Development of a nonfragmenting distribution surge arrester. Final report
This report describes the investigation and testing carried out in the development of a nonfragmenting distribution surge arrester. It is commonly assumed that pressure buildup in a failing surge arrester will cause the porcelain to burst unless the pressure is rapidly relieved. Even after pressure relief, however, the porcelain can shatter from the thermal shock produced by the internal arc. There is little published information on the sequence of events during failure and the relative importance of pressure and thermal stress. A prerequisite for the design of a nonfragmenting arrester is a thorough knowledge of the failure mechanism. Extensive testing was performed to determine the contribution of both pressure and heat to porcelain breakage. This research demonstrated the importance of thermal shock and led to the design of an ablative thermal shield for the porcelain housing. This was combined with pressure relief provided by end-cap venting and a retaining system to prevent ejection of internal parts. The final result was the design and production of nonfragmenting distribution arresters rated 9 kV through 27 kV.
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co., Pittsfield, MA (USA). Large Transformer Business Div.
- OSTI ID:
- 6472208
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-EL-3502; ON: TI84920476
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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