US3566201A - Discharge arc control means for a lightning arrester - Google Patents

Discharge arc control means for a lightning arrester Download PDF

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Publication number
US3566201A
US3566201A US803589A US3566201DA US3566201A US 3566201 A US3566201 A US 3566201A US 803589 A US803589 A US 803589A US 3566201D A US3566201D A US 3566201DA US 3566201 A US3566201 A US 3566201A
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United States
Prior art keywords
coil
arrester
arc
spark gap
current
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Expired - Lifetime
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US803589A
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English (en)
Inventor
Eugene C Sakshaug
James S Kresge
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General Electric Co
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General Electric Co
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    • 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
    • H01T1/00—Details of spark gaps
    • H01T1/02—Means for extinguishing arc

Definitions

  • a surge voltage arrester having means for retarding the build up of appreciable current limiting voltage therein for a predetermined interval of time after sparkover of the arrester comprising, a current limiting spark gap assembly having an electromagnetic coil electrically connected in series with it and disposed adjacent to it for moving arcs within the assembly in a manner such that are voltage is increased.
  • the coil is shunted by a current limiting means and is provided with enough turns to give it a substantial inductance so that an overvoltage surge may be discharged through the assembly for a predetermined interval of time before the, coil develops enough magnetic .flux to move arcs within theassembly sufficiently to build up an appreciable current limiting arc voltage.
  • the highly inductive coil provides the arrester with a high inductive reactance such that at the moment of clearing the current is forced slowly to zero providing a gentle" clearing so high induced voltages are not produced in inductive protected circuits.
  • This invention relates to circuit protection and surge voltage control devices incorporating a spark gap assembly and a block of nonlinear resistance valve material adapted to be electrically connected in series between a protected circuit and ground. More particularly, it relates .to means for controlling the arc extinguishing characteristics of a lightning arrester of the type wherein arcs are moved by a magnetic field into arc supressing chambers where they are extinguished.
  • the invention includes a new method of operating a lightning arrester.
  • a second major problem is encountered in applying conventional arresters to protect high voltage direct current converters connected to a high voltage transmission line via large series reactors of the type commonly referred to as a smoothing reactor.
  • a smoothing reactor When discharging overvoltage surges from a transmission line such an arrester may, at the time of clearing force the discharge current to zero at such a rapid rate as to cause a high inductive kick voltage across the reactor and, consequently, across the arrester and the equipment being protected. This induced voltage may be high enough to damage the protected equipment.
  • the invention disclosed herein has as a primary object the provision of an extra high voltage surge arrester incorporating arc discharge regulating means that substantially improve the operating characteristics of the arrester.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a surge voltage arrester with are voltage control means that retard the rate of arc voltage buildup after initiation of arrester sparkover until a predetermined time interval haspassed.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide high speed, automatically operable voltage control means for regulating arc voltage buildup in a lightning arrester.
  • Yet another object of the invention is to provide arc voltage control means for a lightning arrester that operate to protect the arresters arcing chambers from excessive erosion or wear during their arc extinguishing cycles.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a surge voltage arrester having means for limiting the rate of change of discharge current as arrester clearing is approached after a surge discharge, so that excessive induced voltage will not be encountered when the arrester is used to protect a highly inductive circuit.
  • a lightning arrester is provided with a high inductance coil electrically connected in series with the arresters discharge path and in shunt circuit relation with a protective spark gap circuit.
  • inductance of the coil prevents rapid current buildup in thecoil during the initial discharge stage of operation, then after the majority of the overvoltage surge is discharged through the shunting gap, the coil passes enough current to develop a magnetic field that rapidly moves the arcs in the arrester toward their lengthened, arc extinguishing position.
  • the invention prevents erosion and destruction of the walls of the arcing chamber, because high current arcs are not allowed to burn against these walls for a sustained period of time prior to being quenched.
  • the high inductance of the coil prevents too rapid a decrease in discharge current as a current zero is approached upon clearing and thus limits the induced voltage which may occur in the series inductance of the source from which the discharge was obtained. In other words, the high inductance exhibited by the arrester at the moment of clearing forces it to clear gently" in highly inductive circuits so that dangerous inductive kicks" which could damage systems protected by an arrester embodying the invention are not obtained;
  • FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in phantom, of a lightning arrester spark gap and nonlinear valve material block embodying an electromagnetic coil constructed and ar ranged pursuant to the teachings of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a coil and coilshunting gap structure manufactured according to one form of the invention.
  • FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a coil and a block of nonlinear resistance valve material, made according to a second embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 1 of the drawing there is shown a spark gap assembly 1 disposed between metallic terminal plates 2 and 3 and electrically connected in series with a block of nonlinear resistance valve material 4 which is resting on another terminal plate 5.
  • the spark gap assembly 1 and nonlinear resistance valve 4 are relatively conventional types of elements that are used as building blocks in making lightning arresters, and for'the purpose of disclosing the present invention any suitable conventional spark gap assemblies and nonlinear valves can be used to afford equivalent functions in combination with the present invention.
  • a spark gap assembly and valve resistor similar to that shown in the above mentioned Stetson et al. Pat. No. 3,151,273 may be utilized with the invention disclosedin detail below.
  • spark gaps and nonlinear valves may be stacked inseries and electrically connected to provide various ratings of interrupting voltage, as is well known in the art.
  • an outer housing for a conventional arrester is not shown in the drawing, it will be understood that any conventional housing, such as that shown in the above noted patent, can be used in combination with the illustrated spark gap 1 and nonlinear valve 4 to electrically isolate these elements and provide suitable protection for them against the weather.
  • the spark gap assembly 1 may be made in a manner similar to that explained in detail in the aforementioned Stetson et al. patent, and it includes a plurality of electrode pairs arranged to form a series of spark gaps that are isolated from one another in individual arcing chambers. In FIG.
  • one electrode of such an electrode pair 6 is shown in phantom in the uppermost arcing chamber and it is electrically connected by a copper pin 7 to a second electrode pair 8 in a second arcing chamber disposed directly underneath the uppermost arcing chamber.
  • electrode pairs 9 and 10 are electrically connected in series with electrode pairs 6 and 8 and are disposed in their respective separated arcing chambers.
  • Terminal plate 2 is electrically connected to one electrode of the uppermost electrode pair 6 by a copper pin 11 that is riveted to that one electrode and plate 2 or otherwise fastened in any conventional manner.
  • one electrode of the electrode pair 10 is connected by a copper pin 12 to the bottom terminal plate 3 in like manner.
  • the. wall members forming the respective-arcing chamber may becomposed of any suitable insulating material, such as that described in the aforementioned Stetson et al. patent.
  • Electrically connected in series between electrode 8 and electrode is a coil 13 that is wound on a plastic coil housing 14 which serves to retain the coil in a predetermined form and also actsas a mounting means for holding the coil in a desired position with respect to the spark gap assembly 1 such that it provides a magnetic field to move arcs formed between the respective pairs of electrodes outward from the electrodes along their associated horn gaps to lengthen and extinguish the arcs in the manner described in detail in the above noted Stetsonet alL patent.
  • FIG. 2 Electrically shunt connected across the coil 13 is a coil spark gap, which is shown in detail in FIG. 2 of the drawing. Referring to FIG. 2 it can be seen that one end of the coil 13a is connected to an electrode 15 and the other end of the coil 13b is electrically connected to asecond electrode 16.
  • FIG. 2 also serves to illustrate the manner in which the housing 14 of coil 13 is nested in position between the upper surface of the portion of the spark gap assembly housing electrode pair 9 and the lower surface of that portion of the assembly housing electrode pair 8.
  • the copper pin 8a connected to electrode 15 is also connected to electrode 8 in a suitable manner to assure a good electrical connection therebetween when the spark gap assembly is in finished form.
  • the copper pin 9a is electrically connected between electrode 9 and electrode 16.
  • the series circuit inductance of coil 13 is carefully designed so that it is high enough to retard the passage 'of current therethrough for a predetermined interval of time following initiation of sparkover of the spark gap assembly 1.
  • the particular inductive reactance needed to afford optimum operating characteristics will vary depending on the interrupting voltage rating of the associated spark gap assembly 1, but it has'been found that-for an interrupting rating of 6,000 volts it is desirable to have the inductance of coil 13 in a range between 20 to 30 millihenries and with the resistance of coil 13 in a range of 20 to 30 Ohms.
  • inductance of coil 13 will allow a small current to flow through the coil during initial sparkover of the spark gap assembly 1, this small current develops a relatively weak electromagnetic field that causes the arcs formed in the primary spark gaps to move slowly along their respective horn gaps toward the peripheral wall of the arcing chambers. In addition, this relatively slow movement of the respective arcs is also accomplished in the coil gap shown in FIG. 2, thus, the voltage forcing current through coil 13 is gradually increased following the initial sparkover stages.
  • the arrester current must then flow through the coil and,'since the current is decreasing, the induced .voltage inthe coil due to this decreasing current is of a polarity that opposes the decrease. That is, the inductive reactance of the coil new acts to retard the rate of decrease of current and slows down the arrester clearing action. This slowing affect forces the arrester to clear very gently" and prevents the occurence of high inductive kicks from occuring across high inductance elements in the system being protected. It should be noted that the number of turns of the 20 to 30 millihenry coil 13 of the preferred embodiment of the invention will be approximately 450 turns.
  • FIG. 3 of the drawing there is shown an alternative embodiment of the subject invention.
  • a block of nonlinear valvc material 17 disposed between an upper terminal plate 18 and a lower terminal plate 19 nonlinear valve 17 is electrically connected in series between electrodes 8 and 9 (shown in FIG. 1) and shunted across the coil 13 by coil leads 13a and 13b, which are soldered respectively to the terminal plates 18. and 19.
  • electrodes 8 and 9 shown in FIG. 1
  • coil leads 13a and 13b which are soldered respectively to the terminal plates 18. and 19.
  • the block of nonlinear resistance valve material 17 is positioned in the core of coil 13 and'insulated therefrom by the walls of coil housing 14.
  • the coil 13 will be connected in series with a spark gap assembly such as assembly 1, in the manner discussed above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • this embodiment of the invention operates in substantially the same manner as the embodiment of the invention discussed with relation to FIG. 2 of the drawing.
  • the inductance of the coil tends to slow down or soften the clearing action but not so effectively as when the coil is paralleled by a spark gap because the parallel valve block is not open circuited as was the gap and therefore it limits the induced voltage-occurring across the coil which in turn is what prevents the current from decreasing very rapidly.
  • the particular resistance and inductance characteristics of the coil 13 may vary in either of the embodiments discussed above, depending upon the specific initial arc discharge interval desired before appreciable arc movement occurs, and also depending upon the rate of arc quenching desired after arc movement is initiated.
  • experimentation has shown that the coil teristics of the coil 13 and the effective inductance in series with the gaps upon clearing may be regulated by varying other circuit elements in the disclosed arrester circuit.
  • an auxiliary inductance could be connected in series with the coil 13 and the number of turns on coil 13 could be reduced so that a weaker magnetic field for driving arcs outward from the main spark gaps is developed without changing the initial arcmovement retarding affect of the coil.
  • a lightning arrester of'the type adapted to protect a high voltage electric power conductor from damage due to o'vervoltages surges, a housing of insulating material, first and second electrically conductive terminals mounted at spacedapart points on said housing, a spark gap assembly and a nonlinear resistance valve mounted within said housing and electrically connected in series between said terminals, said spark gap assembly including at least one current limiting gap comprising a pair of horn gap electrodes mounted in an arc confining chamber, .an electromagnetic coil disposed adjacent said at least one current limitinggap and adapted when adequately energized to produce magnetic flux for moving an are formed between the pair of horn gap electrodes along the arc-running surfaces of these electrodes, said coil having an inductive reactance large enough to effectively prevent for a predetermined interval of time after sparkover of the current limiting gap energization of the coil: adequate to move an are along said arc running surfaces, whereby said current limiting gap is prevented from building up a substantial voltage for said predetermined interval,
  • a current limiting spark gap an electrically conductive coil disposed adjacent said spark gap and adapted when adequately-energized to provide magnetic flux for moving an arc in a predetermined'direction in said spark gap, said coil being operative to prevent its energization sufficiently to move an arc in said spark gap for a predetermined interval of time after sparkover of said spark gap and being further operative to afford adequate energization thereof after said predetermined interval to develop a magnetic flux that moves an are rapidly in said predetermined direction, said predetermined interval of time being long enough to allow substantially all of an overvoltage surge discharged through said arrester to bypass the coil.
  • nonlinear resistance means comprises at least one block of nonlinear valve material.
  • a lightning arrester having at least one current limiting spark gap electrically connected in series with a nonlinear resistance valve
  • the improvement comprising a high inductance coil shunted by coil-current control means, said coilcurrent control means being operable to bypass substantially all of the discharge current of an overvoltage surge grounded by the arrester around said coil and being further operable to pass all power follow current through said coil after the surge current has been discharge to ground
  • said arrester cm comprising a pair of terminals respectively mounted adjacent opposite ends thereof, and circuit means connected to form a series circuit between said terminals and said shunted coil.
  • a lightning arrester having a plurality of main spark gaps electrically connected in series with a nonlinear resistance valve between a line terminal and a ground terminal on said arrester, the improvement comprising a high inductance coil, a current limiting spark gap shunt connected across said coil and series connected with said main spark gaps, the inductance of said coil being high enough to prevent a sudden change in arrester discharge current when the current limiting spark gap clears causing all current through the arrester to pass through said coil, whereby the arrester clears gently without developing a high voltage peak on its line terminal.

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  • Emergency Protection Circuit Devices (AREA)
  • Thermistors And Varistors (AREA)
US803589A 1969-03-03 1969-03-03 Discharge arc control means for a lightning arrester Expired - Lifetime US3566201A (en)

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US80358969A 1969-03-03 1969-03-03

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US (1) US3566201A (de)
BE (1) BE746577A (de)
CH (1) CH499217A (de)
DE (1) DE2008219B2 (de)
FR (1) FR2037534A5 (de)
GB (1) GB1298996A (de)
SE (1) SE359695B (de)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3670204A (en) * 1970-07-23 1972-06-13 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Spark gap system for magnetically quenched surge voltage arrester
US4401870A (en) * 1981-11-10 1983-08-30 Hydro-Quebec Modular suction-gas-cooled magnetic blast circuit breaker
US4486805A (en) * 1983-03-07 1984-12-04 Dayton-Granger, Inc. Lightning arrester with improved spark gap structure
US20070002513A1 (en) * 2005-07-04 2007-01-04 Tdk Corporation Surge absorber
US20070070569A1 (en) * 2005-09-28 2007-03-29 Tdk Corporation Surge absorber
CN105576638A (zh) * 2014-11-10 2016-05-11 孙麓轩 一种新型电涌保护器
CN105656013A (zh) * 2014-11-10 2016-06-08 孙麓轩 一种新型电涌保护器
CN106067673A (zh) * 2014-11-10 2016-11-02 孙麓轩 一种新型电涌保护器

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH590572A5 (de) * 1975-07-29 1977-08-15 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3670204A (en) * 1970-07-23 1972-06-13 Bbc Brown Boveri & Cie Spark gap system for magnetically quenched surge voltage arrester
US4401870A (en) * 1981-11-10 1983-08-30 Hydro-Quebec Modular suction-gas-cooled magnetic blast circuit breaker
US4486805A (en) * 1983-03-07 1984-12-04 Dayton-Granger, Inc. Lightning arrester with improved spark gap structure
US20070002513A1 (en) * 2005-07-04 2007-01-04 Tdk Corporation Surge absorber
US7502213B2 (en) * 2005-07-04 2009-03-10 Tdk Corporation Surge absorber
US20070070569A1 (en) * 2005-09-28 2007-03-29 Tdk Corporation Surge absorber
US7400485B2 (en) * 2005-09-28 2008-07-15 Tdk Corporation Surge absorber
CN105576638A (zh) * 2014-11-10 2016-05-11 孙麓轩 一种新型电涌保护器
CN105656013A (zh) * 2014-11-10 2016-06-08 孙麓轩 一种新型电涌保护器
CN106067673A (zh) * 2014-11-10 2016-11-02 孙麓轩 一种新型电涌保护器

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Publication number Publication date
GB1298996A (en) 1972-12-06
SE359695B (de) 1973-09-03
FR2037534A5 (de) 1970-12-31
DE2008219A1 (de) 1970-09-17
CH499217A (de) 1970-11-15
DE2008219B2 (de) 1972-12-07
BE746577A (fr) 1970-07-31

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