Ee 423 Assignment 1

EE 423 ASSIGNMENT 1
Lighting arrester
Definition: The device which is used for the protection of the equipment at the substations
against travelling waves, such type of device is called lightning arrester or surge diverter. In
other words, lightning arrester diverts the abnormals high voltage to the ground without affecting
the continuity of supply. It is connected between the line and earth, i.e., in parallel with the
equipment to be protected at the substation
Lightning is the main source of voltage surges. There are approximately 100 lightning strikes on
the earth’s surface every second. Lightning is a random and unpredictable event
The lightning arrester is located close to the equipment that is to be protected. They are usually
connected between phase and ground in an AC system and pole and ground in case of the DC
system. In an AC system, separate arrester is provided for each phase.
In an extra-high voltage AC system, the surge diverter is used to protect the generators,
transformers, bus bars, lines, circuit breakers, etc
Mode of operation of Lightning Arrester
When a travelling wave reaches the arrestor, its sparks over at a certain prefixed voltage as
shown in the figure below. The arrestor provides a conducting path to the waves of relatively low
impedance between the line and the ground. The surge impedance of the line restricts the
amplitude of current flowing to ground.
The lightning arrester provides a path of low impedance only when the travelling surge reaches
the surge diverter, neither before it nor after it. The insulation of the equipment can be protected
if the shape of the voltage and current at the diverter terminal is similar to the shape shown
below
Application of lightning arrester
 lightning arrester are used on tall buildings to prevent lightning from causing physical
damage
Surge Arrester
Surge arrester is a voltage limiting device installed inside the installation equipment panel to
protect the insulation, equipment and machines not only from lightning, but also from transient
voltage produced by switching, sparks, load shading and other electrical faults such as ground
faults etc.
In olden days, the term “lightning arrester” was used in power system which is replaced by the
new term as “surge arrester”. This is because the main reason for most of over voltages was
lightning when the power system design was not that much complicated. In most advanced
designs, load shading, sudden change in high power in load, and disconnector switching in EHV
substation causes over voltage where surge arrester are used in a substation instead of lightning
arrester which provides protection against all of the above mentioned surges.
In LV/MV transmission and distribution lines, a new term as “line arrester” is also used for
lightning / surge arresters.
Mode of operation of surge arrester

Whenever lightning or power surge hits a particular electrical system, then t will harm the entire
system as well as electrical devices that are connected to this system because these devices work
at a fixed voltage range
If the voltage received by the electrical devices is high than the fixed voltage, then they get
damaged or blow up.to overcome this situation, a surge arrester is used to protect the device from
damage, because this arrester ensure that the huge voltage cannot travel through the electrical
system.
So this is a voltage-activated device, used to protect surges in data cables or electrical power
from a switching surge/lightning. The working of this arrester can be done by redirecting the
additional voltage into the earth wire instead of traveling throughout the devices.
Application of surge arrester.

Differences between Surge Arrester and Lightning Arrester
Different terms used for arresters are sometimes confusing even professional engineers and
electricians use them interchangeably We will discuss the main difference between the different
types of arresters which is surge arrester and lightning arrester, as sometimes, they may used for
same purpose. The difference shows that what kind of system you want to protect from what and
how?
 Surge Arrester: is a device used to protect the electrical installations and equipment
from electrical surges and transient voltage caused by electrical faults, switching, short
circuits, sparks and lightning etc. Surge arresters are installed inside the panels to cancel out
the surges.
 Lightning Arrester: is a device used to protect the electric circuit and connected devices
from the lightning strikes having high voltage transient surges. Lightning arresters are
installed outside to ground the harmful effects of lightning spikes.
 Surge arrester installed inside the panel board while lightning arrester are installed
outside.
 Surge arrester protects the installation from inside while lightning arrester protects the
equipment from outside.
 Surge arrester protects the system from lightning, switching, electrical faults and other
transients voltage and surges while lightning arrester are mainly used for lightning strikes and
associated surges
 Surge arrester intercepts the surges and send the extra unwanted energy to the ground
wire while lightning arrester divert the energy flow to the ground through the arrester to the
ground.
 Surge arrester can be used as a lighting arrester while lighting arrester can’t be used as a
surge arrester
Ring Main Unit (RMU)
Is a compact enclosed switch gear used for medium voltage power distribution mostly between
12kv and 24kv. It is a complete switch gear by itself meaning that it contains protective devices,
metering devices and switching devices.
It is gas insulated. The gas used is SF6. The monitoring of the gas is done by an instrument
mounted on the RMU. This instrument has a scale which is divided in to three or more subscales
for different temperatures. Each subscale has a green and red colour zone. Given a certain
temperature the specific subscale for that temperature should be refered to. The pressure of the
SF6 should always be within in the green colored zone. The scale of this instrument is divided
into three or more sub scales for different temperature. Further, each sub scale is having green
and red colored zone.
Mode of Operation.
The RMU has one incomer feeder and one or two outgoing feeder. The incoming feeder is a
circuit breaker associated with a disconnect switch and an earth switch. Whereas the outgoing
feeder contains load break associated with a disconnect switch and an earth switch. A schematic
diagram of an RMU
A current transformer of desired ratio is installed in the incomer feeder. The secondary of this
CT is connected to a self-powered relay for necessary protection.
A self-powered protection device is also mounted on the Ring Main Unit, RMU. This relay is
microprocessor based Numerical Relay with user interface. This relay provides a limited
protection such as Over Current and Earth Fault protection.
Application of RMU
The Ring Main Units are used in underground cable distribution network at the load connection
and junction points of a ring-type distribution network. Ring Main Unit are also suited for use in
the following applications:
● Compact secondary substations

● Wind power plants
● Solar power plants
● Small industries
Hotels, office buildings, residential housing complex, shopping centers, business centers,
hospitals, airports.
Manufacturers of RMU
Examples of manufacturers.
 ABB: A gas insulated Ring Main Unit Safe Ring Airplus, it is a medium voltage
RMU,rated 24Kv, 630A
 SIEMENS

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EE 423 ASSIGNMENT 1

Mode of operation of Lightning Arrester

Mode of operation of surge arrester

Application of surge arrester.

● Compact secondary substations

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