Performance of Surge Protection Device (SPD)

Normally, people pay a lot of attention on the performance of a surge protection device (SPD) like its surge capacity. Surge capacity is indeed very important. There are too many surge protection devices (SPDs) on the market can not meet the surge capacity it proclaimed. Here is a picture and video of a SPD that exploded at surge current test (Imax 40kA):

Safety of Surge Protection Device (SPD)

Yet few attention is paid on the safety of a surge protection device. However, bad designed SPD can be extremely dangerous and is one of the major causes for fire hazard. Below is some burnt SPD pictures:

SPD/MOV is the Victim of Temporary Overvoltage (TOV)

It is generally known that the metal oxide varistor (MOV) is an ideal component for limiting surge voltage and current as well as for absorbing energy, but MOV may go into  thermal runaway and result in short circuit due to sustained abnormal voltage (TOV) from Power supply or end of life, which may cause fire hazard and significant losses to users.

Surge Protection Device Safety Solution – TPAE Technology

Prosurge has developed TPAE (Thermally Protected Arc Extinguishing) technology to solve the safety problem of SPD and we’ve got this technology patented in USA, Germany, Korea and China.

Based on TPAE technology, we have developed our SPD ranges below and obtained certifications from recognized certification bodies such as TUV,  KEMA, UL and others.

• Thermally Protective MOV– SMTMOV and PTMOV
• DIN-rail SPD
• Panel SPD

Prosurge’s thermally protective MOV comprised of a voltage clamping device (MOV) and an integrated thermal element designed to open when the MOV overheats due to prolonged and/or abnormal overvoltages. Because of size optimization and space efficiency, it will be easy integrated on printed circuit boards (PCB) and close to sensitive electronic element inside device, to minimize the potential impact of lightning events.

Prosurge’s thermally protective MOV technology completely eliminates the common failure modes that occur in the field with standard metal oxide varistors. It is generally known that the metal oxide varistor (MOV) is an ideal component for limiting surge voltage and current as well as for absorbing energy, but MOV may go into  thermal runaway and result in short circuit due to sustained abnormal voltage (TOV) from Power supply or end of life, which may cause fire hazard and significant losses to users. With Prosurge design, a thermal disconnecting apparatus that constantly monitors the status of the metal oxide disk, in the event of an overvoltage breakdown, the metal oxide disc is securely disconnected from the system power by an arc shield, making the SMTMOV and PTMOV a fail-safe and self-protected device.

Prosurge’s thermally protective MOV is featuring high surge current capacity which rated up to 75kA (8/20 μs) with operating voltage ratings from 75 Vac to 750 Vac or 48Vdc to 1000Vdc, suitable for the most common distribution voltages. They include PTMOV, 20PTMOV, SMTMOV, HSMTMOV and PVTMOV series, they are tested and recognized by UL lab as UL1449 5th Type 1ca SPD. Also fully comply with IEC standards.

 Prosurge’s panel SPDs are constructed with Prosurge’s patented SMTMOV and/or TPMOV, which has a thermally protected and arc extinguishing technology as the core of Prosurge’s competency. The panel SPD has a significant advantage in abnormal over-voltage & high fault current safety and thus ensures industry’s highest level of safety and performance. The parallel redundancy modules design makes the SPDs extremely robust and reliable, and thus may handle great impulse current up to 900kA (8/20 μs) and multiple impulse current at its highest rated level. Prosurge panel SPDs  are tested and listed as UL1449 5th Type 1 and Type 2 SPD (UL1283 listed with EMI/Filtering function).

Prosurge’s DIN-Rail SPD is featuring pluggable design, space efficiency, ease of maintenance and standardization modular. The plug-in modules support hot swapping, allowing for safe insertion and removal while the power is still connected, they can be easily replaced without tools. The protective circuit in the plug-in modules including high performance metal oxide varistor and patented TPAE (thermal protective and arc extinguish) device which ensures that surge protectors, when used, have the highest level of safety in the industry.

Prosurge’s Din-rail SPD products family include IEC Class I, Class II and Class III test SPD (IEC/EN 61643-11/31 standard) or UL Type 1/2/3 SPD (UL1449 standard), they can handle great impulse lighting current up to 100kA (10/350μs) or impulse surge current up to 150kA(8/20μs) as working voltage from 48V to 1500V (AC/DC). All of them are UL1449 and IEC 61643 tested device and have obtained certifications from recognized certification bodies such as TUV, UL, KEMA, and others.

You can see how our product stay safe in a sustained overvoltage situtation while our competitor’s product burnt.

In below test, the two SPDs are tested under TOV(transient overvoltage). See how the result differs for SPD with TPAE protection and  SPD without TPAE protection:

Maximum Safety in Surge Protection