Frame of reference of the reader and industrial systems to protect are vital to ensure safe, efficient, and enduring operation of electrical equipment. Welcome protection is that from surges which, whether provoked by natural means, like lightning or caused from mass electronic equipment errors, leave upheaval and sizeable repair costs in their wake. What is surge protection for industrial systems in more detail?What Do Electrical Surges Mean?Electrical surges represent brief voltage spikes within the electrical systems and have several causes, including:Lightning Strikes – A significant source of power surges and more common where the weather can delight in torrential storms and other storms in the year. Strike of lightning on equipment or power lines nearby means havoc further up the line;Power Grid Switching – Changes or interruptions to the grid leads to surges, often occurring unnoticed, but tending to lead to damage over time;Faults in Electrical Distribution Networks – Faults in the distribution itself can lead to voltage surges, andInternal Surges – Failures of equipment or other failure of operation of some means inside of the facility.As an example, when large motors or compressors are switched on and off, the abrupt change in electrical demand can generate an internal surge.
Surges can be short-lived events but they can wreak havoc on industrial systems, sensitive electronics, control systems and precise equipment.
electrical surges and their effects on industrial equipment
Industrial equipment is designed to handle large loads and continuous use. Surges can affect the reliability and life of such equipment. Some of the effects electrical surges have on equipment include:
Damage to electronic components – Modern industrial equipment uses sensitive electronic components such as programmable logic controllers, sensors and motors. A surge can fry these components before you even notice there’s a problem, costing you a lot in repairs or replacements.
Decreased life of equipment – Even if a surge does not cause instantaneous failure, the repeated exposure to electrical surges will deteriorate the inside circuits of industrial equipment. This shortening of the life of equipment will enable faults to occur more frequently requiring repairs and replacements more regularly.
Production downtime – Surges cause outages and downtime and this is a very big deal to those people in charge of production. A machine out of service means production schedules are messed up and financial losses are great. Depending on the degree of the surge, it could take hours to days to put things right.
Fire Hazard – If a surge is a huge one such as lightning or a fault surge, that can generate enough heat to ignite a fire in electrical panels or machines.Risk of Damage to Equipment – Another effect of surges is that it may damage the equipment since hardware is actually more exposed to the dangers out there rather than software.
Risk of Damage to Personnel and Facilities – This adds a separate risk not just to equipment itself but also the safety of personnel and the building.
Loss of Data – In systems where information is critical, surges may destroy the ones in hard drives and in memory. Manufacturers know what happens when they lose important data: long lasting damage to their business, even bankruptcy.
Why is Surge Protection Important?
Surge protection is important to protect industrial systemsLong-Term Cost Savings – The cost of surge protection is insignificant compared to the replacement or repair of damaged equipment, the loss of production due to being down, or defending a possible lawsuit due to an accident where someone was injured. Retrofits for surge protection will pay for themselves in improved longevity and a reduction in downtime of equipment.
Types of Surge Protection Devices (SPDs)
Surge protection devices (SPDs) are the means of protecting electrical systems from voltage anomalies. SPDs come in these configurations:
Type 1 Surge Protectors – Those designed to install at the service entrance, or point of power supply for the building or facility would be covered by Type 1 protectors. They are capable of clamping high-energy surges such as are caused by lightning strikes and power grid faults. They are often coupled with other types of devices for complete protection.
Type 2 Surge Protectors – As the name implies, Type 2 SPDs are installed as part of the electrical distribution system, in panelboards, circuit breakers, or the distribution board itself. They afford protection for surges generated from within the plant as well as strikes from outside sources such as lightning.
Type 3 Surge Protectors – “Point of use” devices, generally applied to the equipment or device to be protected directly.Type 3 protectors. Type 3 surge protectors are installed next to the equipment that requires protection; they are intended for protecting sensitive equipment such as computers, communication devices, and industrial automation and control equipment.
Hybrid surge protectors. ‘Hybrid’ is a generality; devices described as hybrid combine functionality of Type 1, Type 2, and/or Type 3 and provide multi-level protection within the electrical system.
Best practices for surge protection in industrial systems
The following list of best practices for ensuring power systems are well protected implies a risk assessment has been conducted, which is the first step in selecting any surge protection devices: Identify the sources of surges and determine the critical equipment that requires protectors.
´Implement surge protection at multiple levels: The main electrical panel and distribution panels, and also at individual pieces of equipment for comprehensive and layered protection across the system.
´Regular maintenance and testing. Surge protection devices do wear out; they require maintenance/regular testing to ensure they are working, as well as replacement as necessary, and this is progressively more so after exceeding nominal (lower) ratings and a period of use.
´Invest in quality surge protection devices. SPDs should be certified, and not all are necessarily fit for all industrial applications, so they must be of suitable type in the given circumstances.
´Assess that personnel are adequately educated in system requirements from a surge standpoint, and walk the polyline of ‘the trouble with the trouble is more trouble’. More points taken.
Surge protection is crucial, especially for the avoidance of the pitfalls for which it is known. There are also others.