APPLICATION OF LIGHTNING
PROTECTION AND SURGE
ARRESTRES IN RAILWAY FACILITIES
Ranko Pešič
Boris Grmovšek
1 September 2011
CONTENT

Overvoltages in railway systems
Lightning and surge protection
of railway stations

MO surge arresters for railway
networks and locomotives

Surge protection of signalling
systems


Protect the trains!
 Abstract
2
OVERVOLTAGES IN RAILWAY
SYSTEMS
The protection of the electrical railways has the task, in case that faults
appear, to:
 Prevent damages at the installation or try to reduce them as much as possible
 Assure the availability of the railway energy supply as much as possible
 Prevent or reduce the endangering of life through direct or indirect influence
of the fault voltages
3
OVERVOLTAGES IN RAILWAY
SYSTEMS
Sources (can not be avoided)
Lightning:
Direct strike to mast,
overhed wires, tracks and
air terminals of lightning
protection systems
(buildings);

Induced voltages due to
indirect strikes.

Switching and other surges:
Pantograph arcing;
Vacum and DC breaker operations;
Feeder cable arcing fault (breaking
of overhead line);
Induced switching surges from AC
system
Short circuits

Insulation flashovers

Violence (storm, objects or
animals on the supply line,
vandalism,…)

Damages at the current
collector,traction vehicles or
in the supply line installation
1 D. Paul, “Light Rail Transit DC Traction Power System Surge Overvoltage Protection”,
IEEE Trans. on Industry Appl., Vol.38, No.1, 2002.
4
OVERVOLTAGES IN RAILWAY
SYSTEMS
Consequences
According to Swedish National Rail Administration, about 789
faults in 2001 and 1067 faults in 2003 have occured due to
lightning.

The consequences of those faults were delays of trains for 336 h
in 2001 and 370 h in 2003.

Overvoltage protection must be aplied to all power-supply,
control and communication circuits and vehicles in railway
system.

2 Nelson Theethayi et al., “Measurements of Lightning Transients Entering a Swedish
Railway Facility”, ICLP 2004, Avignon, France 13-16. September 2004,.
5
OVERVOLTAGES IN RAILWAY
SYSTEMS
Standards
 EN 50 163 – Railway applications – Supply voltages of traction systems
 IEC 60099 – 4, Ed2.1,2006-7, Part 4: Metal oxide arrestors without gaps for
ac systems
 EN 50 123-5:2003 – Railway applications – Fixed installations – DC switchgear –
Part 5 - Surge arresters and LV limiters for specific use in dc systems
 prEN 50526-1:2009 – Railway applications – Fixed installations – dc surge
arresters and voltage limiting devices – Part 1: Surge arresters
 prTS xx xxx, pn16441: LV surge protective devices – SPD for specific use including
dc, Part 11: Selection and application rules – surge arresters for specific use in dc
traction systems
 IEC 62497-2, Ed1.0, 2010-02 – Railway applications – Insulation coordination –
Part 2: Overvoltages and relation protection
6
PROTECTION
LIGHTNING AND
OF RAILWAY
SURGE
STATIONS
PROTECTION OF RAILWAY STATIONS
7
LIGHTNING AND SURGE
RAILWAY STATIONS
PROTECTION OF RAILWAY STATIONS
Lightning protection
Air terminal
Down-conductors
Grounding rod
Grounding ring
Exothermic welding
8
PROTECTION
LIGHTNING AND
OF RAILWAY
SURGE
STATIONS
PROTECTION OF RAILWAY STATIONS
Overvoltage protection of power-supply system
Overvoltage protection at
sub-distribution board
SAFETEC class II
Overvoltage protection at
main distribution board
SAFETEC class I
9
LIGHTNING
PROTECTION
AND
OF RAILWAY
SURGE
RAILWAY STATIONS
PROTECTION
STATIONS
OF RAILWAY STATIONS
Overvoltage protection of communication and signalling system
DISTRIBUTION FRAME WITH STRIPS
AND OVERVOLTAGE PROTECTION
MODULES FOR TELEPHONE SYSTEM
Overvoltage protection for signal
lines IM-TD, SMH-TC, VM-RS
10
LIGHTNING AND SURGE
RAILWAY STATIONS
PROTECTION OF RAILWAY STATIONS
Overvoltage protection in the traffic
office
Power Supply:
MPE-MINI:
PROFILT D:
Data/communic. network:
LZ NET, LZ NEZ cat 6: comput. network
SMH-TC 12V : signal lines
Power cable extention with
telecommunication protection ZE6-TEL
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
13
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Supply voltages of railway networks

The supply voltages are defined in European standard EN 50163.
Definitions and voltage values, which are important for the surge arrester and
the overvoltage protection are given and explained in the same standard and
also in IEC 62497-2 (Ed.2.0, 2010-2)

Voltage U – the potential at the trains current collector , measured between
the supply conductor and the return conductor


Un – nominal voltage (designated value for the system)
14
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Important voltages for SPDs

Overvoltage –a transient rise of voltage lasting less than 2s
Highest permanent voltage Umax1 – the maximum value of the voltage
likely to be present indefinetely

Highest non-permanent voltage Umax2 – the maximum value of the
voltage likely to be present for maximum 5 minutes

Long-term overvoltage Umax3 - a transient rise of voltage, lasting
typically more than 20ms (due to low impedance phenomena, e.g. a rise of
substation primary voltage)

Medium term overvoltage – a transient rise of the voltage lasting typically
less than 20ms, due to current transfer following switching (e.g. opening a
circuit braker)

Short term overvoltage – a transient rise of voltage, lasting less than 20us
(e.g. lightning strokes)

15
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Important voltages for SPDs
16
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Voltage levels
17
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Frequencies
a.c. systems

15kV- network is 16 2/3Hz

25kV- network is 50Hz
Applications
d.c. systems
- 600V – tramline, trolley-bus
- 750V – tramline, trolley-bus, underground, surburban railway
- 1.5kV – mine railway, underground, long- distance railway
- 3kV – surburban and long distance railways
18
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
MOV advantages against spark gaps
Spark-gaps and GDTs suffer from the problem of electrical arc extinguishing
and can’t be aplied in DC systems.

In the spark gap arrester the follow current flows three times longer in 16 2/3
Hz than with 50Hz,which overloads the spark gaps

Spark gaps used in 16 2/3Hz network have an inconvenient higher voltage
than the arresters of 50Hz, and implicitly a worse protection level.

MOV represents resistor with extremely nonlinear V-I characteristic and
behave as surge protection device without arc and follow current.


Better protection and longer protection distance

Higher pollution resistance

In paralell use all MOV react
19
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Protection measures for substations
The arrester A1 – connected in the substation between the feeder circuit
breakers and the return circuit
The arrester A2 – between the return circuit and the structure earth is to limit
overvoltages of the running rails
20
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Protection measures for substations
21
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Protection measures for substations
22
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Protection measures for locomotives, class 4
23
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
The protection of the traction current supply installation
24
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
The protection of the traction current supply installation
25
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
The protection of the traction current supply installation
26
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Arrester requirements
 Arresters A1 and A3 may have different characteristics due to different
requirements as: indoor or outdoor, arrester class, short circuit duty etc.
Uc≥ Umax2
 Arrester A2 may be connected in parallel with a voltage limiting device to provide
protections of the persons (limiting the touch voltage).
Ucmin ≥ Utemax
27
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Arrester classification
AC network - according to IEC 60099 -4, Ed2.1, 2006-07, from 3kV above
For railway appications classes 3,4,5 are used.
29
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Arrester classification
DC network - according to pr TS XX XXX -
30
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Arrester classification – typical applications
Also A3 type can be in this class.
31
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Arrester classification – typical applications
 Depending on the system requirements SPDs of all classes can be
principally used as A1,A2 and A3 arresters. If A1/A3 and A2 are installed
close together intentionally (in a substation or on a pole) they should be
of the same class and have similar characteristics.
 Application of the arrester classes 1,2,3 in DC networks is corelated with
the arrester classes 3,4,5 in AC networks.
32
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Installation on the overhead line and the rails
Surge
arrester
Tracks are grounded
(preferred for AC
systems)
Exothermic welding
Power-supply cable
33
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Installation on the overhead line and the rails
Surge
arrester
Tracks are insulated from the
ground (preferred for DC systems
due to stray currents)
MOV in parallel with
thyristor:
- lightning protection
- touch-voltage
protection
34
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Installation on/in the locomotive
Surge arrester 3kVDC,
class 4 ( Slovenia railway)
35
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
SURGE
PROTECTION
DEVICE
NETWORKS
AND LOCOMOTIVES
Where to install SPD?
36
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Where to install SPD?
•First place for installation is locomotive, at current collectors on the locomotive
roof (to limit overvoltages to propagate into locomotive).
•Second SPD
may be
optionally
installed prior
main circuit
braker
•Increased
safety due to
redundancy
37
MO SURGE ARRESTES FOR RAILWAY
NETWORKS AND LOCOMOTIVES
Arrester installation on the overhead line, rails and trains - examples
 AC network 15kV, 16 2/3 Hz
Swiss SBB use MO surge arresters of Uc≥18kV on overhead lines (class 3)
and locomotives (class 4).
German DB install 18kV arrester on the locomotive roof (class 4) and 20kV arrester
in the locomotive (lower line discharge class).
 AC network 25kV, 50HZ
MO surge arresters with Uc≥29kV (on the overhead lines class 3 and on the
locomotive roof class 4) and 31 kV (in the locomotive in front of the main power
braker, lower class than on the roof) are used in the high speed railways.
Arresters are installed at both pantographs.
 DC network 600 and 750V
SPDs A1 and A3 with Uc≥ 1kV are recomended on the overhead lines (class 2) and
on the locomotive roof (class 3), inside locomotive is recomended class 2
For A2 arrester (class 2) Uc is 350V -500V. SPD has to withstand Ute that may
appear during the faults.
38
SURGE PROTECTION OF
SIGNALLING
SIGNALLING SYSTEMS
39
SURGE PROTECTION OF
SIGNALLING SYSTEMS
Level crossing - gate
Overvoltage protection for the signal –
control and communication lines
IM-TD, SMH-TC, VM-RS
Safetec class I
40
SURGE PROTECTION OF
SIGNALLING SYSTEMS
-surge protection SAFETEC class I
Train detection
Surge protection at connections
with tracks
-touch-voltage protection
(voltage limiter – MOV +
thyristor)
-protection of communication
line LZ1
41
SURGE PROTECTION OF
SIGNALLING SYSTEMS
Surge protection of
signal lines
IM-TD, SMH-TC, VM-RS
Power-supply
overvoltage protection
SAFETEC class I
42
SURGE PROTECTION OF
SIGNALLING
SIGNALLING SYSTEMS
43
SURGE PROTECTION OF
SIGNALLING SYSTEMS
Control room
Rack with overvoltage
protection for LAN
Overvoltage protection at
sub-distribution board
SAFETEC class II
Class III protection for power
Supply Profilt D, MPE MINI
LZ 24 – NET or
LZ NET Cat 6
Protection for communication lines (LPA modules, CCP)
44
PROTECT THE TRAINS!
Positioning
Display
Sensor
Voice
Dead men controls
Various sensors
Data aquisition
and recording
Speed sensors
Data transfer
Data evaluation
45
PROTECT THE TRAINS!
Train BUS
Access Node
Radio
Diagnosis
Power electronics
Cockpit
Doors
Motor control
Passenger
information
Breaks
Track signals
Light
Seat reservation
Air
conditioning
Multifunction Vehicle Bus (MVB)
-standard communication interface with different equipment in trains
-network of various sensors
-media: twisted pair cables (RS 485) and optical fiber
46
Power
PROTECT THE TRAINS!
Train BUS
Access Node
Radio
Cockpit
Diagnosis
Doors
Motor control
Power electronics
Breaks
Track signals
Passenger
information
Light
Seat reservation
Air
conditioning
Overvoltage protection for
monitoring and control system
IM-TD, SMH-TC, SMH2-TC
47
Power
PROTECT THE TRAINS!
ESD (Electrical Short Distance) RS485:
-Connects at distance not longer than 20 m from access node
star coupler
-Media: twisted pair
devices
-Interface: Profibus or RS 485
optical links
rack
sensors
twisted wire segment
rack
VM – RS for RS 485 port, SMH2-TC for
Profibus
48
ABSTRACT
Lightning and switching overvoltages are a risk for installations and equipment in the
electrical railways.
Modern surge arresters have been adapted to the special requirements in AC
and DC railway systems. The installation of AC and DC MO surge arresters in
substations, overhead lines, on locomotives, at equipment connected to the rails and
lines, in railway stations, rolling stocks etc is state of the art and worldwide practise.
Coordination concepts and developed hybrid voltage limiters alowe new protection
concepts, covering the protection of equipment and persons at the same time.
During many discussions with the users of surge arresters it was noticed that a
thorough information and co-operation is welcomed. Especially with the electrical
railways is this very important because there are particular demands to be fulfilled
And new application possibilities may appear.
An optimal protection concept, taking into concideration the most favourable solution
from the economical and technical point of wiev, increases the security and the
availability of the alectrical facilities and the personal safety. 49
50