Polymer surge arresters: Degradation versus electrical performance

This research presents the electrical performance of metal-oxide surge arresters with polymeric housing, applied on the power distribution network, as a function of the physical-chemical degradation which over the time they are exposed. The surge arresters are submitted to an immersion test/aging in water with sodium chloride at 90 °C for three months, in order to simulate about 20 years of field application. The surge arresters based on periodical measurements of the leakage current are evaluated.