17 July 2024

Surge Arresters: A Guide to ZOTUP SPDs

Manual for Electrical Designers

Surge arresters (SPD) are essential devices for protecting electrical systems from transient overvoltages. These surges can be caused by atmospheric phenomena such as lightning or by switching operations on the electrical grid. ZOTUP, with years of experience and innovation in the sector, offers a complete range of surge protection solutions, designed to guarantee safety, reliability and high performance.

Technical characteristics of ZOTUP surge arresters

Fuse Function

The Fuse Function (ff) guarantees, in the event of the arrester's end of life, the mode of open circuit fault without the adoption of back-up fuses placed in series. The elimination of fuses with MCB ≤ 160 A and the related connection cables to the fuseallows you to improve the overall protection levelas well as reduction of overall dimensions inside the panel. The ZOTUP internal disconnector, a patented element, in addition to disconnecting the two end-of-life processes (the slow one and the instantaneous one, considered by the IEC 61643-1 standard), therefore provides a Fuse Function (ff), thus by doing the SPD it maintains its full capacity discharge and the overall voltage drop (Upf) across the protection circuit is reduced. (ZOTUP | Surge arresters ).

Progressive Performance Indicator

The progressive performance indicatorallows you to monitor the level of degradation of the arrester both locally, using the progressive performance status indicator,and remotely< /strong>, via a remote signaling contact (where present), which is activated when minimum performance is reached. The level of degradation is displayed by the color changes (green-yellow-red) of the status display window:the transition from the initial green color(full performance) to the totally yellow one ( minimum performance) happens progressively; yes so went from late information about the end of life of the SPD to preventive information, which allows maintenance with replacement in good time. (ZOTUP | Surge arresters ).

Resistance to Extreme Environmental Conditions - Pollution Degree 3

Thanks to intense research into materials and a specifically oriented design, ZOTUP SPDs reach and satisfy Pollution Degree 3, with voltages up to 500 V AC and an extended temperature range (-40°/+80&deg ;C). ZOTUP SPDs can also be used in particularly harsh environments due to the presence of conductive pollution such as dust, salt, humidity and and condensation. In the presence of conductive pollution, in fact, SPDs can generally suffer serious damage, even in the absence of overvoltages. This feature guarantees not only greater reliability but above all greater suitability to cover applications that otherwise could not be satisfied with lower Pollution Degrees or normal temperature ranges. (ZOTUP | Surge arresters ).

Capacity of Withstand Temporary Overvoltages

A surge arrester is designed to protect against high-frequency events lasting microseconds (kHz - MHz). This which is often underestimated are the faults that occur at 50 Hz, i.e. what are commonly called Temporary Overvoltages or TOV at industrial frequency (f = 50Hz) of a non-impulsive nature with a relatively long duration. The SPD is an appliance characterized by themode sealing capacity (W), i.e. it must be able to withstand the TOVs without being damaged. Some SPDs on the market are characterized by the mode Safe Failure Mode - S: the SPD fails but in a safe way (without catching fire and maintaining its IP rating). The latter is the minimum permitted condition. (ZOTUP | Surge arresters ).

Here are all the families of ZOTUP products

ZOTUP offers a wide range of surge arresters, designed for different applications and protection levels, divided into specific families by type of arrester.

TO MAKE IT EASY TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SURGE ARRESTER, WE HAVE CARRIED OUT ADVANCED RESEARCH WITH WHICH WE CAN FILTER THE PRODUCTS, TRY IT NOW

ZOTUP FOR LOW VOLTAGE (LV) SYSTEMS (Consult them)

SPD FOR LV APPLICATIONS IN ALTERNATING CURRENT (AC) (See them all)

L - ZOTUPLIMITER (Consult them)

SPD with varistor:

absence of network follow current NFC No Follow Current®;
very fast intervention time (ta): ≤ 25 ns;
excellent level of protection; high impulse discharge current: (Iimp) up to 25 kA/pole, 10/350 μs;
(Imax)up to 100 kA/pole 8/20 μs.

The wide range of limiting SPDs, characterized by the NFC No Follow Current® function, allows you to optimally cover many applications in which the SPDs often operate independently and where high performance is required with particular regard to the level of protection .

THE - ZOTUPCOMB (Consult them)

SPD with varistor and GDT connected in series:

absence of network follow current NFC No Follow Current®;
very fast intervention time (ta): ≤ 25 ns;
excellent level of protection; high impulse discharge current: (Iimp) up to 25 kA/pole, 10/350 μs;
(Imax)up to 100 kA/pole 8/20 μs.

The combined SPDs incorporate both components: voltage triggering and voltage limiting (GDT and Varistors). Their characteristic can therefore be voltage triggering, voltage limiting or both. In our production range, they have been optimized for applications in TT systems, upstream of the differential and in residential (condominium) environments.

IA - ZOTUPGAP (Consult them)

Type IA - SPD with self-extinguishing spark gap with trigger technology:

high impulse discharge current: (Iimp) 25 kA/pole 10/350 μs; 100 kA/4 poles 10/350 μs;
rapid intervention time (ta): ≤ 100 ns;
absence of leakage current.

The self-extinguishing trigger SPDs are characterized by spark gaps having a capacity of of autonomous extinction of the following Ifi network current which must be ≥ of the Icc of the plant. Downstream of these SPDs is there is often a second protection step to which speed is entrusted. of the intervention. A typical application in which these characteristics stand out is that of the TT system of a medium-sized system, consisting of front panel, general panel and sub-panel.

I - ZOTUPGAP N-PE (Consult them)

Type I - SPD with GDT (gas discharge tube):

The typical use of these surge protectors is in the N-PE connection in TT energy distribution systems (1+1 or 3+1 wiring, CT 2 type connection according to HD 60364-5-534);
high impulse discharge current (Iimp) and (Imax) up to 100 kA 10/350 μs.

PB - ZOTUPBOX (Consult them)

Protection box with IP65 enclosure that provides a compact and pre-assembled solution for Power Center applications.

CP - ZOTUPACCESSORIES (Consult them)

Fork connectors, available with various contacts whose typical use is the connection on the ground side of the SPD.

SPD FOR ALTERNATING CURRENT (AC) APPLICATIONS WITH ADDITIONAL MAINS FILTER (Consult them)

ILF - ZOTUPFILTER (Consult them)

SPD with varistor, GDT and additional mains filter:

bandpass filter behavior for high frequency interference;
optimal to reach the resistibility level and immunity foreseen for electronic equipment in EMC classified environments;
high capacity discharge (combined pulse Uoc 10 kV 1.2/50 μs, Icw 5 kA 8/20 μs).

SPDs combined with additional mains filter are used in those applications where it is high continuity is required operating systems, such as: Data Centers, DCS (Centralized Control Systems), etc... These SPDs therefore do not protect exclusively from lightning, but also from conducted high frequency electromagnetic interference. They are therefore used where compatibility electromagnetic (EMC) is a problem and improvements in the immune system are required

SPD FOR DIRECT CURRENT (DC) APPLICATIONS AND PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS (Consult them)

L - ZOTUPLIMITER PV ( Consult them)

SPD with varistor:

absence of network follow current NFC No Follow Current®;
very fast intervention time (ta): ≤ 25 ns;
excellent level of protection; high impulse discharge current: (Iimp) up to 25 kA/pole, 10/350 μs;
(Imax)up to 100 kA/pole 8/20 μs.

L - ZOTUPLIMITER DC ( Consult them)

SPD with varistor:

absence of network follow current NFC No Follow Current®;
very fast intervention time (ta): ≤ 25 ns;
excellent level of protection; high impulse discharge current: (Iimp) up to 25 kA/pole, 10/350 μs;
(Imax)up to 100 kA/pole 8/20 μs.

LLP - ZOTUPLED (Consult them)

SPD LED Light Protection, an assembled and ready-to-install limiting and switching system that provides two modes of protection.

ZOTUP FOR SIGNALS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND DATA TRANSMISSION (Consult them)

SPD FOR SIGNALS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS (Consult them)

S - ZOTUPSIGNAL (Consult them)

SPD for signals, telecommunications and data transmission. The arresters are installed on lines in series with the equipment to be protected having a low level of resistibility, for example, analog circuits or computer networks.

C - ZOTUPCOAX (Consult them)

SPD with Coaxial connectors typically installed for the protection of TV switching equipment, satellite antenna or broadband transmission and remote systems. Particularly suitable for application with long coaxial cables that are exposed to electromagnetic interference.

ZOTUP STORAGE STORAGE FOR MEDIUM/HIGH VOLTAGE (HV) SYSTEMS (Consult them)

ARRESTERS FOR MEDIUM/HIGH VOLTAGE (HV) SYSTEMS (Consult them)

ZU - ZOTUPHV (Consult them)

HV (Medium/High Voltage) arresters with typical applications for overvoltage protection of transformers, switches and medium voltage transmission lines.

Trap traps with silicone rubber insulator with increased escape lines to cover all possible applications: internal, external and in environments with a high degree of contamination;
Surge limiter available with disconnect device;
Additional pulse counter and pulse counter + milliammeter for indicating the total leakage current (internal and external leakage);
Thermal energy performance greater than 4.5 kJ/kV available on request.