Merlin Gerin Modular surge arresters Simple and efficient protection

Risks linked to lightning

Lightning results from the discharge of electricity that has accumulated in cumulo-nimbus clouds that create a capacitor with the ground. The phenomena created in storms can cause significant damage. Lightning is a highfrequency electrical phenomenon that can lead to overvoltages on any conductive element, in particular on cables and electric loads.

Since cities have grown, humans are less exposed to lightning than in the past. However, man has become more and more dependent on electrical and electronic devices, the correct functioning of which can be affected by lightning.

In Europe, lightning is the source of a great deal of damage:

s 10% of fires are due to lightning, of which 40% are agricultural in nature. s Lightning is the primary cause of destruction of electric and electronic equipment: s Metering devices. s Sensitive loads. s Considerable operating losses following breaks in supply. s Repair costs for damage caused by lightning are significant.

Today protection is available for electrical installations and structures:

s On the outside of buildings. Connect all metal elements to the earthing system and install a lightning conductor. s On the inside of buildings. Interconnect exposed conductive parts and install surge arresters on electrical and telephone networks.

The effectiveness of protection depends on several criteria:

s The natural immunity of conductors and enclosures. s The choice of lightning conductors and surge arresters. s The correct installation of these protection devices.

Schneider Electric, leader in the field of protection, reinforces its surge arrester offer
Today, devices exist to protect electric installations and equipment against the direct or indirect effects of lightning. The need to better satisfy customer expectations and the recent evolution of standards have led Schneider Electric to develop a new range of surge arresters. This modular offer suits the protection needs of each country for the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. It meets the international standard IEC 61643-11 class 2 test. The offer comes in both fixed and withdrawable versions, 1 pole and multiple poles. Risk evaluation is unique for each installation and is vital to effectively protect electrical equipment and to ensure optimum continuity of supply as well. For this, surge arresters must be carefully chosen, taking into account the loads to be protected and the characteristics of the site.

How to choose surge arresters for Low Voltage networks:

Depending on the characteristics of the loads to be protected

To protect loads against atmospheric overvoltages, the following must be taken into account: s The impulse withstand voltage of the equipment to be protected (Uimp). s The maximum voltage (Uc) of the supply network and of the earthing system (see table 3). The surge arresters level of protection (Up) must therefore be: Uc (network) < Up (surge arrester) < Uimp (load)

Impulse withstand (8/20S wave ) table for equipment to be protected in a three-phase network at 230/440 V - as in standard IEC 60364-4 Impulse withstand voltage category Load type category I reduced electronic circuit devices: television, alarm, Hi-Fi, video recorder, computer and telecommunication equipment Uimp Impulse withstand voltage 1.5 kV 2.5 kV 4 kV 6 kV category II normal household appliances: dishwasher, oven, refrigerator, hand tools category III high industrial devices: motor, distribution cabinet, current sockets, transformer category IV very high industrial devices: electric meter, remote measurement device

Lightning stroke density (Ng)

Lightning stroke density (Ng), number of lightning strokes per year and per km2.

Ireland <0.2

<0.1 >0.1 >0.2 >0.3 >0.4 >0.5 >0.6

Number of lightning strikes/km2/year

Depending on the characteristics of the site

Installation with a lightning conductor

If a lightning conductor is planned or already installed on the building (or located within a 50 m radius): s An incoming surge arrester with a flow capacity of Imax (8/20S wave )=65 kA needs to be installed. s Secondary protection surge arresters with an Imax (8/20S wave)=8 kA also need to be installed in a cascading configuration and should be located as close as possible to the loads to be protected.

Installation without a lightning conductor

Residential geographical location lightning stroke density (Ng) Urban 0.5 0.5<Ng<1.6 10-15 1.6 10-15 Rural 0.5 10-15 8-10 0.5<Ng<1.6 40 8-10 1.6 65

Imax (kA) incoming protection 10-15* secondary protection: if Up too high and/or d 30 m

(*) recommended d= distance between incoming protection and loads to be protected (see diagram for placing several surge arresters in a cascading configuration)

Commercial/Industrial continuity of supply of the operation consequences (financial) of a lightning stroke on equipment to be protected (1) lightning stroke density (Ng) not necessary low partial high mandatory very high

0.5

0.5<Ng<1.6 1.6 10-15 40 8-10

0.5 10-15

0.5<Ng<1.6 40 8-10

1.6 65

0.5 40 8-10

0.5<Ng<1.6 1.6 65 8-10 65 8-10

Imax (kA) incoming protection 10-15 secondary protection: if Up too high and/or d 30 m

(1) in the commercial/industrial sector, since the cost of equipment to be protected is higher, in the case of destruction, the damage caused by lightning is thus more significant.

Depending on the earthing system

3
Type of earthing system

Common mode (MC) protection corresponds to the protection of phase-to-earth and neutral-to-earth loads. Differential mode (MD) protection is necessary for TT and TN-S systems to ensure the protection of phase-to-neutral loads.

TT

TN-S

TN-C neutral 253/264 V

Uc (network) maximum voltage Withdrawable surge arresters PRD MC Uc = 275 V MC Uc = 440 V MC/MD Uc = 440/275 V Fixed surge arresters PF30-65 kA MC Uc = 440 V MC/MD Uc = 440/275 V

345/360 V

253/264 V

1P 3P 1P+N 3P+N 1P+N 3P+N

1P+N 3P+N 1P+N 3P+N

1P+N 3P+N 1P+N 3P+N

PF8-15 kA

Surge arrester offer for Low voltage networks (240/415V)

Protection incoming secondary number of poles width (18 mm mod.) Up (V) In (kA) (8/20S wave) Imax (kA) Uc (V) (8/20S MC wave) MD Reserve capacity Remote indication end of life cat. no.

PRD65r

1P 1P 1P+N 3P 3P+N 1P 1P 1P+N 3P 3P+N 1P 1P 1P+N 3P 3P+N 1P 1P 1P+N 3P 3P+N PRD8 1P 1P 1P+N 3P 3P+N

1 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4 1 1 2 3 4

2000 1500 1200 2000 1200 1800 1200 1200 1800 1200 1800 1200 1200 1800 1200 1800 1200 1200 1800 1200 1800 1200 1200 1800 1200

20 20 20 20 20 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 5 5 5 5 5 2 2 2 2 2

65 65 65 65 65 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 40 15 15 15 15 15 8 8 8 8 8

440 275 440 440 440 440 275 440 440 440 440 275 440 440 440 440 275 440 440 440 440 275 440 440 440

275 275

s s s s s s s s s s

s s s s s s s s s s

16555 16556 16557 16558 16559 16560 16561 16562 16563 16564 16565 16566 16567 16568 16569 16570 16571 16572 16573 16574 16575 16576 16577 16578 16579

PRD40r

275 275

PRD40

275 275

PRD15

275 275

275 275

Protection incoming

secondary

number of poles

width (18 mm mod.)

Up (V)

In (kA) (8/20S wave)

Imax (kA) mode (8/20S wave)

Uc (V)

Remote indication end of life

cat. no.

PF65r PF30r PF30 PF15

1P+N 3P+N 1P+N 3P+N 1P+N 3P+N 1P+N 3P+N PF8 1P+N 3P+N

7 7 3 4 3 4 2 4 2 4

2000 1800 1800 1800 1000 1800 1000 1500 1500 1000

20 10 10 5 2 5 2 2 2 2

65 30 30 15 8 15 8 8 8 8

MC MC MC MC MD MC MD MC MC MD

440 440 440 440 250 440 250 440 440 250

s s

15684 15685 15689 15690 15687 15688 15692 15693 15695 15696

Choosing the disconnection circuit-breaker

After having chosen the surge arrester(s) needed to protect the installation, the appropriate disconnection circuit-breaker must be chosen from the table opposite:

Surge arresters maximum discharge current

disconnection circuit-breaker rating curve

range

8-15-30-40 kA 65 kA s s

20 A 50 A

C C

C60 C60-C120

Its breaking capacity must be compatible with the short-circuit current of the installation. Each live conductor must be protected. Example: a surge arrester 1P+N must be combined with a 2P disconnection circuit-breaker (2 protected poles).

Indication auxiliary
1 3 5

1 3 5

By adding these auxiliaries next to the surge arrester, remote end of life indication is possible.

Type

Width (9mm mod.)

Supply Voltage

Contact Type

Power

Cat. No.

EM/RM

2+2

230V AC 50-60Hz

NO/NC

6V DC/10 mA 250V AC/5A

16592

Examples of connection diagrams for Low Voltage networks

1 2 3 4 5 6 Earthing connection for LV neutral. Electric switchboard. Disconnection circuit-breaker. Load or equipment to be protected. Main earth terminal. Earthing connection for user frames (loop at trench bottom). Earth leakage protection device.
5 6 1 Surge arrester PRD (1P+N)

TT - Single-phase connection
7 2 4

TN-S - Three-phase + neutral connection

2 4 3 1 Surge arrester PF (3P+N)

TN-C - Three-phase connection

2 4 3 1 Surge arrester PRD (3P)

Placing several surge arresters in a cascading configuration:

The incoming surge arrester (P1) is dimensioned to make lightning currents at the incoming end of the installation flow to the ground, 2 cases are possible: s If the level of protection (Up) is too high in regard to the impulse withstand voltage (Uimp) of the equipment in the installation (figure 1). s If the sensitive equipment is at too great a distance from the incoming surge arrester d 30 m (figure 2). In the second case, another surge arrester can be installed for secondary protection (P2) near the loads, to lower the voltage and make it compatible with the impulse withstand voltage of the equipment to be protected (figure 3).

Example for TN-S - Three-phase + neutral

Figure 1 E Uimp 1.2kV Figure 2 E

P1 UP: 1.5kV

P1

d30m

and/or
Protection incoming Protection secondary E Uimp P2 1.2kV UP: 1.5kV

P1 UP: 1.5kV

Figure 3

Application in the residential sector

1/ The site.
A house in an urban zone, without a lightning conductor, surrounded by structures, is supplied by a single-phase low voltage overhead line. The earthing system is a TT system. The equipment to be protected, and which is of average cost, has a reduced impulse withstand voltage (Uchoc); its non availability has no effect on domestic activity. The house is located in a low lightning stroke density zone: Ng = 0.6.

Preserving priority loads from voltage surges linked to lightning, while also ensuring safety.

2/ Sensitive loads to be protected.

s Household appliances: freezer, television, hi-fi stereo, small automated systems (intrusion alarm, electric gate, etc.). s Computer and telephone equipment (internet modem, etc.).

3/ Choosing surge arresters.

After having consulted the different tables (function of the discharge current and depending on the earthing system), the surge arrester to be installed must have a flow capacity (Imax) of 15 kA. It has 1 pole + neutral (1P+N) Two solutions: s Fixed surge arrester: PF15, s Withdrawable surge arrester: PRD15. A disconnection circuit-breaker must be combined with the surge arrester, with a rating of 20 A, C curve, and the same breaking capacity level as the installations short-circuit current (Icc).

Total length of surge arrester circuit from busbars to earth bar must not exceed 50cm

4/ Continuity of supply.
In the case of atmospheric disturbances, the way to guarantee the continuity of supply of priority circuits while protecting loads, is to combine the surge arrester with: s An upstream earth leakage protection device 300/500 mA s selective or delayed, so as to ensure total discrimination, s A residual current device 30 mA of the "si" type, which is insensitive to atmospheric disturbances and placed downstream from the earth leakage device on priority circuits and which preserves the continuity of supply.

Application in the commercial and industrial sector

1/ The site.
The industrial site includes: s A security lodge. s An office building, s Three manufacturing buildings. The site is located on a 10 hectare plot, surrounded by trees in a valley.

Protecting the installation and ensuring continuity of supply

GE

Transformer

MSB

C120

PF65r

The 50cm rule To building

2/ Loads to be protected.
s In the manufacturing buildings: computers, heating unit and electrical machinery. s In the office building: computers, inverters, lighting and heating management unit. s In the security lodge: technical alarms, intrusion alarm, fire detection, access control and video monitoring.
Sub-distribution switchboard 1
C60

Office building
Sub-distribution switchboard 2
C60

3/ Risk evaluation.
Study of the load risk: s High sensitivity of loads. s Very high cost for loads. s Essential continuity of supply. Study of the site risk: s Underground low voltage line. s Underground medium voltage line. s Buildings surrounded by a few structures and fitted out with lightning conductors. s Lightning stroke density: Ng=2.3.

PF8

PF8

The 50cm rule

example of connection diagram: office building (TN-S system)

4/ Earthing systems.
The earthing system at the incoming end of the installation a TN-S system.

5/ Choosing surge arresters.

After having consulted the different tables (in function of the loads to be protected, the sites characteristics and the earthing systems) it is necessary to place an incoming surge arrester with a flow capacity of Imax=65 kA at the incoming end of the switchboard in each building, and to which one or several secondary protection surge arresters, with an Imax=8 kA, are added in a cascading configuration and which are located as close as possible to the loads to be protected. (see diagram for placing several surge arresters in a cascading configuration).

s For the manufacturing building, security lodge and the office building (TN-S system), the surge arresters to be installed have multiple poles (1P+N or 3P+N):
Incoming end protection: Withdrawable surge arresters PRD65r Fixed surge arresters Disconnection CB* PF65r C60 rating 50A/C curve Secondary protection: PRD8 PF8 C60 rating 20A/C curve

*The breaking capacity of the disconnection circuit-breaker must be the same as or greater than the short-circuit current (Icc)at that point in the installation.

6/ Continuity of supply.
As with the "residential" application, use: s Upstream earth leakage protection devices 300/500 mA s selective or delayed, if required.

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0870 608 8 608

Fax 0870 608 8 606
Schneider Electrics local support
Schneider Electric is committed to supporting its customers at every stage of a project. Our 180 sales engineers, the largest dedicated sales force in the UK electrical industry, operate from 4 customer support centres. Our sales engineers are skilled at assessing individual requirements and combined with the expert support of our product specialists, will develop the most effective and economical answer taking relevant regulations and standards fully into account. To access the expertise of the Schneider Electric group, please call 0870 608 8 608. Each customer support centre includes facilities for demonstrations and training, and presentation rooms fully equipped with audio visual and video, providing excellent meeting facilities.

Merlin Gerin is a world leader in the manufacture and supply of high, medium and low voltage products for the distribution, protection, control and management of electrical systems. Its quality products, solutions and services are focused on the needs of both the commercial and industrial sectors.

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