Protection against lightning surges propagated on the input power supply
The purpose of this introduction is to present the results of a new protection system against lightning surges propagated on the input power supply.
Atmospheric lightning strikes create transient overvoltages on power lines with very steep rise times and slow decay times. Operations on electrical panels can generate oscillations on the power line similar to a lightning strike. The effects of these overvoltages, at best, lead to premature aging of powered devices due to excessive electrical stress. In the worst cases, it can lead to local destruction of components and/or electrical and electronic devices connected to the network.
The new device blocks indirect lightning strikes characterized by an 8/20us test impulse, which represent the majority of cases to which electrical and electronic equipment connected to the network are subjected.
CURRENT STATE
Devices commonly used on the power line as secondary protection use ZnO-based varistors with non-linear resistance depending on the current passing through them. While capable of absorbing significant energy, they are not able to fully absorb the energy of the lightning strike, and the residual voltage that propagates towards the load can be dangerous for connected devices, depending on the applied impulse.
One significant parameter