Development of a Low-Energy Mobile Current Waveform Impulse Generator for Application in Low Voltage Surge Arresters

HIGHLIGHTS

• Development of a laboratory with a low-energy, mobile current waveform impulse generator.

• The goal is of this laboratory is for conducting aging tests on low-voltage zinc oxide surge arresters.

• The current waveform impulses are sufficient to induce degradation in the electrical parameters of the tested surge arresters.

• Results of testing performed on new ZnO surge arrester samples.

Abstract

Surge arresters are at the forefront of protection against voltage surges. The loss of the protective effect of surge arresters imposes accidents and unplanned shutdowns on the power system. It directly affects the interruption of power supplies and imposes fines on service providers. Monitoring and diagnostics in the lightning rod field require studies and work that present the degradation behaviour of surge arresters to help develop and improve existing techniques. This paper presents the development of a laboratory with a low-energy, mobile current waveform impulse generator. It allows for conducting aging tests by applying discharges to low-voltage zinc oxide surge arresters used in the energy distribution sector. Samples of surge arresters were subjected to the discharges produced by the developed generator, and they exhibited degradation, thus showing asymmetry between the positive and negative half-cycles of leakage current.

Keywords:
Metal oxide varistor; impulse current discharge; accelerated ageing; surge arrester degradation