PROTECTION OF THE INSTALLATIONS AND ELECTRIC MOTIVE POWER UNITS AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF OVERVOLTAGES. GENERAL SURVEY OF THE DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS FOR PROTECTION. FUTURE TRENDS AND QUESTIONS NOT YET RESOLVED

The report deals with the different solutions for protection, future trends and questions not yet resolved. It is preceded by a brief description of the phenomenon of lightning discharges, which is the origin of the studies in question. Basically, there are three methods for ensuring the protection of insulators against flash-overs, namely prevention, restriction, protective measures against the effects of flash-overs. Two methods of protection are recognised by the Committee shielding cables, lightning conductors, though radio-active lightning conductors are sometimes also used, the efficiency of which is uncertain. The comparison between the different limitation methods has involved a large number of tests (especially on mercury- vapour rectifiers) both in the laboratory and on the track. All the interesting characteristics of the different types of lightning arresters and also a summary of the conclusions drawn from the tests have been given. Moreover, in the case of semi-conductor equipment, where other protective methods with RC circuits and static screens in the transformers are used, the problem of protection has been studied as comprehensively as possible. A better knowledge of the means of protection permits the protection level to be reduced. A balance must be maintained however between this possibility and the general tendency to raise the insulation level. In the case of semi-conductors, particular attention should be paid to the means of protection against the effects of over-voltages as a new techniques is concerned here which is still in the development stage.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Restrictions on the use of this document are contained in the explanatory material.
• Corporate Authors:

  International Union of Railways

  Office of Research and Experiments
  Utrecht,   Netherlands 
• Publication Date: 1970-4

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures;
• Pagination: 20 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Electric locomotives; Overvoltage; Railroad electrification
• Old TRIS Terms: Flashovers; Lightning arrestors; Question a50
• Subject Areas: Construction; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00052696
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: International Union of Railways
• Report/Paper Numbers: A50/RP 12/E
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 14 1976 12:00AM