Surge arrester with improved reliability and protection level for low bandwidth data communication in high voltage installations

Surge protection of data communication systems in high voltage installations such as power generation utilities is a challenging task. One major reason is the induction of high voltage switching surges in signal cables that carry sensor and transducer data. The other important aspect is the repetitive protection capability of the surge protector without self destruction after undergoing a few surge suppression cycles. Some essential features in this type of surge arresters are to provide protection against sudden voltage differences between different earth locations and protection against high voltages induced in signal transmission lines. The proposed Surge Arrester in this paper successfully addresses all these key issues to provide better surge protection for communication equipment in High Voltage Installations.