Selection and Use of Surge Protective Devices

{access view=!registered}Only logged in users can view the full text of the article.{/access}{access view=registered}Downtime is very expensive and only the most important reasons for stopping a wind turbine generator (WTG) can be accepted today. The costs incurred when the electrical system breaks down increase with the size of the WTG; thus the need to implement protection against damage arising from over-voltages is getting higher. It is becoming more and more common for buyers of WTGs to require surge protective devices (or SPDs). This means that the developer and the wind turbine manufacturer have to ensure that the system is satisfactory according to international standards and reliability demands for a modern WTG. To facilitate this work, the International Electrical Committee (IEC) has published a standard for the selection and use of equipment for surge protection in low-voltage power distribution systems (IEC61643 Low-Voltage Protective Devices: Part 12 Surge protective devices connected to low-voltage power distribution systems – Selection and Application Principles).