The Transient Blocking Unit Theory and Practice for Protection of Sensitive Electronic Systems

A critical assessment of the effectiveness and the reliability of conventional shunt-connected protection systems leads to the specification of an alternative and greatly improved protection system. The new concept is based on a series blocking device (SBD) which disconnects the vulnerable load from an impinging transient and a shunt gas arrester (GA) which then diverts the damaging transient energy. The protection system formed by the combination of these two devices has been titled a Fundamental Protection Unit (FPU). This paper presents a detailed analysis of the FPU, assuming ideal characteristics of the integral SBD and GA. Then the paper presents a practical implementation of a TBU and demonstrates it’s performance as part of a FPU through a series of laboratory tests.