Patent Application
20210344192
The present invention relates to the technical field of overvoltage protection, and in particular to a surge protection device and system.
A surge protection device is an overvoltage protection device connected to electronic equipment or a low-voltage power distribution system. Surge protection devices are typically used to discharge surge currents caused by lightning currents, lightning induction and switching operations while limiting the amplitude of overvoltage, thereby preventing the surge current from causing damage to other devices in the loop.
In order to improve the surge current discharge capability of surge protection devices, the common practice is to test the surge protector installed between the LPZ0 zone (Lightning Protection Zone, referred to as LPZ) and the LPZ1 zone by using a simulated lightning impulse current (the waveform of the impulse current is 10/350 μs) according to the IEC 61643-11 standard or the GB/T 18802.1 standard. This lightning impulse current features a long-duration waveform and large energy. The surge protection device is, therefore, required to possess an extremely strong charge transfer capability in order to effectively protect the devices in the loop.
In order to meet the aforementioned test requirements, the existing surge protection devices include the following two types:
(1) Surge protection device with multiple varistors connected in parallel: due to the limitation of the manufacturing process, it is difficult to fabricate large-sized varistors, but the current capacity of the varistor is directly related to its own size. In this regard, a single varistor generally has a current capacity in the range of 10-100 kA (under an impulse current waveform of 8/20 μs). In order to meet the test requirements for the lightning impulse current Iimp=12.5 kA (10/350 μs), it is necessary to connect at least 4 varistors of 20 kA (8/20 μs) in parallel. However, since these varistors are semiconductor devices, when the lightning impulse current has excessively large energy, the varistor is easily broken down due to overheating. Thus, this surge protection device has the problem of poor capability of withstanding multiple pulses.
(2) Single gap+arc-quenching device type surge protection device: this surge protection device utilizes a single gap to discharge the lightning impulse current. When a power frequency follow current is caused, the arc-quenching device is used to limit the arc and cut off the follow current. This surge protection device has a strong capability to discharge the lightning impulse current, but has a blind zone of follow current interruption. When a protected system generates a large enough follow current (generally at the kiloampere level), the arc can be easily transferred to the arc-quenching device through the gas generated by electromagnetic force or the current thermally eroding the insulating material. However, when the follow current is hundreds of amperes or tens of amperes, the arc is difficult to be transferred to the arc-quenching device, which will cause a failure of the arc-quenching.
In summary, the existing surge protection devices have the problems of poor capability of withstanding multiple pulses and low arc-quenching reliability.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a surge protection device and system, which can effectively improve the capability of withstanding multiple pulses and prevent failure of arc-quenching.
In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a surge protection device, including: an impedance device, a voltage-limiting surge protector, and a switching surge protector. The impedance device is connected in parallel with the voltage-limiting surge protector. A parallel branch of the impedance device and the voltage-limiting surge protector is connected in series with the switching surge protector to form a discharge channel of a lightning impulse current. A series branch of the impedance device and the switching surge protector forms a discharge channel of a follow current.
Preferably, the surge protection device further includes: a thermal protector connected to the series branch where the switching surge protector is located. When the temperature reaches a preset temperature threshold, the thermal protector acts to cut off the connection with the series branch where the switching surge protector is located.
Preferably, the thermal protector includes a thermal fuse, a resettable thermostat, a thermal disconnector, a bimetal thermal circuit breaker, a mechanical thermal disconnector or a low-melting-point alloy disconnector.
Preferably, the low-melting-point alloy disconnector includes an elastic metal sheet, and one end of the elastic metal sheet is welded to the switching surge protector by a low-temperature alloy.
Preferably, the impedance device includes a resistor or a series branch formed by the resistor and an inductor.
Preferably, the voltage-limiting surge protector includes a varistor or a suppression diode. The switching surge protector includes a gas discharge tube, a semiconductor discharge tube or a discharge gap.
Preferably, the discharge gap includes a graphite discharge gap, an insulating tube and two copper electrodes.
The graphite discharge gap includes two graphite electrodes, a polytetrafluoroethylene annular film arranged between the two graphite electrodes, and an insulating ring sleeved on each graphite electrode.
Each of both ends of the insulating tube is provided with an internal thread.
The outer walls of the two copper electrodes are provided with external threads.
The graphite discharge gap is sleeved in the insulating tube, and the external threads of the two copper electrodes are screwed to both ends of the insulating tube to achieve assembly.
Preferably, the switching surge protector includes n discharge gaps and n−1 capacitors, and the n discharge gaps are sequentially connected to the voltage-limiting surge protector. The first ends of the n−1 capacitors are separately connected to the second end of the voltage-limiting surge protector. The second ends of the n−1 capacitors are respectively connected to the second ends of the first discharge gap to the (n−1)th discharge gap of the n discharge gaps in a one-to-one correspondence; wherein n≥2, and n is an integer.
In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention further provides a surge protection system, including: m surge protection devices of any one of the above types and m−1 capacitors. The m surge protection devices are sequentially connected in series. The m−1 capacitors are connected in parallel with the switching surge protectors in the first surge protection device to the (m−1)th surge protection device of the m surge protection devices, respectively; wherein m≥2, and m is an integer.
The surge protection device and system provided by the present invention have the following advantages. The impedance device is connected in parallel with the voltage-limiting surge protector, and a parallel branch of the impedance device and the voltage-limiting surge protector is connected in series with the switching surge protector to form a discharge channel of a lightning impulse current (or surge current). When the lightning impulse current arises, since the lightning impulse current is relatively small, the lightning impulse current is discharged through the series branch of the impedance device and the switching surge protector. When the lightning impulse current gradually increases, the voltage across the impedance device gradually increases. When the voltage across the impedance device exceeds the operating voltage of the voltage-limiting surge protector, the voltage-limiting surge protector shunts part of the lightning impulse current, and the lightning impulse current is discharged through the impedance device, the voltage-limiting surge protector and the switching surge protector. When a lightning impulse current arises, the impedance device can share all the lightning impulse current, and the voltage-limiting surge protector shares part of the lightning impulse current only when the voltage across the impedance device exceeds the operating voltage of the voltage-limiting surge protector. Therefore, this surge protection device can effectively reduce the lightning impulse current load of the voltage-limiting surge protector and improve the capability of the surge protection device to withstand multiple pulses. Moreover, the voltage-limiting surge protector can limit the overvoltage caused by the lightning impulse current at a low level, so that the lightning impulse current can be effectively discharged. Furthermore, in the surge protection device, the impedance device and the switching surge protector form a discharge channel of a follow current. When a power frequency follow current arises, the impedance device can limit the follow current in a low current value range, so that when the power frequency follow current still has a follow current after the first current zero-crossing, the switching surge protector is capable of safely interrupting the follow current to provide the surge protection device with a reliable follow current interruption capability to effectively quench the arc. In addition, the surge protection device uses only one voltage-limiting surge protector and one switching surge protector to achieve the protection performance and safety performance that are achieved by multiple varistors in the existing surge protection devices, which greatly reduces the size of the surge protection device while saving substantial manufacturing costs of the surge protection device.
The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to understand the technical means of the present invention more clearly to enable the present invention to be implemented in accordance with the content of the specification, the specific implementations of the present invention are illustrated hereinafter to make one of the above and other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and comprehensible.
In order to explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art more clearly, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art are briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present invention, for those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.
In order to make one of the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall be fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Referring to
The surge protection device includes the impedance device SI, the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV, and the switching surge protector SG. The impedance device SI is connected in parallel with the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV. The parallel branch of the impedance device SI and the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV is connected in series with the switching surge protector SG to form a discharge channel of a lightning impulse current. The series branch of the impedance device SI and the switching surge protector SG forms a discharge channel of a follow current.
In the present invention, the surge protection device has the terminal T1 and the terminal T2. The terminal T1 and the terminal T2 are both made of copper sheets. When the surge protection device is tested by a lightning surge waveform, the lightning surge waveform flows into the surge protection device from the terminal T1, and the surge protection device discharges the lightning impulse current and the follow current from the terminal T2.
In the specific implementation process, the surge protection device is suitable for a single-phase system, a single-phase branched system, a multi-phase system and any loop that requires lightning surge protection. For example, the surge protection device can be connected between L-PE and N-PE of the single-phase system, or between L-PE, N-PE and L-N, or be connected between L1-L2, L2-L3, L1-L3, L1-PE, L2-PE, L3-PE and N-PE of the three-phase system, or be connected between L1-PE, L2-PE, L3-PE and N-PE of the multi-phase system, wherein L is a phase wire/live wire, N is a neutral wire/naught wire, and PE is a protective wire/earth wire.
Compared with the prior art, in the surge protection device of the present invention, the impedance device SI is connected in parallel with the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV, and a parallel branch of the impedance device SI and the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV is connected in series with the switching surge protector SG to form a discharge channel of a lightning impulse current (or surge current). When a lightning impulse current arises, since the lightning impulse current is relatively small, the lightning impulse current is discharged through the series branch of the impedance device SI and the switching surge protector SG. When the lightning impulse current gradually increases, the voltage across the impedance device SI gradually increases. When the voltage across the impedance device SI exceeds the operating voltage of the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV, the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV shunts part of the lightning impulse current, and the lightning impulse current is discharged through the impedance device SI, the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV and the switching surge protector SG. When a lightning impulse current arises, the impedance device SI can share all the lightning impulse current, and the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV shares part of the lightning impulse current only when the voltage across the impedance device SI exceeds the operating voltage of the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV. Therefore, this surge protection device can effectively reduce the lightning impulse current load of the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV and improve the capability of the surge protection device to withstand multiple pulses. Moreover, the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV can limit the overvoltage caused by the lightning impulse current at a low level, so that the lightning impulse current can be effectively discharged. Furthermore, in the surge protection device, the impedance device SI and the switching surge protector SG form a discharge channel of a follow current. When a power frequency follow current arises, the impedance device SI can limit the follow current in a low current value range, so that when the power frequency follow current still has a follow current after the first current zero-crossing, the switching surge protector SG is capable of safely interrupting the follow current to provide the surge protection device with a reliable follow current interruption capability to effectively quench the arc. In addition, the surge protection device uses only one voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV and one switching surge protector SG to achieve the protection performance and safety performance that are achieved by multiple varistors in the existing surge protection devices, which greatly reduces the size of the surge protection device while saving substantial manufacturing costs of the surge protection device.
Optionally, in the surge protection device, the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV includes a varistor or a suppression diode. The switching surge protector SG includes a gas discharge tube, a semiconductor discharge tube or a discharge gap. The impedance device SI includes a resistor or a series branch formed by the resistor and an inductor. The impedance device SI can also be a structural device with a certain resistance value, for example, a spiral-shaped conductor with an inductance and resistance value, formed by mechanical processing; and a resistor of a certain shape, formed by winding a wire with a relatively high resistivity.
Further, taking an example where the voltage-limiting surge protector PMOV is the varistor PMOV1, the switching surge protector SG is the graphite discharge gap SG1, and the impedance device SI is a series branch formed by the resistor R and the inductor L to illustrate the structure of the surge protection device below.
As shown in
In the present embodiment, the varistor PMOV1 has a size of 34 mm×34 mm, a nominal varistor voltage of 300 V, and a surge withstand capability of 40 kA (8/20 μs). The graphite discharge gap SG1 is an 0.4 mm air gap formed by two graphite electrodes. The resistor R and the inductor L are both formed by winding a 6J20-type resistance wire, wherein the resistivity of the resistance wire is 1.4 Ω·m, the resistance value of the resistor R is about 1Ω, and the inductance value of the inductor L is about 1.1 μH.
In the present embodiment, the series branch formed by the resistor R and the inductor L is connected in parallel with the varistor PMOV1 to form a discharge channel of a lightning impulse current, and the series branch formed by the resistor R, the inductor L and the graphite discharge gap SG1 forms a discharge channel of a power frequency follow current that may continue in the first half-wave of the arrived lightning impulse current. The series branch formed by the resistor R and the inductor L is connected in series with the graphite discharge gap SG1. The series branch formed by the resistor R and the inductor L is configured to limit the amplitude of the follow current in the graphite discharge gap SG1, and is connected to the graphite discharge gap SG1 to form a discharge channel of a follow current.
Referring to
In order to improve the safety of the surge protection device, the surge protection device further includes: the thermal protector TP connected to the series branch where the switching surge protector SG is located. When the temperature reaches a preset temperature threshold, the thermal protector TP acts to cut off the connection with the series branch where the switching surge protector SG is located.
As shown in
Optionally, the thermal protector TP includes a thermal fuse, a resettable thermostat, a thermal disconnector, a bimetal thermal circuit breaker, a mechanical thermal disconnector or a low-melting-point alloy disconnector. Taking an example where the thermal protector is a thermal fuse to illustrate the structure of the surge protection device below.
As shown in
In the surge protection device, the thermal protector adopts the thermal fuse TP1. The thermal fuse TP1 has a rated functioning temperature of 125° C., an actual functioning temperature of 121° C.±3° C., a rated current of 30 A, and a surge withstand capability of 40 kA (8/20 μs). The impedance device is the resistor R. When the temperature of the thermal fuse TP1 reaches its functioning temperature, the thermal fuse TP1 acts to cut off the connection with the graphite discharge gap SG1 to enable the surge protection device to be in a safe failure state.
Optionally, the low-melting-point alloy disconnector in the thermal protector includes an elastic metal sheet. The elastic metal sheet is stamped from 0.5-thick phosphor bronze and has a width of 10 mm. The elastic metal sheet is welded to the switching surge protector by a low-temperature alloy, wherein the melting point of the low-temperature alloy is 145° C.±3° C. When the low-temperature alloy is melted, the elastic metal sheet bounces off the switching surge protector.
The switching surge protector may include two or more switching surge protectors to improve its follow current interruption capability.
Further, taking an example where the switching surge protector is discharge gaps and the voltage-limiting surge protector is a varistor to illustrate the structure of the surge protection device in detail below with reference to
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the n discharge gaps SG2 in the switching surge protector are sequentially connected to the varistor PMOV1 to form a discharge channel of a lightning impulse current, and form a follow current channel for the first half-wave of the lightning impulse current that may cause a power frequency follow current. The n discharge gaps SG2 and the resistor R form a discharge channel of a follow current. The first ends of the n−1 capacitors C1 are separately connected to the second end of the varistor PMOV1. The second ends of the n−1 capacitors C1 are respectively connected to the second ends of the first discharge gap to the (n−1)th discharge gap, and these capacitors can couple the surge impulse voltage formed by the lightning surge waveform while triggering each discharge gap SG2 of the n discharge gaps SG2 to improve the follow current interruption and triggering capability of the n discharge gaps SG2 in the switching surge protector.
In the present embodiment, the discharge gap SG2 adopts a gas discharge tube. The gas discharge tube has a diameter of 12 mm, a height of 6 mm, a DC breakdown voltage of 600 V, a surge withstand capability of 20 kA (8/20 μs), and a follow current interruption capability of 50 A at 255 V. The capacitor C1 adopts an ordinary ceramic capacitor with a capacitance value of 1000 pf and a rated withstand voltage of 2000 V.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the m surge protection devices are sequentially connected in series to reduce the resistance value of the impedance device in each surge protection device, while reducing the lightning impulse current load of the voltage-limiting surge protector in each surge protection device to realize the segmented discharge of the reduced lightning impulse current load and the follow current. In this way, the surge protection system has stronger stability while reducing the lightning impulse current load of the voltage-limiting surge protector and making arc-quenching reliable. Moreover, the m−1 capacitors C2 are configured to couple the surge impulse voltage formed by the lightning surge waveform and are capable of triggering the switching surge protectors in the m surge protection devices to improve the follow current interruption and triggering capability of the switching surge protector.
In the above embodiments of the present invention, as shown in
The above descriptions are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not impose limitations on the present invention in any form. Therefore, without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.
The embodiments of the device described above are merely illustrative, the units described as separate components may or may not be physically separated, and the components displayed as units may or may not be physical units, that is, these components may be located in one place, or may be distributed to multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected as needed to achieve one of the objectives of the solutions of the embodiments. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand and implement without creative efforts.
The term “one embodiment”, “an embodiment” or “one or more embodiments” as used herein means that the specific features, structures or characteristics described with reference to the embodiments are included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. In addition, it should be noted that the phrase example “in an/one embodiment” herein does not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment.
The specification shown herein describe substantial specific details. However, it can be understood that the embodiments of the present invention can be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known methods, structures and technologies are not shown in detail, so as not to obscure the understanding of this specification.
In the claims, any reference numerals placed between parentheses should not be construed as a limitation to the claims. The term “include/comprise” does not exclude the presence of elements or steps which are not listed in the claims. The term “a/an” or “one” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of multiple such elements. The present invention can be implemented by means of hardware including several different elements and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In the unit claims listing several devices, several of these devices can be embodied in the same hardware item. The terms “first”, “second”, “third” and the like used herein do not indicate any order or sequence. These terms can be interpreted as designations.
Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that: the technical solutions recorded in the above embodiments can be modified, or some of the technical features can be equivalently replaced, but these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201811433169.0 | Nov 2018 | CN | national |
This application is the national phase entry of International Application No. PCT/CN2019/106807, filed on Sep. 19, 2019, which is based upon and claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201811433169.0, filed on Nov. 28, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/CN2019/106807 | 9/19/2019 | WO | 00 |
