The Application of Gas-Generating Materials for Increase of Line Lightning Protection Device Efficiency

The Line Lightning Protection Device (LLPD) is a modern and efficient solution for lightning protection of overhead power lines (OHL) in the broad range of voltage classes, capable to mitigate the effect of both direct and indirect lightning strokes. It is well known from the experience of switching equipment development that certain polymer materials (gas-generating materials) while being exposed by high current arc show intensive ablation and produce sufficient amount of polymer vapor. The polymer impurity changes the arc composition causing the drop of electrical conductivity and thus increasing the arc quenching efficiency of the equipment. In our paper we investigate the perspective of the described technique for development of novel LLPD concept using both experimental and numerical methods. It is verified that indeed the application of gas-generating polymers provide sufficient gain of LLPD’s interruption capability.