Lightning Arresters

Construction and Condition

Monitoring

Selection of Surge Arrester

Voltage
400/3
= 230kV
During single phase to ground fault,
voltage on healthy phase may go
upto 1.4 to 1.5 times
230 x 1.4/1.5
= 323 346
Temporary O/V
= 1.5 pu =
336kV
LAs are available at 336kV, 360kV,
372kV and 390kV
Higher ratings are selected taking
into consideration of ageing of LA
elements

LA Characteristics

Construction of disc

These are made by mixing ZnO with

small amount of additives such as
Bi2O3, CoO, Cr2O3, MnO and Sb2O3
ZnO grains (about 10m dia) have low
resistivity and surrounded by a granular
layer which is a high resistive Oxide
layer(0.1 m thick). The two are strongly
bonded.

LA

AS PER IEC-60099(5), TECHNIQUES FOR

THE HEALTH MONITORING OF SURGE
ARRESTERS IN SERVICE
1. TOTAL LEAKAGE CURRENT MEASUREMENT
2. WATT LOSS MEASUREMENT
3. INSULATION RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT
4. THIRD HARMONIC RESISTIVE CURRENT
MONITORING.
5. THIRD HARMONIC RESISTIVE CURRENT
(THRC) MONITORING WITH COMPENSATION
FOR THIRD HARMONICS IN SYSTEM
VOLTAGE.

THE MEASUREMENT
PRINCIPLE
-

HARMONICS ARE CREATED IN

LEAKAGE CURRENT ON APPLICATION
OF FUNDAMENTAL FREQUENCY, DUE
TO NON LINEAR VOLTAGE-CURRENT
CHARACTERSTIC OF SURGE
ARRESTERS.
THIRD HARMONIC IS THE LARGEST
HARMONIC COMPONENT OF THE
RESISTIVE CURRENT

EFFECT OF 3RD HARMONICS IN

SYSTEM VOLTAGE

THIRD HARMONIC IN SYSTEM VOLTAGE

CREATES CAPACITIVE HARMONIC
CURRENTS WHICH AFFECT THE
MEASURED VALUE
ERROR IN THE MEASURED VALUES MAY
BE CONSIDERABLE
AS REPORTED, 1% THIRD HARMONIC
IN SYSTEM VOLTAGE MAY INTRODUCE
ERROR UPTO 100% IN THE MEASURED
VALUE

Basic circuit for LA testing

ZnO type Surge Arrester

Equivalent Circuit

Equivalent Circuit
Rp = Non-linear resistance of the granular layer
(108 m for low electric field stress and 10-2 m
for high electric field stresses)
C= Granular layer has a relative dielectric constant
between 500 and 1200 depending upon the
manufacturing process.
Rs= Resistance of the ZnO grains with resistivity of
10-2 m

Ageing of Metal Oxide Surge

Arresters

Normal Operating Voltage causes ageing of ZnO Blocks

Temporary O/V, Switching O/V and Lightning O/V may
cause overloading of all or some of the ZnO blocks
External Pollution may cause non-linear voltage
distribution. Accelerated ageing caused by internal PDs
Moisture Entry through sealing gaskets, may lead to
shorting of ZnO discs and overstressing of healthy ZnO
blocks.
The degree of ageing depends on the nature/ quality of
the granular layer.
The increase in Resistive Leakage Current may bring the
arrester to Thermal instability and complete Arrester
Breakdown

Failure of 400kV LA

Failed LA hanging with Bus pipe

Shattered pieces of LA stacks

Close view of shattered pieces

Damaged Surge Monitor and

shattered pieces of LA stacks

Another failed LA

FAILURE OF LAs

FAILURE OF LAs

Failure of LA

Failure of Surge Monitor after

failure of LA

Preventive Action taken by

POWERGRID

Condition Monitoring of Surge Arresters

to avoid sudden failures/ blasting
leading to unplanned outages.
Failure investigations with
manufacturers and improvements in
manufacturing quality

POWERGRID practice for Surge

Arrester Monitoring
Third Harmonic Resistive Current
Yearly
Measurement as a routine test

- 1

Capacitance and Tan of each stack

- SOS

Insulation Resistance of each stack

- SOS

Third Harmonic Resistive

Current
Make

LA

LA

LA

(0-2Yrs.) (2-5Yrs.) (510Yrs.)

LA

(1015Yrs.)

LA

>15Yrs.

Alstom

10-25A 10-40A 20100A

40-125A 50150A

Elpro

10-30A 10-40A 20100A

40-125A 50150A

CGL

10-20A 10-40A 20-50A -

Oblum

10-20A 10-40A 20-50A -

Third Harmonic Resistive

Current Measurement contd.

1.

2.

The limit for Third Harmonic resistive current has

been fixed as 500 micro-amp.
About 35 nos. Surge Arresters have been removed
from service based on Third Harmonic Resistive
current.
Following tests were conducted on the removed
LAs:
Insulation Resistance test at 5.0kV
Dissipation factor at 10.0kV

Third Harmonic Resistive

Current Measurement contd.

Insulation Resistance measurement gives good

indication of moisture entry in the stack.
Capacitance and Tan Delta measurement indicates
degradation of ZnO blocks.

In 90% of the cases, moisture entry has

caused the failures of LAs in POWERGRID
whereas in about 10% cases, it was because
of degradation of ZnO discs due to various
stresses.

Capacitance and Tan Delta

Measurement

Capacitance and Tan Delta Measurement on

LA having 560 micro-Amp

Stack

Capacitance

Tan Delta

85pF

0.06

89pF

0.065

91pF

0.05

270pF

1.12

Remarks

Capacitance and Tan Delta Measurement on

LA, 360kV having 595 micro-Amp
Stack

Capacitance

Tan Delta

80pF

1.0

40pF

0.2

40pF

0.2

40pF

0.2

Remarks

Third Harmonic Resistive Current 765mic.amp.

IR value of Top Stack

- 50 G Ohm

IR value of Middle Stack

- 0 GOhm

IR value of Bottom stack

- 100 GOhm

Moisture was found inside the middle stack.

Failures of LAs in POWERGRID since

1999
Make

LAs failed/
blasted

LAs
Total
removed
from service

% age
failure

15

19

34

3.79%

12

16

28

2.8%

1.1%

0.5%

Failure investigations

Investigations carried out involving all the

manufacturers viz M/s CGL, M/s Alstom, M/s
Oblum and M/s Elpro.

Displaced Gasket leading to

moisture entry

Conduction marks on packing rubber

Cracked packing material

Rusted Spring

Conduction of ZnO discs

Corrosion on the Gasket Area

Failures of LAs

Failures of LA stacks
Failures of Surge Monitors
Failures of LA stacks and LA monitors more in rainy
seasons.
Many LAs removed based on Third Harmonic
Resistive Current Measurements whereas leakage
current as indicated by Meter was still within limits.

Investigation on Surge Arrester

Stacks

Defective LAs (based on THRC), were tested. Resistive

leakage current measured to be high. Only 90kV could be
applied and leakage current was 1400 micro-Amp.
Following observations were made:
Rusting of various components due to moisture entry.
Sealing gasket de-shaped.
Conduction marks on the surface of ZnO discs and
heating of wedges was also observed.
Increase of third harmonic current during service was
mainly due to moisture entry and then conduction over
ZnO discs leading to overstressing of the healthy stacks.

Investigation on Surge Arrester

Stacks-contd.Manufacturer-A
5 Units of LA stacks tested for moisture entry at 1.0m, 1.5m and
2.0m. Following tests conducted before and after dip test:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Partial Discharge Measurement

Resistive Leakage Current Measurement
Reference Voltage
Megger Test

All tests passed successfully indicating no moisture entry

in the stack. Based on this, it was agreed to carry out dip
test at 1.5 m as a routine test in future.

Investigation on Surge
Arrester Stacks-contd.Manufacturer - B

All the stacks had shown very high value of resistive

current upto 2000micro-amp.

All the stacks except bottom stacks were defective due

to entry of moisture through cracked copper tube used
for dry air filling and also from flat gaskets used in
these stacks.

All the inner MS components were found rusted.

Gaskets were also found cracked.

Slippage of gasket in one case was also observed.

Improvements Surge Arrester

Stack

O rings/ elliptical cross sections (neoprene, butyl or

equivalent) is a better sealing option in comparison to
flat gasket with no groove.
Water dip test to be conducted at a minimum depth of
1.5m from top of the Arrester for 30 minutes to be
followed by routine electrical tests PD, Reference
Voltage, Residual Voltage and IR measurements(5kV
Megger). For IR acceptance criteria to be within 10%
of the pre-dip values.

Improvements/ Modifications
Surge Monitors

The Terminal for connection to be provided at the

bottom. This will help in avoiding the moisture entry.
Surge Monitor enclosure to be tested for IP-66 for
proving efficacy of sealing arrangement.
Manufacturers are being insisted for IP-67.
Surge Monitors be subjected to dip test as a Routine
test. Dip test at 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.

Outcome of Joint Failure

Investigations
1.

2.

3.

Moisture entry through sealing system/gaskets has

led to degradation of discs and consequent increase
in THRC.
Accelerated degradation of the ZnO discs due to
manufacturing defects/process problems
Third Harmonic Resistive Current Measurement is
technique for precise monitoring of health of the
Surge Arresters.

Conclusion

Failures are mostly due to moisture entry.

Third Harmonic Resistive Current Measurement technique
is very effective in detecting defective/ aged Surge
Arresters.
Moisture entry in the stacks can be detected by IR
measurement.
Degradation of ZnO blocks can be detected by
Capacitance and Tan Delta measurement
Dip test at manufacturers works shall help in identifying
the defective LA stacks.
O rings are better than flat gaskets for sealing.

Thank You for your kind attention

please