa
me r.