LIGHTNING ARRESTER

1.It is an equipment used on power systems above 1000v to protect other equipment from
lightning and switching surges.

WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY DO

•It Does not Absorb the Lightning

•It Does not Stop the Lightning

•It Does Divert the Lightning to Ground

•It Does Clamp (limit) the Voltage produced by the Lightning

•It Only protects equipment electrically in parallel with it.

Lightning Rods are devices that divert lightning surges to ground, they are
simple conductive terminals that are always at ground potential and are never
energized.
TYPES
1.GAPPED ARRESTERS
2.NON-GAPPED ARRESTERS

1.GAPPED ARRESTERS
1.SiC uses nonlinear resistors composed of bonded silicon carbide placed in series
with gaps.

2.The gaps function to isolate the resistors from the normal steady-state system
voltage.

3.These gaps are its main disadvantage as complicated designs are needed to
guarantee a reliable spark-over level positive clearing after a transient event.
2.NON-GAPPED ARRESTERS
1.Gradually Metal Oxide Varistors began to replace Silicon Carbides for arrester applications.

2.MOV surge arresters make use of zinc-oxide blocks to provide the best performance and
superior protection, as surge voltage conduction starts and stops quickly at a precise voltage
level.

3.These arresters are without gaps (gapless), unlike the SiC arrester.

4.This design eliminates the high heat associated with the arcing discharges and as a result,
failures are minimized as there is no air gap contamination. Subsequently, a small but
negligible value of leakage current is present when normal voltage is applied.

5.The MOV arrester has become pre ferrable because of its simplicity and relatively lower
cost.
 METAL OXIDE (ZnO) LIGHTNING ARRESTER

1.Now a days , most commonly used arrester

is zinc oxide lightning arrester.

2.This consists of ZnO disks arranged in a stack

like pattern inside. These metal oxide (MOV)
disks are Semiconductor that is sensitive to Voltage.

3. At normal Voltages the MOV disk is an insulator

and will not conduct current. But at higher voltages
caused by lightning it becomes a conductor.

4. The MOV Disk is a very fast acting electronic

switch .It is an open switch to standard system
AC voltages and a closed switch to lightning
voltages .
5. By magnifying the MOV material 5000 times,
Metal Oxide Grains and Dopants in the material
can be discerned’

6. Each MOV Disk with a 35mm diameter and

a 35mm height contains about 28 Billion
MOV Grains .

7. The MOV Grains and their Junctions are the

Electronic Switches that turn on and off in
unison to divert the lightning around the equipment.
Magnified view of a MOV
8. A lightning arrester is essentially a collection of billions of microscopic junctions
of Metal Oxide Grains that turn on and off in microseconds to form a current path
from the top terminal to the ground terminal of the arrester.
 operating principles of Metal oxide arrester

1. The Voltages that appear in a high voltage electrical power system, are given in per unit of
Peak value of the highest continuous phase to earth voltage.
2.1p.u=root 2*system voltage/root 3.
3.The time axis is divided into 4 parts as shown in the above figure.

4.The over voltage which can be reached without use of arresters far more than with stand
Voltage of the equipment.

5.So the equipment insulation can not withstand the occuring di-electric stresses.
At this point arrester intervenes.

6.While in operation,voltage that develope at the terminal Of the device, while mantaining
an adequate safty margin, will stay below the withstand Voltage.
7.The distinctive feature of MO resistos is it’s extremely non linear V-I characteristics,rendering
Unnecessary disconnection of resistors from the line through serial spark gaps as found in arresters
With SiC resistors.

8.The current passing through the arrester with in the range of possibly applied power frequency
voltages are so small that the arrester almost behaves like an insulator.

9. If in a case, surge current in the range of kiloamperes are injected into the arrester
(during lightning ),then the resulting voltage across it’s terminal will remain low enough to
protect the insulation of associated equipment.
10.The V-I characteristics of it is explained below.

This figure is for a solidly earthed neutral 420kv system.

11.
CONSRTUCTIVE DESIGN OF MO ARRESTERS

1.As there is no need for serial gaps which were mandatory for the gapped SiC arresters;
Has simplified the design MO arresters.

2.The MO Resistors have to be (a)ageing resistant while being subjected to constantly applied
operating voltage.
(b)They must be able to absorve energy injected during a
discharge.
(c)They should subsequently limit the leakage current; small
enough for thermally stable operation.
Cross section of a porcelin housed MO Arrester
3.MO Resistors vary in height between 20mm to 45mm.Grater the height, harder it is to
achieve sufficient homoginity of the resistor material.

4.But it decides most of all upon the energy absorption capability.

5.Let the height of a disk be 45mm.

The residual voltage be 280v/mm.

6.Inorder to achieve a lightning impulse protective level of 823kv ,66 resistors have to be
stacked in series on top of each other.

7.Since the resulting height of MO resistor column of almost 3 meters could not be contained
in a single unit ,the arrester would consist of 2 units in series.

8. The length of the active part is fitted to the housing length of the unit by means of
metallic spacers. In the simplest cases these are aluminium tubes with end covers in
order to achieve an evenly distributed contact pressure.

9. Sometimes, however, massive aluminium parts are inserted, which at the same time serve as
heat sinks, thereby in increasing the thermal energy absorption capability of the arresters.
10. Several supporting rods out of FRP (fiber-glass reinforced plastic) material encircle the
MO resistor column like a cage.
11. Holding plates – also out of FRP – additionally provided at regular intervals, prevent the
supporting rods from being bent apart.
12. A strong compression spring which is attached to the upper end of the column, braces
the active part in the housing.
13. porcelain was used for the arrester housing. The ends of the housing are equipped with
aluminium flanges2 which are applied with the help of cement.