PEXLINK

Transmission-line protection for

disturbance-free system operation

1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters 1

 The PEXLINK concept

Both large & small public & private obtain permission to build new
utility owners of transmission sys- lines of normal dimensions.
tems face a sharpened competitive Hence, new lines under construc-
situation which demands increased tion may mostly be ”compact-insu-
availability and reliability of the lation” lines. This, in turn, requires
systems. Consumers have become optimal control of overvoltages
more demanding as their processes caused by lightning or switching
are dependent on constant and reli- events. Surge arresters installed
able energy supply of good quality. along the line or at a few selected
critical towers, in this case, may be
In many countries, it has also an attractive solution or a comple-
been increasingly difficult to ment to other means.

2 1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters

Improvement in the reliability and
availability of a transmission system
can be obtained in one or more of
the following ways:
1. Duplication of the system (more
than one line).
This is a very expensive method and
often impractical.
2. Increased insulation withstand.
It can both be expensive and create
other problems such as the need for
increased insulation of station
equipment.
3. Improved footing impedance.
Often difficult and expensive, specially
in hilly terrain.

4. Shield wires.
If the provision was not in the original
tower design, it can be expensive to
retrofit such shielding. It helps eliminate
a large number of interruptions but it is
not enough to obtain the now-deman-
ded degree of reliability

5. Protection of line insulation by

surge arresters
Surge arresters connected in parallel Picture shows a TLA for 145 kV, comprising
with them at selected towers. In this standard components including PEXLIM arrester
application usually the term line and EXCOUNT-II monitor.
arresters is used.
Protection using polymer-housed arres-
ters (ABB type PEXLIM) along with addi-
tional accessories for fixing the arresters
across the insulators and providing
automatic disconnection of the arresters
in the event of their being overstres-
sed is called the PEXLINK concept.This
method is simple, cost- effective and, in
many cases, an attractive alternative to
the methods mentioned above.

1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters 3

 ABB´s protection philosophy
ABB’s philosophy is to provide protection for line insulation at selected loca-
tions by using standard available components. The main item is the gapless
silicone polymer-housed arrester, PEXLIM, with metal-oxide (MO) active ele-
ments. Such arresters have been used for many years for protection of equip-
ment in sub-stations and hence their protective performance is well-known.

TLAs, including line discharge class 3 PEXLIM Q arresters and disconnecting devices on earth leads,
erected on ESKOM 300 kV system in South Africa.

The low weight permits installation With regard to lightning energy, line
on existing structures and the polymer arresters are exposed to more severe
housing gives increased safety of the line conditions than arresters placed in
equipment as well as people and animals substations. The latter are benefited
which may be in the vicinity of the lines by the reduction of surge steepness
during overstress conditions. due to line corona effect and reduc-

4 1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters

tion in surge amplitude as the light- housing on the active MO elements
ning current finds parallel paths directly, internal atmosphere is elimi-
through shielding wires, flashover nated and with it the risk of ingress
and parallel lines. Thus, it is neces- of moisture which in the past has
sary to ensure that the MO blocks of been established as the major cause
the TLA are not under-dimensioned of arrester failures in service.
from energy and current point-of-
view. A computer program is used
to determine the optimum number
of locations (generally where the
footing impedance is high) and to
calculate the arrester stresses at each
of the chosen locations.
The design permits installation
using standard transmission-line
hardware normally available locally.
The design also permits mounting at
different angles based on tower geo-
metry and conductor spacing.
If very high availability is desired, a
very large number of locations may
have to be protected, mainly due to
the unpredictable nature of lightning.
In such a case it may not be economi-
cally justified to select arresters with
”sufficient energy capability” and
instead a higher failure rate may be Detailed view of TLA
acceptable. erected under twin-
To ensure quick, safe, automatic and conductors.
controlled disconnection of a failed
arrester, ABB uses a special discon-
necting device with a suitable link,
often in the earthing circuit of the
arresters.
The earth lead is designed to
withstand the short-circuit currents
and the disconnecting device is
tested to ensure no false operations.
Thus, at a failure, the tripped line
does not have to be locked-out and
attended to immediately.
By moulding the silicone polymer

1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters 5

 Applications
Increased line availability 2/3 line length switching surge overvolta-
By locating the PEXLINK on sections ges and thus line insulation requirements
of lines with high footing impedance could be limited without using pre-
towers and one additional low footing- insertion resistors. Arresters used for this
impedance tower at each end of the type of application should be designed for
section, PEXLINK protects existing
shielded and non-shielded lines from
abnormal lightning surges (frequent or
high amplitudes) and reduces the outages.
The reduced outages are beneficial
also indirectly in that sensitive equip-
ment is not damaged and the circuit
breakers overhaul interval can be
increased.Thus, total maintenance costs
are also reduced.
This protection may be used for all
system voltages where the stated abnor-
mal conditions exist. Arresters with
moderate energy capability are often
sufficient. However, the high-current
capability must be large and distribution-
type arresters may not be suitable.
2% overvoltage values (p.u.)
No overvoltage ���
control
�

���
Surge arresters
at line ends �

���

Surge arresters �
at line ends and
two additional ���
locations along
the line �
� �� �� �� �� ���

The diagram shows overvoltages phase-ground generated by three-

phase reclosing of 550 kV, 200 km transmission line with a previous
ground fault. For long EHV lines pre-insertion resistors tradition-
ally are used to limit switching overvoltages. Surge arresters, as a
robust and efficient alternative, could be located at line ends and Transmission line arrester (PEXLIM P), line dis-
along the line at selected points. charge class 4 for 800 kV system.

For long EHV lines, surge arresters usu- high energy capability. Usually a class 2 or
ally are located at line-ends. In addition, by 3 arrester will be sufficient out on the line
locating arresters at one or more points but higher arrester classes may be neces-
along the line e.g. at midpoint or 1/3 and sary at the receiving end of the line.

6 1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters

Compact-insulation lines Extended station protection
Arresters placed in parallel with line By locating arresters on towers near a
insulators permit a large degree of com- substation, the risk of backflashovers
pacting of a transmission line with lower near the station is eliminated. This results
right-of-way costs as a result. in reduction of steepness and ampli-
tude of incoming travelling waves, thus
improving the protection performance of
station arresters and eliminating the need
for additional expensive metal-enclosed
arresters even for large GIS.

Substitute for shield wires

In cases where provision of shield wires
is not practical physically or is very
expensive , e.g. very long spans, very
high towers etc., arresters are a good
and economical substitute.
Compact 400 kV tower without overhead shield Arresters located in all phases on each
wire. Insulators protected by TLA in top phase. tower eliminate the need for both shield
wires and good footing impedance and
Line upgrading may be economically justified in cases
The existing insulation level of a line, where the cost of reduction in footing
when suitably protected by arresters, may impedance and the cost of overhead
be upgraded for service at a higher system shield wire are very high.
voltage leading to greater power transfer
without much additional capital cost.

The effect of transmis-

sion line arrester (TLA)
along a line section
with high tower foot-
ing impedance (TFI).
The figure also dem-
Arresters in towers 3 to 7 only onstrates the need
Arresters in all the 9 towers for TLA at the low TFI
Normal line insulation strength (BIL) towers at the ends of
section.

1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters 7

 PEXLINK features

Standard components the failure of the arrester. Generally, the

The suspension of the arresters is simp- same is placed in the earth circuit of the
lified and standard clamps and similar arrester but depending on the configura-
hardware normally available may be tion, it may be placed at the high-poten-
used for this purpose. This leads to over- tial end of the arrester. Please refer to
all economy for the user. A few examp- the figures mentioned above.
Major features of the The separation of the disconnector
Arrester Line discharge Energy capability
PEXLIM arresters (which type class as per IEC 60099-4 is quick and effective and the method
as per IEC 60099-4 clause 7.5.5
are the main compo- kJ/kV Ur* of connection advised by ABB in each
nent of PEXLINK) are PEXLIM R Class 2 5.5 kJ/kV (Ur)
particular case ensures that neither the
described at length disconnected wire nor the damaged
PEXLIM Q Class 3 7.8 kJ/kV (Ur)
in the Buyers Guide arrester lead to any interference with
PEXLIM P Class 4 12.0 kJ/kV (Ur)
(PTHVP/A 2200) for other live parts.Thus, after a failure, the
*) Ur = rated voltage
arresters and only a brief line can be re-charged without attending
review is given here. les can be seen in the figures for ”Some to it immediately.
erection alternatives” (page 10). The disconnection is easily visible
The disconnecting device is carefully from the ground and thus locating it is
chosen to perform its function only at simple for the maintenance crew.

Earth
terminal

Disconnecting
device
Standard
line
clamp
Clevis Earth cable to
Shunt link tower leg
Disconnecting
device
Line
terminal Weights
Earth cable to
tower leg

Typical line terminal/clamp arrangement Disconnecting device connected Damping weights connected to earth
(and shunt when necessary) to the earth circuit. terminal to minimize swing angle.

8 1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters

Easy to install be easily designed for use on various
The PEXLIM arresters are built-up of voltages. They are light and hence easily
optimum-length modules and hence can transported up the towers.

1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters 9

 Some erection alternatives
Different arrangements showing how easy it is to install the PEXLINK
concept in towers of different design.

Insulator string
Insulator string

Surge Surge
arrester arrester

Earthing
Earthing cable
cable
Disconnecting Disconnecting
device device

Insulator string

Surge
arrester
Insulator
string

Disconnecting
device

Earthing
cable

Surge Disconnecting
arrester device

Insulator string

Surge Disconnecting
arrester device

10 1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters

 Terminology
Backflashover Shielding
Occurs when lightning strikes the Protection of phase conductors from
tower structure or overhead shield wire. direct lightning strokes; generally, by
The lightning discharge current, flowing means of additional conductor(s) run-
through the tower and tower footing ning on the top of the towers and groun-
impedance, produces potential differen- ded through the tower structures.
ces across the line insulation.
If the line insulation strength is Shielding angle
exceeded, flashover occurs i.e. a backflas- The included angle, usually between 20
hover. Backflashover is most prevalent to 30 degrees, between shield wire and
when tower footing impedance is high. phase conductor.

Compact insulation lines Shielding failure

Transmission lines with reduced clearan- Occurs when lightning strikes a phase
ces between phases and between phase conductor of a line protected by over-
and earth and with lower insulation level head shield wires.
withstand than for normal lines for the
same system voltage. TLA
Transmission Line Arresters.
Coupling factor
is the ratio of included surge voltage on Tower footing impedance
a parallel conductor to that on a struck The impedance seen by a lightning
conductor. This factor is determined surge flowing from the tower base to
from the geometric relationships bet- true ground.The risk for backflashover
ween phase and ground (or protected increases with increasing footing impe-
phase conductors). A value often used dance.
for estimation purposes is 0.25.
Travelling waves
Energy capability Occur when lightning strikes a transmis-
The energy that a surge arrester can sion line span and a high current surge
absorb, in one or more impulses, without is injected on to the struck conductor.
damage and without loss of thermal stabi- The impulse voltage and current
lity. The capability is different for different waves divide and propagate in both
types and duration of impulses. directions from the stroke terminal
at a velocity of approximately 300
Isokeraunic level meters per microsecond with magni-
Number of annual thunderstorm days for tudes determined by the stroke cur-
a given region. rent and line surge impedance.

1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters 11

 Produktion: PTHVP/MD MF Repro/Tryck: Henningsons Tryckeri Foto: Hasse Eriksson
1HSA 954321-10en Edition 4, 2002-11

NOTE! ABB is working to continuously improve the products. Therefore we

reserve the right to change design, dimensions and data without prior notice.

ABB Power Technology Products AB

High Voltage Products
Surge Arresters
S-771 80 LUDVIKA, Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)240 78 20 00
Telefax: +46 (0)240 179 83
E-mail: arresters.div@se.abb.com
Internet: http://www.abb.com/arrestersonline

12 1HSA 954321-10en PEXLINK Transmission Line Arresters