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Surge Arresters

The Mersen lightning arrester enclosures are designed to protect railway networks against disturbances incurred by lightning, in the feeding lines in the substations along the railtrack (pole enclosure) as well as in the power lines mounted on the roof (pantograph enclosure).

The right design for your application

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Benefits

Uses of Mersen Surge Arresters

The usual solution consists of placing an air breaker and a non-linear resistance in silicium carbure between the line and the ground.
The system presents several drawbacks : 

  • It does not age well, and it becomes passing after several operations.
  • This malfunction triggers the opening of the line circuit breaker, which interrupts the service. 
  • The new solution is made up of the combination in series of a non linear zinc oxyde resistance and a current limiting fuse. 
  • The zinc oxyde resists better to ageing thanks to a better non linearity coefficient. 
  • In spite of this, should a lightning surge be violent enough to damage the lightning arrester, then the fuse will isolate the faulty equipment, leaving the feeding of the railway line in service. 

 
Current Collector Device (CCD) spare part kits

Spare part kits

Mersen will supply you all Spare parts kits to guarantee the reliability and increase the life time of your devices.

  • cables,
  • fuses,
  • replacement shoes and arms,
  • Hardware and all necessary components.

 
Metro workshop station Current Collector Device (CCD) work shop training

Training and assistance

Mersen Design team is available to support your design and maintenance team’s especially for the smart and connected functions.
Mersen Service team can train your Maintenance team to make the setting and the maintenance of your installations all around the world.

 

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Uses of Mersen Surge Arresters

The usual solution consists of placing an air breaker and a non-linear resistance in silicium carbure between the line and the ground.
The system presents several drawbacks : 

  • It does not age well, and it becomes passing after several operations.
  • This malfunction triggers the opening of the line circuit breaker, which interrupts the service. 
  • The new solution is made up of the combination in series of a non linear zinc oxyde resistance and a current limiting fuse. 
  • The zinc oxyde resists better to ageing thanks to a better non linearity coefficient. 
  • In spite of this, should a lightning surge be violent enough to damage the lightning arrester, then the fuse will isolate the faulty equipment, leaving the feeding of the railway line in service. 

 
Current Collector Device (CCD) spare part kits

Spare part kits

Mersen will supply you all Spare parts kits to guarantee the reliability and increase the life time of your devices.

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Capabilities

 

Surge arrester distant warning signal

Distant warning signal

One of the essential elements of the system is that it is the first with a distant warning signal of the lightning arrester being isolated. The railway network operator has the advantage of detecting very rapidly the protections. 


 

Design Guide

 

Surge arrester

Mersen proposes to use a zinc oxide varistor combined with a fuse and an electric signalling system. Thanks to this system, it is now possible:

  • To vastly improve the quality of power line protection by better peak let-through in overvoltage conditions. This is due to zinc oxide’s non linearity factor, which is more suitable than silicon carbide’s.
  • To eliminate the now superfluous air spark-gap because leakage current is significantly reduced, making it easier to install the product.
  • To lengthen the product’s life span and improve peak let-through over time, because ZnO retains its initial properties better and longer.
  • To avoid disturbing operation when the product has aged due to lightning striking too many times or too hard.
  • To simplify maintenance. The defective device is immediately isolated and the blown fuse detection device trips a micro-switch to give remote warning of the state of the system. The element to be replaced is identified immediately.

 


Surge arrester table

 


Illustration of an equation on paper and pen

LCC; RAMS; Type tests

Mersen team provide type test and different studies (Life Cycle Cost, RAMS, FMEA, Eco Design and recyclability, etc…) to secure the reliability of your CCD solution and its conformity to standards and legislations.


 

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Surge arrester

Mersen proposes to use a zinc oxide varistor combined with a fuse and an electric signalling system. Thanks to this system, it is now possible:

  • To vastly improve the quality of power line protection by better peak let-through in overvoltage conditions. This is due to zinc oxide’s non linearity factor, which is more suitable than silicon carbide’s.
  • To eliminate the now superfluous air spark-gap because leakage current is significantly reduced, making it easier to install the product.
  • To lengthen the product’s life span and improve peak let-through over time, because ZnO retains its initial properties better and longer.
  • To avoid disturbing operation when the product has aged due to lightning striking too many times or too hard.
  • To simplify maintenance. The defective device is immediately isolated and the blown fuse detection device trips a micro-switch to give remote warning of the state of the system. The element to be replaced is identified immediately.

 

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Surge Arrester range

10 Kamp
20 kAmp

Completed Projects

Intercity trains (SNCF France)
 

Documents & Resources

Related Products