According to INPE (National Institute for Space Research), Brazil leads the world ranking for lightning incidence, with around 78 million electrical discharges per year.
This alarming number has generated discussions about how to reduce the risk of deaths and minimize the material damage caused by these occurrences.
In this scenario, the relevance of solutions such as DPS (Surge Protection Devices) grows. In an interview with Canal Solar, Douglas Lara, Application Engineering Coordinator at CLAMPER, addressed the impacts of these events and how technology can minimize losses and increase electrical safety.
How do DPS help reduce damage?
Surge protection devices are designed to protect electrical systems and equipment from transient overvoltages by diverting impulse currents such as those caused by lightning strikes and switching surges.
According to Lara, the proper selection of SPDs must take into environmental conditions, the acceptable failure rate of the protected equipment and the devices themselves.
Main benefits of adopting a DPS
The installation of DPS is one of the most efficient measures to mitigate the effects of electrical surges and protect equipment, as established by standards NBR 5419 and NBR IEC 61643-12, for example.
“In addition to being an effective technical solution, the DPS adapts to different levels of protection, from the prevention of direct discharges (Class I) to fine and specific protection for sensitive equipment (Class III),” he explained.
“Its correct application, as established by the NBR IEC 61643 series, guarantees compliance with best electrical safety practices, being an indispensable measure in both residential and corporate environments to guarantee the integrity of devices and avoid critical operational failures”, highlighted the specialist.
Study proves efficiency in PV systems
The study "Performance analysis of solar inverters under lightning-induced overvoltages” highlights the importance of DPS in increasing the useful life of inverters in the photovoltaic system.
The research was carried out by UPE (University of Pernambuco) in partnership with CLAMPER and the following points stand out:
- The use of DPS has shown a diversion of over 93% of surge energy on the DC side and over 99% on the AC side;
- Without the use of DPS, the inverters could withstand less than 8 class II pulses. With DPS, this withstand capacity increased to 100 pulses or more.
“These results prove the effectiveness of DPS in protecting solar inverters, promoting greater safety and durability in solar energy systems, in addition to reinforcing CLAMPER’s commitment to innovation and encouraging scientific research,” concluded the company’s Application Engineering coordinator.
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