High power device for the electric safety of metallic structures

A hybrid high-power solid-state device, voltage limiter and having a fast switching rate, has been conceived and built. The device copes in forward polarization with hazardous overcurrent impulses up to 1800 A for 1s and 120 to 40 A-depending on the type-also for 1s, in reverse polarization. The device was checked at lightning impulses (20/8 /spl mu/s) at a peak current of 100,000 A. Due to its electric performances (in static, dynamic and switching regimes) the new device can be utilized in diverse applications such as: electric safety assurance for metallic structures, control of corrosion of underground metallic pipelines due to the electromagnetic pollution of the soil (DC and AC stray currents) also.