Electric Power Research Institute Incorporated

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Joseph C Osterhout

Tapan K Gupta

Andrew S Sweetana, Jr

Richard E Kothmann

William G Carlson

Gerald B Boyette

A voltage limiting composition, actually a nonlinear resistor, especially suitable for use in a gapless surge arrester is disclosed herein. This composition includes a predetermined amount of zinc oxide as its primary ingredient and one or more specifically selected additives. All of these constituents are combined and sintered so that the composition displays a nonlinear exponent .alpha. at least equal to about 35 over the current range of 1 ma to 5000 amps and such that its energy absorption capability is at least equal to about 50 joules/cm.sup.3.

Voltage limiting composition and method of fabricating the same

A gapless surge arrester is disclosed herein and includes a porcelain outer casing and a stack of zinc oxide discs located within the casing for passing surge currents therethrough. Silicon dioxide, preferably sand, is provided between this stack in the casing for transferring heat from the discs to the porcelain outer casing as a result of the surge current and for absorbing fault energy where necessary by changing states.

Gapless surge arrester

A spark gap assembly of a stack of insulating plates which have on one surface thereof a pair of electrodes preassembled and affixed thereto with a defined spark gap therebetween and a piece of ionizing material disposed on and affixed to each of the plates between the pair of electrodes. The plates are stacked with mating surfaces joined together and with a center plate bearing no electrodes that is joined with mating surfaces of each of two symmetrical groups of electrode bearing plates, and an electromagnetic coil is disposed around the periphery of the center plate.

Growing community of inventors

Bloomington, IN, United States of America

Joseph C Osterhout