Research on arc-truncation performance of multi-stage short series gap under polluted conditions

A multi-stage short series gap is a new lightning protection device that uses multiple arc-interrupters to truncate the arc and prevent the line from trip-out. However, the device has been running in the field for a long time, so it is inevitable that there will be serious pollution accumulation and it is urgent to carry out research on the impact of pollution on the device’s arc extinguishing performance. This paper studies the arc extinguishing ability of multi-stage short series gaps in the polluted state from the aspects of simulation and experiment. The analysis shows that with the increase in pollution level, the reignition probability of multi-stage short series gaps increases, but the arc can still be extinguished before the relay protection action to avoid lightning trip.