Why Protective Device Testing is Done?

Protection systems play a key role for the safe and reliable operation of today’s
electricity power systems. Properly working protection devices help to maintain the
safety of the system and to safeguard assets from damage. In order to ensure reliable
operation, protective relays as well as recloser controls must be tested throughout their
life-cycle, from their initial development through production and commissioning to
periodical maintenance during operation. Our test equipment is ideal for each of these
life-cycle phases and for any environment. As a reliable long-term partner, we offer
state-of-the-art testing solutions which are continuously being developed and
maintained to help you to keep pace with the increasingly complex requirements of your
systems.

What is Done During Protective Device Testing?

Lightning protection is a means to protect equipment, facilities and people from the
effects of nearby or direct lightning events. Whereas, surge protection provides
protection to equipment from the effects of more distant lightning events or power
system anomalies. Five basic procedures are employed to test protection devices.
Clamping Voltage Tests
When a transient occurs, the SPD resistance changes from a very high stand-by value to
a very low conduction value. The transient is absorbed and clamped at a defined level,
protecting sensitive electronic circuits and diverting the transient energy to ground. A
normalised current impulse of 8/20us is defined in the standards IEC 61643-
1 and IEC61180-1.
Surge Withstand Tests
Surge withstand tests are intended to assess the maximum peak current carrying
capability of varistors. The surge withstand capability is approximately proportional to
the varistor disk size (diameter). Energy levels are much higher than for the clamping
voltage tests with impulse levels in the tens of kilo amps range.
Energy Absorption Tests
High energy surges are usually generated by inductive discharges of motors and
transformers. Energy absorption in an SPD is the integral current flow through and the
voltage across an SPD. Surge currents of relatively long duration are required for testing
maximum energy absorption capacity of an SPD. A rectangular wave of 2ms duration is
sometimes used instead of the double exponential waveforms.
Combination Wave Tests
Surge events can be generated by lightning phenomena, switching transients or the
activation of protection devices in the power distribution system. A surge itself is
influenced by the propagation path taken so that impulses from the same event may
have different forms depending upon where a measurement is taken. Combination
Wave Generators (CWG) simulate a surge event in power lines close to or within
building.