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P R O D U C T OV E R V I E W

Metal-oxide surge arresters

Protection for medium-voltage systems,
traction and gas-insulated switchgear
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ABB produces metal-oxide surge
arresters for different applications
such as traction and railway,
distribution networks, industrial
applications, cable protection,
switchgear and others.
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Table of contents

Surge arresters for medium-voltage

systems 4

Surge arresters for AC traction systems 8

Surge arresters for DC traction systems 10

Surge arresters for high-voltage

gas-insulated switchgear 12

Monitoring systems for surge arresters 14

Voltage limiting device to protect

against impermissible ‘touch’ voltage 15

Design and testing – quality in a

foreground 1
4 PRODUC T OVE RVI E W SURGE A RRESTER S

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Surge arresters
for medium-voltage systems
The protection of medium-voltage systems is not limited to protection of
transformers. Electrical equipment such as generators, motors, overhead lines,
capacitors, cables and cable sheath also require their own surge arresters.

Overvoltages in electrical supply systems result from the In fact, all electrical equipment and installations in high-­
­effects of lightning incidents and switching actions and voltage and medium-voltage systems need overvoltage
cannot be avoided. They endanger the electrical equipment ­protection. In particular, the following equipment needs
because, for economic reasons, the insulation cannot be protection:
­designed to withstand all possible cases.
• Transformers
The aim of overvoltage protection is to guarantee an • Cables and cable sheaths
­uninterrupted supply of electrical energy with high voltage • Capacitors and capacitor banks
stability to the greatest degree possible. Therefore, the • Overhead lines
costs for a set of surge arresters are not the primarily • Rotating machines (motors and generators)
­consideration, but the costs that may arise on a long-term • Power electronics
basis if adequate overvoltage protection is not used. • Coils and line traps
• Traction equipment (rolling stock and power supply)
Overvoltage protection that is accurately ap­plied reduces: AC and DC
• Outages of lines and substations
• Interruptions of critical manufacturing pro­cesses that
­demand high voltage stability
• Costs due to interruptions in the energy supply
• Costs for the replacement and repair of electri­cal
equipment
• Ageing of the insulation (e.g. cables)
• Maintenance work
 S U R G E A R R E S T E R S F O R M E D I U M - V O LTA G E S Y S T E M S 5

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ABB’s Surge Arresters
Modern metal-oxide surge arresters with direct silicone molding
cover most requirements. In recent decades, they have proved to be the
most reliable protection elements in the system.

The surge arresters limit harmful overvoltages, which are
generated in the network by lightning strikes or switching
actions and thereby improve the availability and security of
the power supply. The surge arresters fulfill special require-
ments regarding ambient conditions, energy handling capa-
bility, protection levels and stability of service.
The left column of the selection table lists the various fields
of application or protected equipment. The recommended
arresters for those applications are marked with black dots
in the respective rows.

This product overview is intended to facilitate selection of

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the suitable arrester based on application examples. Additional applications and solutions
not mentioned in this overview are also
How to use the selection tables
The surge arresters are grouped by IEC class and application
possible.
group. In the upper part of the table under each group, you To know more: abb.com/arrestersonline
can find basic technical information. The lower section is a
selection table, where you can find application recommen-
dations for each of ABB’s surge arresters.
6 PRODUC T OVE RVI E W SURGE A RRESTER S

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Surge arresters
for medium-voltage systems

POLIM-D MWK POLIM-K POLIM-I..N POLIM-S..N POLIM-H..N

Maximum system voltage Us , kV 1) 52 52 52 72 72 72
Continuous operating voltage Uc , kV 4-36 4-44 4-44 4-44 4-44 4-44
Rated voltage Ur , kV 5-45 5-55 5-55 5-55 5-55 5-55
Arrester class 2) DH SL SL SL SM SH
Specified short-term load, Nm 207 153 250 2240 3840 4000
Rated short-circuit current, kA rms 20 20 50 40 50 63
Repetitive charge transfer Qrs , As 0.5 1.6 1.0 1.6 2.0 2.4

Recommended applications:
Distribution transformers, pole mounted
transformers ● ●
Arc furnace transformer, power transformer ● ●
Overhead lines ● ● ●
Air-insulated switchgear ● ●
Reactors, PLC traps, other MV equipment ●
Capacitor banks, filters ● ● ●
MV Cable and cable termination ● ● ●
Motors and generators ● ● ●

1)  For neutral arresters can be used in systems with higher system voltage
2)  According to IEC 60099-4. The arrester classes correspond to the line discharge classes as follows: DH-class 1, SL - class 2, SM - class 3, SH - class 4 and 5.
 S U R G E A R R E S T E R S F O R M E D I U M - V O LTA G E S Y S T E M S 7

POLIM-D..PI MWD POLIM-C..N POLIM-C..LB POLIM-R..N MVR

Maximum system voltage Us , kV 1) 52 52 7.5 52 1 1
Continuous operating voltage Uc , kV 4-42 4-44 0.9-7.5 2.3-4.8 0.11-0.78 0.44-6.6
Rated voltage Ur , kV 5-52.5 5-55 1.13-9.38 2.88-6.0 0.11-0.78 0.56-8.3
Arrester class 2) DH SL SL SL Special Special

Recommended applications:
Air-insulated switchgear ●
Gas-insulated switchgear ●
HV cable sheath ● ● ●
Power electronics ● ● ●
Secondary equipment ● ● ●
Motor ● ● ●

1)  For neutral arresters can be used in systems with higher system voltage
2)  According to IEC 60099-4. The arrester classes correspond to the line discharge classes as follows: DH-class 1, SL - class 2, SM - class 3, SH - class 4 and 5.
8 PRODUC T OVE RVI E W SURGE A RRESTER S

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Surge arresters
for AC traction systems
ABB offers a complete range of metal-oxide
surge arresters for AC traction systems, intended for
fixed installations and rolling stock.

These arresters fulfil especially high electrical and mecha­ —

nical requirements for application in traction systems.
Their installation increases the availability and security of
To know more about ABB’s portfolio
the power supply and the railway service too. offering for railways, please visit
The arresters can be installed in the systems with voltage
abb.com/railway
frequency of 15 to 62 Hz, thus they are suitable both for
­rolling stock and for fixed installations (infrastructure).

Surge arresters pass severe shock and vibration type tests

which allow them to be installed on the top of high-speed
trains.

The fire and smoke safety tests are performed to ensure

the best fire safety.

We offer to surge arresters various types of accessories

that allow solid installation on a locomotive to avoid too
high vibrations and stress.
 SURGE ARRESTERS FOR AC TR AC TION SYSTEMS 9

POLIM-I..N POLIM-S..N POLIM-H..N POLIM-C..N POLIM-R..N

Continuous operating voltage Uc , kV 4-44 4-44 4-44 0.9-7.5 0.11-0.78
Rated voltage Ur , kVrms 5-55 5-55 5-55 1.13-9.38 0.11-0.78
Arrester class SL SM SH SL Special
Repetitive charge transfer Qrs , As 1.6 2.0 2.4 1.6 Special
Rated thermal energy W th , kJ/kV (Ur) 5.0 8.0 12.0 5.0 12.0 or 24.0

Recommended applications:
Rolling stock ● ● ●
High speed trains ● ●
Fixed installation ● ● ● ●
Power electronics and other secondary equipment ● ●
10 PRODUC T OVE RVI E W SURGE A RRESTER S

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Surge arresters
for DC traction systems
ABB’s metal-oxide surge arresters for DC traction
systems are developed and tested with reference to
IEC 62848-1 and EN 50526-1.

The standards specifically address metal-oxide surge

­arresters without gaps for application in DC traction
­systems up to 3 kV nominal voltage.

Additionally the arresters fulfill the requirements for A1/A2

arresters according to the VDV recommendation 525:
• A1 – overvoltage protection of equipment connected to
traction supply voltage
• A2 – overvoltage protection for apparatus connected to
the running rails

To ensure the mechanical integrity of the MO surge arrester

and the stiffness of the silicone housing under extreme wind
loads, MO surge arresters were subjected to aerodynamic
forces in a wind tunnel test. This proves that the MO surge
arrest­ers for application on rolling stock can be used with-
out restrictions on high-speed trains.

POLIM-C..HD POLIM-C..ND POLIM-R..ND POLIM-H..ND

DC class DC-A DC-A DC-B DC-B
Nominal system voltage Un , kV
   10 0.6-3.0 0.6-3.0 0.6-3.0 0.6-3.0
Continuous operating voltage Uc , kV   10 1.0-4.7 0.56-4.7 0.14-1.0 1.0-4.7
Energy withstand capability W, kJ/kV 4.5 4.5 9.5 or 19 9.5

Recommended applications:
Rolling stock ● ● ●
High speed trains ●
Fixed installation A1 function ● ● ●
Fixed installation A2 function ● ● ●
Power electronics and other secondary equipment ● ● ●
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To know more about ABB’s
portfolio offering for railways,
please visit abb.com/railway

POLIM-H..SD POLIM-X..ND POLIM 4,5 ID

DC-B DC-C DC-C
0.6-3.0 0.6-3.0 0.6-3.0
0.14-4.2 1.0-4.7 4.5
9.5 28 45

● ● ●
●
● ●
●
12 PRODUC T OVE RVI E W SURGE A RRESTER S

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Surge arresters
for high-voltage gas-insulated switchgear
ABB is a leading manufacturer of surge arresters for high-voltage gas-insula­ted
switchgear (HV GIS). The special design with high-field metal-oxide resistors
allows reduction of the size of surge arresters and the amount of SF6 inside.

Surge arresters are used to protect the insulation of

­gas-­insulated switchgear and the connecting cables and
transformers against all kinds of transient lightning and
switching overvoltages.

The high-field MO resistors used in ABB’s GIS surge arrest-

ers ensure their compactness, which is a major feature for
HV GIS. These surge arresters are designed and type-tested
according to IEC 62271-203 and IEC 60099-4.
 S U R G E A R R E S T E R S F O R H I G H - V O LTA G E G A S - I N S U L AT E D S W I TC H G E A R 13

AZ04E AZ041 AZ14D/E AZ14F/G AZ32M 1) AZ32H

ABB GIS product ELK-04C ELK-04 ELK-14C ELK-14 ELK-3C ELK-3
Class (acc. to IEC 60099-4) SM-SH SM-SH SM-SH SM-SH SH SH
Maximum system voltage Us , kV 145 170 245 300 420 550
Continuous operating voltage Uc , kV 58-96 125-173 58-173 58-202 211-317 288-374
Rated voltage Ur , kV 72-120 156-216 72-216 72-252 264-396 360-468

Phases per enclosure 3 3 1 1 1 1

1)
Also available with an oil/SF6 bushing for direct mounting on power transformers.

GIS surge arrester internal design

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1 Enclosure
2 Grading electrode
3 Metal oxide resistor discs
4 Bushing for leakage current measure-
3 ment and surge monitoring

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Uc > 116 kV To know more about ABB’s port-
folio offering for HV GIS, please
visit abb.com/high-voltage/gis
14 PRODUC T OVE RVI E W SURGE A RRESTER S

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Monitoring systems
for surge arrester
Apart from the surge arresters portfolio ABB offers the monitoring
systems to monitor the leakage current during normal operation and
register surge current pulses.

SAM 3.0 is capable of sensitively registering surges from
lightning and switching in combination with total leakage
current. The values are shown digitally on an electronic
­display. It consists of a current sensor with selectable cable
lengths and a display device which can be mounted apart
from the arrester.
ABB Ability™ Wireless Monitor for surge arrester is a condi-
tion monitoring solution that makes predictive maintenance
possible for almost all high- and medium-voltage surge
­arresters.
By monitoring and analyzing data of leakage current and
overvoltage discharge currents, it enables substation and
grid operators to optimize maintenance. The solution helps
to reduce downtime, increase grid reliance and reduce
­maintenance costs.

Surge arresters monitoring systems SAM 3.0 ABB AbilityTM Wireless Monitor

Climatic conditions Sealed water-tight design, IP65 Sealed water-tight design, IP67
Surge current amplitude measurement, kA Classification of surge current amplitude 0.1-100
in three classes: 0.1-1/1-10/10-100
Measurement range of leakage current (mA peak) 0-20 mA 0-12 mA
Memory capacity 2000 events One month on device, unlimited in the cloud
Power supply Battery Battery (recharges through solar panel)
Communication Display Wireless monitor: transmission of
measurements via LoRaWAN to the cloud

Additional features SAM sensor galvanically isolated from Measurement of humidity and ambient
(display can be mounted apart from temperature
surge arrester) Registering time-stamp of event
Registering time-stamp of event

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To know more about ABB’s
portfolio offering for monitoring
systems, please visit
abb.com/arrestersonline
 V O LTA G E L I M I T I N G D E V I C E A G A I N S T ‘ TO U C H ’ V O LTA G E 15

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Voltage limiting device
to protect against impermissible
‘touch’ voltage
The voltage limiting device is represented with hybrid voltage limiter (HVL),
which is available in two arrangements, limiting the voltage up to 60 V
and up to 120 V.

Impermissible ‘touch’ voltages can occur in DC traction The HVL limits ‘touch’ voltages regardless of whether they
­systems between track systems (return conductors) and are purely DC or mixed voltages (both DC and AC voltages)
earthed metal structures, as the track systems are laid to the permissible limit values defined for railway installa-
insulated. tions, workshops and other locations.

The hybrid voltage limiters (HVL) protect against electric

shock.

Type HVL-60 HVL-120

Normal triggering voltage, V 60 120

DC short-time withstand current at 100 ms - recoverable, kA 2.1 2.1
DC short-time withstand current at 100 ms - non-recoverable, kA 20 20
Discharge current In , kA 25 25
High current impulse with wave 8/20 µs, As 80 80
High current impulse with wave 10/350 µs, As 12 12
16 PRODUC T OVE RVI E W SURGE A RRESTER S
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Design and testing –
quality in a foreground
With surge arresters of ABB you buy a complete solution to
overvoltages in your network.
— Being manufactured “under one roof” ABB’s resistors and
As a technology pioneer, ABB plays
a leading role in the development and
production of surge arresters; from
strategic supplies and quality audits of
all sub-suppliers through to production
and testing of metal-oxide resistors and
surge arresters.
surge arresters are under constant supervision by the
­quality department. The surge arresters are designed at
ABB’s local and global technology centers and conform to
the latest standards.
Basic research, continuous improvement and active parti­
cipation and compliance with international organizations,
such as IEC, CENELEC and Cigré ensure that ABB leads in the
field of overvoltage protection. A more detailed overview
about applications of ABB’s surge arresters can be found in
the Application guidelines for overvoltage protection.
Cooperation with other ABB units worldwide is a key factor
for continuous improvement. Meeting new challenges within
the industry enables us to offer complete solutions to the
customer.
With research and testing facilities located inside the fac-
tory premises, ABB Wettingen can perform additional tests
according to the customer’s requirements and thereby
­guarantee the best performance of its products through
their lifetime.
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In ABB we value quality and
customer satisfaction. Therefore,
we perform thorough tests on
our products and components.
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Additional information
The information given in this document
inclusive of all illustrations covers key
technical data and application options.
We reserve the right to make technical
changes or modify the contents of this
document without prior notice. With
regard to purchase orders, the agreed
particulars shall prevail. ABB does not
accept any responsibility whatsoever for
potential errors or possible lack of infor-
mation in this document. We reserve all
rights in this document and in the sub-
ject matter and illus-trations contained
therein. Any reproduction, disclosure to
third parties or utilization of its con-
tents – in whole or in parts – is forbidden
without prior written consent of ABB.
Copyright © 2019 ABB
All rights reserved
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ABB Switzerland Ltd.
High Voltage Products
Surge Arresters
Jurastrasse 45
CH-5430 Wettingen/Switzerland
Phone +41 58 585 29 11
E-Mail sales.sa@ch.abb.com

abb.com/arrestersonline

1HC0075750 AG EN

© Copyright 2019 ABB. All rights reserved.

Specifications subject to change without notice.