US3611044A - Surge protection apparatus with improved circuit for reliable sparkover - Google Patents

Surge protection apparatus with improved circuit for reliable sparkover Download PDF

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Publication number
US3611044A
US3611044A US51096A US3611044DA US3611044A US 3611044 A US3611044 A US 3611044A US 51096 A US51096 A US 51096A US 3611044D A US3611044D A US 3611044DA US 3611044 A US3611044 A US 3611044A
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United States
Prior art keywords
power
spark gap
handling
circuit
spark gaps
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Expired - Lifetime
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US51096A
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English (en)
Inventor
Joseph C Osterhout
Richard E Kennon
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CBS Corp
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Westinghouse Electric Corp
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
    • H02H9/00—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection
    • H02H9/04—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection responsive to excess voltage
    • H02H9/06—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for limiting excess current or voltage without disconnection responsive to excess voltage using spark-gap arresters
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01T—SPARK GAPS; OVERVOLTAGE ARRESTERS USING SPARK GAPS; SPARKING PLUGS; CORONA DEVICES; GENERATING IONS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO NON-ENCLOSED GASES
    • H01T4/00—Overvoltage arresters using spark gaps
    • H01T4/16—Overvoltage arresters using spark gaps having a plurality of gaps arranged in series
    • H01T4/20—Arrangements for improving potential distribution

Definitions

  • the latter copending application discloses a circuit arrangement in which the control spark gap is connected to the string of serially connected power-handling spark gaps through a resistance element serving as a current limiter to prevent the normal arrester current from passing through the control spark gap element to avoid damage to that element. Also the control spark gap is connected through another resistance element to the voltage grading capacitors that are associated therewith. The latter resistance element is to prevent excessive discharge current through the voltage grading capacitor that is across the control spark gap. It is found that such a circuit ix difficult to optimize because of contradictory requirements imposed upon the resistance ele ments. It is desirable that they be large enough to limit current in accordance with the purposes mentioned above, and yet is is also desirable that the circuit branch in which the control spark gap is located act as a direct short upon firing to impose as much voltage as possible across the remaining spark gaps.
  • the invention provides a lightning arrester with a circuit associated with a control spark gap element that assures rapid sparkover of each of the power-handling spark gaps upon sparkover of the control spark gap and also avoids large current passing through the control spark gap for any appreciable time that could cause damage thereto.
  • the circuit of the invention includes with the control spark gap inductive and capacitive impedance means, with negligible resistance in series with the control spark gap, so that upon sparkover of the control spark gap an alternating waveform of voltage is established in the control spark gap circuit branch that has the effect of increasing the voltage across an adjacent power-handling spark gap up to three times the otherwise present voltage and to ensure reliable sparkover. It has been found by study of the prior art arrangements mentioned above that the principal failure has been that the next adjacent spark gap (efl'ectively in series with the control gap) has failed to sparkover due to insufficient voltage.
  • the required elements are essentially an inductance and a capacitance in a circuit arrangement to provide a characteristic resonance that will produce a standing waveform of the current and voltage. Any substantial series resistance that would cut down the voltage applied across the adjacent spark gap element is avoided.
  • a resistance element is, however, provided in parallel connection across the capacitor so as to provide a discharge path that in effect resets the lightning arrester for subsequent tiring.
  • the voltage swing produced by the inductive and capacitive elements results in a marked increase in voltage across the adjacent spark gap.
  • the capacitor prevents large power currents through the control spark gap, where the capacitive and inductive impedance elements are in series.
  • FIG. is a circuit schematic of one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the circuit is shown as a plurality of series connections 10, 20, 30 and 40 of elements between a powerline L to be protected and ground.
  • a first series connection 10 comprises a plurality of powerhandling spark gaps ll, 12, 13, I4 and [5; each such identified spark gap may comprise a plurality of smaller spark gaps.
  • Connected between the power-handling spark gap elements are a plurality of relatively low-value nonlinear currentlimiting resistances or valve blocks 51, 52, 53, 54, S5, 56, 57, and 58.
  • the circuit also includes second and third series connections 20 and 30 of voltage-grading capacitors 21, 22, 23, 3], 32 and 33 that have alternating, successive connections to the first series connection 10 of the power-handling spark gaps.
  • capacitors 22 and 23 of the second series connection 20 are each connected across a pair of the powerhandling spark gaps, but the lowermost capacitor 21 is connected only across a single spark gap ll, while in the third series connection 30 capacitors 31 and 32 are shown each connected across a pair of power-handling spark gaps but alternating and overlapping those which capacitors of the second series connection are connected across.
  • the uppermost capacitor 33 is connected across a single spark gap 15.
  • capacitors 21 and 33 should be about twice the value of the other capacitors (e.g. 400 pF and 200 pF, respectively).
  • a fourth series connection 40 includes a plurality of nonlinear voltage dividing resistors 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45, one connected across each of the power-handling spark gaps.
  • the resistors 41 through 45 are typically of substantial magnitude, such as the order of megohms.
  • One of the voltagegrading capacitors 2i of the second series connection has a circuit branch 60 connected with it that includes a control spark gap 61 so as to provide accurate and reliable firing of the arrester stack.
  • the control spark gap 61 is one that is carefully fabricated and sealed to provide a fixed level of sparkover.
  • One example of such a control spark gap that may be employed in apparatus in accordance with this in vention is disclosed in the above-mentioned copending application Ser. No. 765,241.
  • the circuit branch 60 is additionally provided with inductive and capacitive impedance elements 62 and 63, respectively. Without the inductive and capacitive impedance elements 62 and 63, sparkover of the control gap 6! may not cause sufficient voltage buildup to produce reliable sparkover of the adjacent series spark gap element 12 and the subsequent cascading of the entire series string of spark gaps.
  • the impedance elements 62 and 73 in accordance with this invention provide a resonant or oscillatory effect on the voltage at point A when control gap 61 sparks over.
  • the voltage at point A will swing between positive and negative maximum values.
  • the effect is a transient one without affecting the absolute voltage at point B or total arrester voltage.
  • Within the first cycle of oscillation when the voltage at.
  • A reaches its most negative value and the voltage at B remains at some positive value, the voltage drop from A to B, and hence across gap 12, is substantially greater than would occur if the inductive and capacitive impedance elemenm 62 and 63 were not provided in circuit branch 60.
  • Such increased voltage across gap 12 ensures its sparkover and the cascading of the stack.
  • the time of the maximum voltage reversal at point A can be controlled by the magnitude of the impedance elements to match the time of greatest probability of firing of the adjacent power spark gap l2. For example with an inductance of 40 microhenries and a capacitance of 1,000 picofarads, reversal time is approximately 0.4 microsecond.
  • a resistance element 64 across the capacitor 63 so chosen that the discharge of the capacitor 63 occurs in a time that is long compared with the total stack sparkover time, but is short compared to the likely time between required operations.
  • the resistance 64 may be about l0,000 ohms and provide a discharge time for a 1,000 picofarad capacitor 63 of about 100 microseconds.
  • the capacitor 63 is in series with the inductance 62 and the control gap 6l and thus provides the additional function of preventing excessive current flow through the control spark gap 6
  • the resistance 64 can be connected across both the capacitance and inductance in series.
  • a capacitance and inductance may be provided in parallel and reliable sparkover would be achieved but not the same degree of protection of the control spark gap from the power-follow current.
  • the circuit is merely representative in showing five powerhandling spark gaps; typically a greater number would be employed. especially for station-type arresters.
  • the structural arrangement of the circuit elements may be in accordance with for example, that described in copending application Ser. No. 816,485, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,22l, filed Apr. I6, 1969. by R. E. Kennon and assigned to the assignee of the present in vention.
  • More than one control spark gap may be employed in a lightning arrester embodying the invention and such control spark gaps may be variously positioned throughout the stack.
  • An electrical surge arrester comprising: a serially connected plurality of power-handling spark gaps; a first circuit branch electrically connected across at least one of said power-handling spark gaps, said first circuit branch comprising a voltage-grading capacitor; a second circuit branch electrically connected across said at least one power-handling spark gap, said second circuit branch comprising a control spark gap and inductive and capacitive impedance means for assuring rapid breakdown of said plurality of power-handling spark gaps upon breakdown of said control spark gap.
  • said impedance means comprises an inductance element having an inherent resistance and a capacitance element; said inherent resistance of said inductance element being substantially the only re sistance in said first and second circuit branches.
  • said impedance means comprises serially connected inductive and capacitive elements.
  • a lightning arrester comprising: a plurality of power-handling spark gaps in a first series connection between two circuit points; a plurality of voltage-grading capacitors in second and third series connections between said two circuit points. and capacitors of said second and third series connections having successively alternating connections to said first series connection of power-handling spark gaps; one of said capacitors of said second and third series connections also being connected in a circuit loop with a control spark gap and inductive and capacitive impedance elements.
  • a fourth series connection between said two circuit points comprising a plurality of resistors, each of the order of megohms. each connected across one of said plurality of power-handling spark gaps; said first series connection including resistors of substantially smaller magnitude than those of said fourth series connection connected between adjacent ones of said plurality of power-handling spark gaps.

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  • Emergency Protection Circuit Devices (AREA)
US51096A 1970-06-30 1970-06-30 Surge protection apparatus with improved circuit for reliable sparkover Expired - Lifetime US3611044A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US5109670A 1970-06-30 1970-06-30

Publications (1)

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US3611044A true US3611044A (en) 1971-10-05

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US51096A Expired - Lifetime US3611044A (en) 1970-06-30 1970-06-30 Surge protection apparatus with improved circuit for reliable sparkover

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US3611044A (de)
JP (1) JPS5344018B1 (de)
AT (1) AT303874B (de)
BE (1) BE769252A (de)
CA (1) CA923552A (de)
CH (1) CH525569A (de)
DE (1) DE2128128A1 (de)
ES (1) ES391973A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2100024A5 (de)

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3859568A (en) * 1974-01-16 1975-01-07 Gen Electric Overvoltage surge arrester with improved voltage grading circuit
US3859569A (en) * 1974-01-16 1975-01-07 Gen Electric Overvoltage surge arrester with improved voltage grading circuit
JPS5026328U (de) * 1973-06-30 1975-03-26
JPS5026329U (de) * 1973-06-30 1975-03-26
US3896352A (en) * 1972-10-23 1975-07-22 Bowthorpe Hellermann Ltd Lightning arresters and surge diverters
US4004193A (en) * 1975-03-17 1977-01-18 General Electric Company Voltage surge arrester with capacitive grading and improved sparkover for fast impulses
US4158872A (en) * 1976-11-24 1979-06-19 Sprecher & Schuh Ag Surge diverter
EP0061838A1 (de) * 1981-03-02 1982-10-06 The M-O Valve Company Limited Überspannungsschutzvorrichtungen
WO1990005399A1 (en) * 1988-11-04 1990-05-17 Oy Nokia Ab An arrangement for forced triggering a spark gap
US5930099A (en) * 1998-06-30 1999-07-27 Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation Grounding arrangement for a powerline system
US20040239472A1 (en) * 2003-05-29 2004-12-02 Xingniu Huo Arrester disconnector assembly having a capacitor and a resistor
US6876289B2 (en) * 2003-05-29 2005-04-05 Hubbell Incorporated Arrester disconnector assembly having a capacitor
US20090046406A1 (en) * 2007-08-15 2009-02-19 Leviton Manufacturing Company Inc. Overvoltage device with enhanced surge suppression
US7907371B2 (en) 1998-08-24 2011-03-15 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Circuit interrupting device with reset lockout and reverse wiring protection and method of manufacture
US8599522B2 (en) 2011-07-29 2013-12-03 Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. Circuit interrupter with improved surge suppression
US9088153B2 (en) 2012-09-26 2015-07-21 Hubbell Incorporated Series R-C graded gap assembly for MOV arrester
US9709626B2 (en) 2008-01-29 2017-07-18 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Self testing fault circuit apparatus and method
US9759758B2 (en) 2014-04-25 2017-09-12 Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. Ground fault detector
WO2020002050A1 (de) * 2018-06-28 2020-01-02 Robert Bosch Gmbh Leistungselektronik für ein elektrisch antreibbares kraftfahrzeug
US10749316B2 (en) 2015-08-31 2020-08-18 Epcos Ag Multiple spark-gap arrester
US20230318288A1 (en) * 2022-03-30 2023-10-05 Sichuan Zhongguang Lightning Protection Technologies Co., Ltd. Surge protective device

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5248036A (en) * 1975-10-15 1977-04-16 Tokyo Electric Power Co Inc:The Discharge-starting device between a discharging gap
US5250563A (en) * 1991-09-25 1993-10-05 Merck & Co., Inc. Inhibitors of HIV protease
WO1994016706A1 (en) 1993-01-28 1994-08-04 Neorx Corporation Therapeutic inhibitors of vascular smooth muscle cells

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2862152A (en) * 1953-08-31 1958-11-25 Asea Ab Over-voltage protection device for protection of electric equipment
US3418530A (en) * 1966-09-07 1968-12-24 Army Usa Electronic crowbar
US3510726A (en) * 1967-10-31 1970-05-05 Westinghouse Electric Corp Grading and cascading circuit for lightning arresters having a plurality of spark gaps

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2862152A (en) * 1953-08-31 1958-11-25 Asea Ab Over-voltage protection device for protection of electric equipment
US3418530A (en) * 1966-09-07 1968-12-24 Army Usa Electronic crowbar
US3510726A (en) * 1967-10-31 1970-05-05 Westinghouse Electric Corp Grading and cascading circuit for lightning arresters having a plurality of spark gaps

Cited By (33)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3896352A (en) * 1972-10-23 1975-07-22 Bowthorpe Hellermann Ltd Lightning arresters and surge diverters
JPS5026328U (de) * 1973-06-30 1975-03-26
JPS5026329U (de) * 1973-06-30 1975-03-26
JPS5329940Y2 (de) * 1973-06-30 1978-07-26
US3859568A (en) * 1974-01-16 1975-01-07 Gen Electric Overvoltage surge arrester with improved voltage grading circuit
US3859569A (en) * 1974-01-16 1975-01-07 Gen Electric Overvoltage surge arrester with improved voltage grading circuit
US4004193A (en) * 1975-03-17 1977-01-18 General Electric Company Voltage surge arrester with capacitive grading and improved sparkover for fast impulses
US4158872A (en) * 1976-11-24 1979-06-19 Sprecher & Schuh Ag Surge diverter
EP0061838A1 (de) * 1981-03-02 1982-10-06 The M-O Valve Company Limited Überspannungsschutzvorrichtungen
US4628398A (en) * 1981-03-02 1986-12-09 The M-O Valve Company Limited Surge voltage protection arrangements
WO1990005399A1 (en) * 1988-11-04 1990-05-17 Oy Nokia Ab An arrangement for forced triggering a spark gap
US5233498A (en) * 1988-11-04 1993-08-03 Nokia Capacitors Ltd. Arrangement for forced triggering a spark gap
US5930099A (en) * 1998-06-30 1999-07-27 Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation Grounding arrangement for a powerline system
US8130480B2 (en) 1998-08-24 2012-03-06 Leviton Manufactuing Co., Inc. Circuit interrupting device with reset lockout
US8054595B2 (en) 1998-08-24 2011-11-08 Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. Circuit interrupting device with reset lockout
US7907371B2 (en) 1998-08-24 2011-03-15 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Circuit interrupting device with reset lockout and reverse wiring protection and method of manufacture
US6956458B2 (en) * 2003-05-29 2005-10-18 Hubbell Incorporated Arrester disconnector assembly having a capacitor
US6876289B2 (en) * 2003-05-29 2005-04-05 Hubbell Incorporated Arrester disconnector assembly having a capacitor
US6828895B1 (en) * 2003-05-29 2004-12-07 Hubbel Incorporated Arrester disconnector assembly having a capacitor and a resistor
US20040239472A1 (en) * 2003-05-29 2004-12-02 Xingniu Huo Arrester disconnector assembly having a capacitor and a resistor
US20090046406A1 (en) * 2007-08-15 2009-02-19 Leviton Manufacturing Company Inc. Overvoltage device with enhanced surge suppression
US7697252B2 (en) * 2007-08-15 2010-04-13 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Overvoltage device with enhanced surge suppression
US10656199B2 (en) 2008-01-29 2020-05-19 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Self testing fault circuit apparatus and method
US9709626B2 (en) 2008-01-29 2017-07-18 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Self testing fault circuit apparatus and method
US11112453B2 (en) 2008-01-29 2021-09-07 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Self testing fault circuit apparatus and method
US8599522B2 (en) 2011-07-29 2013-12-03 Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. Circuit interrupter with improved surge suppression
US9088153B2 (en) 2012-09-26 2015-07-21 Hubbell Incorporated Series R-C graded gap assembly for MOV arrester
US9759758B2 (en) 2014-04-25 2017-09-12 Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. Ground fault detector
US10401413B2 (en) 2014-04-25 2019-09-03 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Ground fault detector
US10641812B2 (en) 2014-04-25 2020-05-05 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Ground fault detector
US10749316B2 (en) 2015-08-31 2020-08-18 Epcos Ag Multiple spark-gap arrester
WO2020002050A1 (de) * 2018-06-28 2020-01-02 Robert Bosch Gmbh Leistungselektronik für ein elektrisch antreibbares kraftfahrzeug
US20230318288A1 (en) * 2022-03-30 2023-10-05 Sichuan Zhongguang Lightning Protection Technologies Co., Ltd. Surge protective device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE2128128A1 (de) 1972-01-05
BE769252A (fr) 1971-12-29
JPS5344018B1 (de) 1978-11-25
CH525569A (de) 1972-07-15
FR2100024A5 (de) 1972-03-17
ES391973A1 (es) 1973-06-16
CA923552A (en) 1973-03-27
AT303874B (de) 1972-12-11
JPS471924A (de) 1972-01-31

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