METAL OXIDE VARISTOR

A metal oxide varistor (MOV) is built from zinc oxide disks in series and parallel arrangement to achieve the required protective level and energy requirement. One to four columns of zinc oxide disks are installed in each sealed porcelain container, similar to a high-voltage surge arrester. A typical MOV protection system contains several porcelain containers, all connected in parallel. The number of parallel zinc oxide disk columns required depends on the amount of energy to be discharged through the MOV during the worst-case design scenario. Typical MOV protection system specifications are as follows.

The MOV protection system for the series capacitor bank is usually rated to withstand energy discharged for all faults in the system external to the line section in which the series capacitor bank is located. Faults include single-phase, phase-to-phase, and three-phase faults. The user should also specify the fault duration. Most of the faults in EHV systems will be cleared by the primary protection system in three to four cycles. Backup fault clearing can be from 12 to 16 cycles duration. The user should specify whether the MOV should be designed to withstand energy for backup fault clearing times. Sometimes it is specified that the MOV be rated for all faults with primary protection clearing time, but for only single-phase faults for backup fault clearing time. Statistically, most of the faults are single-phase faults.

The energy discharged through the MOV is continuously monitored and if it exceeds the rated value, the MOV will be protected by the firing of a triggered air gap, which will bypass the MOV.

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