A new approach to distribution arrester design

A new distribution-class surge arrester design concept is introduced. Replacing the conventional gasket-sealed porcelain housing is an epoxy/fiberglass-wrapped metal-oxide varistor disc module, assembled inside a flexible EPM rubber housing. This PDV (polymer distribution varistor) arrester design has the advantage of minimizing the free-gas volume inside the arrester, virtually eliminating concerns of moisture ingress due to seal pumping. In the unlikely event of arrester failure, the rubber-enclosed housing eliminates exploding porcelain fragments normally associated with standard distribution-class arrester designs. Performance questions related to assembling distribution arresters inside housings molded from polymer material are addressed