Paper accepted for presentation at 2003 IEEE Bologna Power Tech Conference, June 23th-26th, Bologna, Italy

Towards the Overvoltage Protection by Modern ZnO Surge Arresters

W. Schmidt, M. Brizzi, B. Richter, H. Gramespacher
ABB Switzerland Ltd

Abstract - Polymeric materials are used for the insulation of metal oxide (MO) surge arresters for medium and high voltage systems. He advantage of the MO-material and the polymeric materials, especially silicon, can be combined to get new apparatus and solutions for overvoltage protection. Starting with the established well known design of the directly in silicon moulded MO-surge arresters further developments to improve the overvoltage protection are introduced. One solution is the use of line arresters (combination of arrester and support insulator) in medium and high voltage systems. Another solution could be the combination of transformer bushings (medium voltage transformers) with MO-surge arresters. In this case the MO-material (sintered ceramic) is arranged concentric around the transformer bushing, in one silicon housing. This provides optimal protection, because the distance between the arrester and the bushing is practically zero. Arrester designs adopted to specific equipment give optimized protection as well. Examples are plug-in arresters for encapsulated medium voltage substations and special MO-surge arresters for cable and cable sheath protection. Completely new solutions are possible using sintered microvaristors, which are mixed into the silicon. This composite material can be used for overvoltage protection as well as for field grading purposes, for instance in cable end bushings. Examples and prototypes of the mentioned solutions are shown. Index terms MO-surge arrester, silicon, microvaristors, composite material, integrated solutions.

level of the MO-surge arresters, and the very reliable and mechanical strong design of modern MO-surge arresters with silicon housings, new solutions can be realized, and new applications can be discussed.

Figure 1. The rated lightning impulse wave level (RLIWL) and the lightning impulse protection level (LIPL) in relation to the peak value of the system voltage.

I. INTRODUCTION The well known basic rules for insulation co-ordination are given in IEC EN 60071. Two philosophies of insulation co-ordination are discussed. A traditional one, oriented on the withstand capabilities of the insulation arrangements (electrical field strength), and an other one, based on the probability of the insulation breakdown (statistical approach). The insulation co-ordination also distinguishes between inner and outer co-ordination. The margin between the guaranteed and tested values of the rated lightning impulse wave level (RLIWL) and the max. voltage of the system can be considered as the safety margin, with respect to the insulation. Figure 1 gives a principle overview. It is clearly to be seen, that the margin becomes the smaller the higher the system voltage is. Due to the very good protection
ABB Switzerland Ltd Jurastrasse 45, CH-5430 Wettingen

A major issue in overvoltage protection is the protective distance of the surge arresters. As a general rule of thumb can be said, that the distance between the MO-surge arrester and the equipment to be protected should be as short and straight as possible. In Figure 2 a simplified formula is given for the calculation of the acceptable distance between the MO-surge arrester and the protected equipment. Therefore, it is obvious, that the integration of the MO-surge arrester in the equipment to be protected gives almost an ideal protection. Even if it is not possible to bring the MO-arrester in the equipment to be protected, a installation very close to the equipment brings very good results, too. Some examples are given in the following. In some cases the design of the MO-arresters is adopted to the protected equipment. Additional to the classical application of MO-surge arresters for different applications a new use of MO-material is coming up. As long as MO-material can be produced with a very exact characteristic, even in form of microvaristors (powder), an application for field grading is possible.

0-7803-7967-5/03/$17.00 2003 IEEE

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= Protection range [m] = Basic Insulation Level of apparatus (eg transformer) [kV] = Protection level of arrester [kV] = Steepness of surge (~ 1200 [kV/s]) = Velocity of wave propagation overhead line ~ 300 m/s cable ~ 150 m/s

Figure 2. Simplified formula for the calculation of the maximum acceptable distance between the MO-surge arrester and the protected equipment.

Figure 3. Fuse disconnector with MO-surge arrester as post insulator (left).

II. INTEGRATION OF MO-SURGE ARRESTERS As mentioned, a combination of MO-surge arresters with other equipment can bring as advantage: Better and more efficient protection More economical solutions

For application in disconnectors or fuse connectors such solutions are well known. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 one post insulators is replaced by a MO-surge arrester with line discharge class 2 acc. IEC. The advantage of this solution is the more efficient surge protection and a certain space reduction due to replacement of one post insulator by the arrester. In applications, where the active part of the MO-surge arrester is very close to parts of the equipment (especially conducting parts), a good knowledge of the electrical field, and the voltage stress on single MO-resistors is essential for a reliable design. By means of field calculation and tests it could be demonstrated for an integrated bushing, that an optimized design leads to an almost linear voltage distribution. Figure 4 shows for the mentioned example the field plot and Figure 5 shows a prototype of the integrated bushing for distribution transformers for 24 kV systems. Other possibilities are for instance the integration of MOsurge arresters in cable sealing ends or in line or post insulators. Figure 6 gives the example of a line arrester in a trial line in Norway.

Figure 4. Calculated electrical field for an integrated arrester bushing as shown in Figure 5.

III. MO-SURGE ARRESTERS FOR SPECIAL APPLICATIONS MO-surge arresters for special applications are MO-surge arresters where the design is adopted to specific equipment. One example is the so called plug-in arrester as it is used in metal enclosed distribution substations for the protection of the substation and the connected distribution cables. Figure 7 shows an example of a new developed MO-surge arrester for such an application. For the same application, but without the metallic shielding, a MO-surge arrester as shown in Figure 8 was developed. The arrester including the connection wire is completely moulded in silicon. Special designs are made for the protection of the cable sheath of medium voltage cables. Figure 9 shows a MO-surge arrester for installation in cable link boxes.

Figure 5. Integrated 24 kV arrester bushing with standard plug-on interface. The co-axially integrated MO-resistors correspond to line discharge class 2 acc. IEC. From left to right : epoxy bushing (DIN type) central conductor plug-on arrester bushing

Figure 7. Plug-in arrester with full metallic encapsulation.

Figure 8. MO-surge arrester for air insulated cubicles.

Figure 6. MO-surge arrester used as line arrester in a trial line in Norway.

Figure 9. MO-surge arrester for cable sheath protection (link-box design).

IV. MICROVARISTOR COMPOSITES In the following a new nonlinear resistive field grading element is introduced. Field control by nonlinear resistive materials is standard in medium voltage cable accessories. Most of these materials are carbon black or SiC filled polymers. As compared to geometric field control, advantages of resistive field control are thin and compact design, and a cost-effective production, as e.g. extrusion of field grading sleeves. On the other hand, a disadvantage is the difficulty to manufacture to manufacture well reproducible materials and to adjust the nonlinear electrical properties to the requirements of a specific application. The main reason for the scattering and sensitivity of the properties of these materials is the necessity to choose the filler content close to the percolation threshold. This disadvantage is absent if microvaristor particles are used as the filler material, because the nonlinear electrical properties are not determined by the dispersion of the particles, but by the nonlinear resistivity of the microvaristors itself. Since the microvaristor behavior can be designed by the formulation of the different metal oxides and the processing parameters of the sintering process one is able to produce a well-controlled electrically nonlinear field grading material. The electrical properties of the material are thus an additional degree of freedom in the design process of cable accessories. The microvaristors are mixed in polymeric materials, in this case silicon, and can then be injected in moulds. In this way nonlinear field grading elements can be produced, which are used in cable end bushings. Figure 10 shows the described microvaristors.

simulation model and test purposes. The first prototype was a cylindrical cable termination for the 110 kV system and was used for basic investigations and test purposes only, see Figure 11. In a second step a complete high voltage cable termination for 110 kV was designed. The prototype and the field grading sleeves are shown in Figure 12 and Figure 13.

Figure 11. Test sample for a high voltage cable termination with microvaristor filled grading material.

Figure 10. Photograph of a microvaristor determined by electron microscopy. The sphere has a diameter of app. 70 m.

The design of optimized designs for cable accessories is done with the help of simulation programs. Two different prototypes have been developed for verification of the

Figure 12. Microvaristor filled field grading sleeves. The sleeves (or tubes) form the inner part of the cable end terminations as shown in Figure 11 and Figure 13.

Figure 13. High voltage cable termination (110 kV system) with microvaristor filled field grading tubes inside.

V. CONCLUSIONS Different applications of MO-surge arresters for medium voltage systems are shown. The aspect of an optimized protection in combined designs is emphasized, especially under the aspect of insulation co-ordination. Besides the classical stand alone application of MO-surge arresters for the protection of transformers and other equipment MO-surge arresters with silicon housings can be used in a combined function as line arresters and support insulators. Special designs with concentric arranged MO-resistors allow new solutions for transformer bushings for distribution transformers. Microvaristor filled silicones exhibit a highly nonlinear electrical behavior, which can be designed in the production process. This materials open new possibilities in the overvoltage protection. Applications in medium and high voltage apparatus, in low voltage equipment, and for protection against electrostatic discharges are possible.