Investigation of memory effect by measurement of time delay of electrical breakdown in commercial gas-filled surge arresters

Experimental data of mean values of breakdown voltage ̅U
b
of CITEL and SIEMENS gas-filled surge arresters (GFSA) obtained for voltage increase rates k=1−10 V/s with discretyzed dynamic method are presented in the paper. It has been shown that ̅U
b
= f(k) data are fitted very well by a straight line. The values of static breakdown voltage, which have been found at the intersection of the fitted line with ̅U
b
-axis ( k = 0 ), are in accordance with nominal values reported in datasheet and within tolerance of 20%. Based on the time delay of electrical breakdown data, it has been shown that the response time of GFSA made by SIEMENS is independent of relaxation time and is 60 µs . Response time of GFSA made by CITEL increases with relaxation time, which is a consequence of the decrease in concentration of positive ions and neutral active particles formed during breakdown. Response time decreases with the increase of applied voltage. This decrease is dependent on relaxation time in the case of GFSA made by CITEL, while this is not the case with SIEMENS made GFSA.