Method and reconfigurable inline systems for protection from transient electromagnetic energy disturbance

A method for suppressing an electrical surge induced by a transient electromagnetic energy disturbance from reaching electrical and electronic devices connected to an electrical power network (EPN), said method comprising:

• responding to a first overvoltage exceeding a first E1 predetermined threshold level induced by an E1 component of an electromagnetic pulse in said electrical power network (EPN) providing power to connected electrical and electronic devices associated with said EPN,
• said responding to a first overvoltage comprises limiting, absorbing, and shunting said first overvoltage within less than one nanosecond after said first overvoltage exceeds the first E1 predetermined threshold level so as to limit a level of said first overvoltage to a second E1 predetermined threshold level using a first transient surge suppressing assembly including at least one item selected from the group consisting of:
• transient voltage suppressors (TVSs), metal oxide varistors (MOVs), gas discharge tubes (GDTs), other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, metamaterials, mechanical, electrical and ionization discharge devices (IDDs);
• responding to a second overvoltage exceeding a first E2 predetermined threshold level induced by an E2 component of an electromagnetic pulse in said EPN connected to said electrical and electronic devices associated with said EPN,
• said responding to a second overvoltage including limiting, absorbing, and shunting said second overvoltage so as to limit a level of said second overvoltage to a second E2 predetermined threshold level using a second transient surge suppressing assembly including at least one item selected form the group consisting of:
• TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, metamaterials, mechanical, electrical and IDDs;
• responding to a third overvoltage exceeding a first E3 predetermined threshold level induced by an E3 component of an electromagnetic pulse in said EPN connected to said electrical and electronic devices associated with said EPN, and
• said responding to a third overvoltage including limiting, absorbing, and shunting said third overvoltage so as to limit a level of said third overvoltage to a second E3 predetermined threshold level using a third transient surge suppressing assembly including at least one item selected form the group consisting of:
• TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, metamaterials, mechanical, electrical and IDDs;
• wherein said first, second, and third protective assemblies, mounted in said casing, comprise transient surge suppressing assemblies (TSSAs) mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) with direct electrical connections to high current capacity busbars and reconfigurable hardware interface connections, compose a surge suppression system (TSS) with reconfigurable interface for inline installation, comprising ability to connect to conductors and utilizing connectors, plugs, receptacles, and outlets specified by existing consumer and industrial electrical standards, emerging electrical connectors developed for new technology applications, and proprietary custom connectors;
• and
• wherein said surge suppression system with inline installation using reconfigurable interface includes monitoring of power lines voltage and current conditions, grounding connection condition, and self-monitoring with status indicators using embedded visual, audible, and remote communication signals.

A method for suppressing an electrical surge induced by a transient electromagnetic energy disturbance from reaching electrical and electronic devices connected to an electrical power network (EPN), said method comprising:

• responding to a first overvoltage exceeding a first E1 predetermined threshold level induced by an E1 component of an electromagnetic pulse in said electrical power network (EPN) providing power to connected electrical and electronic devices associated with said EPN,
• said responding to a first overvoltage comprises limiting, absorbing, and shunting said first overvoltage within less than one nanosecond after said first overvoltage exceeds the first E1 predetermined threshold level so as to limit a level of said first overvoltage to a second E1 predetermined threshold level using a first transient surge suppressing assembly including at least one item selected from the group consisting of:
• transient voltage suppressors (TVSs), metal oxide varistors (MOVs), gas discharge tubes (GDTs), other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, metamaterials, and mechanical, electrical and ionization discharge devices (IDDs);
• responding to a second overvoltage exceeding a first E2 predetermined threshold level induced by an E2 component of an electromagnetic pulse in said EPN connected to said electrical and electronic devices associated with said EPN,
• said responding to a second overvoltage including limiting, absorbing, and shunting said second overvoltage so as to limit a level of said second overvoltage to a second E2 predetermined threshold level using a second transient surge suppressing assembly including at least one item selected from the group consisting of:
• TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, metamaterials, and mechanical, electrical and IDDs;
• responding to a third overvoltage exceeding a first E3 predetermined threshold level induced by an E3 component of an electromagnetic pulse in said EPN connected to said electrical and electronic devices associated with said EPN, and
• said responding to a third overvoltage including limiting, absorbing, and shunting said third overvoltage so as to limit a level of said third overvoltage to a second E3 predetermined threshold level using a third transient surge suppressing assembly including at least one item selected from the group consisting of:
• TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, metamaterials, and mechanical, electrical and IDDs;
• wherein each of said first, second, and third protecting assemblies includes a plurality of limiting, absorbing, and shunting type devices selected from group consisting of:
• TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, IDDs, solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, mechanical, and electronic and electrical components, each of said first, second, and third protecting assemblies being scalable for voltage, current, and energy handling capacity.

A surge suppression system for mitigating and preventing electromagnetic energy surges induced in an electrical power network (EPN) by naturally occurring events from reaching electrical and electronic devices associated with said EPN, said surge suppression system comprising:

• a first limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly that includes at least one item selected from the group consisting of:
• TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, metamaterials, mechanical, electrical and IDDs;
• the first assembly being operable to respond to a first overvoltage exceeding a first E1 predetermined threshold level induced by an E1 component pulse in an electrical power network (EPN);
• wherein said first limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly is operable to mitigate said first overvoltage and responds to decrease the first E1 predetermined threshold level of said first overvoltage to a second E1 predetermined threshold level within one nanosecond after said first overvoltage is reached,
• a second limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly including at least one item selected from the group consisting of:
• TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, metamaterials, mechanical, electrical and IDDs;
• the second assembly being operable to respond to a second overvoltage exceeding a first E2 predetermined threshold level induced by an E2 component pulse in an EPN;
• wherein said second limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly is operable to mitigate said second overvoltage and responds to decrease the level of said second overvoltage to a second E2 predetermined threshold level within less than one microsecond after said second over-voltage exceeds said second E2 predetermined threshold level of said second overvoltage;
• a third limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly including at least one item selected from the group consisting of:
• TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors, compound semiconductors, metamaterials, mechanical, electrical and IDDs;
• the third assembly being operable to respond to a third overvoltage exceeding a first E3 predetermined threshold level induced by an E3 component pulse in an EPN;
• wherein said third limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly is operable to mitigate said third overvoltage and responds to decrease the level of said third overvoltage to a second E3 predetermined threshold level within less than one second after said third overvoltage exceeds said second E3 predetermined threshold level of said third overvoltage;
• and
• wherein said first, second, and third limiting, absorbing, and shunting assemblies mounted in said casing, comprise transient surge suppressing assemblies (TSSAs) mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) with direct electrical connections to high current capacity busbars, to minimize insertion losses, and dedicated screw terminals for cable conductors connections at each end of said high current capacity busbars, compose a TSS with reconfigurable interface for inline installation.

A surge suppression system for mitigating and preventing electromagnetic energy surges induced in an electrical power network (EPN) by naturally occurring events, such as Coronal mass ejection (CME) and Geomagnetic disturbance (GMD), from reaching electrical and electronic devices associated with said EPN, said surge suppression system comprising:

• a first limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly that includes TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors (i.e., Si, Ge), compound semiconductors (i.e., SiC, GaN, GaAs) and metamaterials, mechanical, electrical and IDDs, and combinations thereof that is operable to respond to a first overvoltage exceeding a first E1 predetermined threshold level induced by an E1 component pulse in an electrical power network (EPN);
• wherein said first limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly is operable to mitigate said first overvoltage and responds to decrease the first E1 predetermined threshold level of said first overvoltage to a second E1 predetermined threshold level within one nanosecond after said first overvoltage is reached,
• a second limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly including TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors (i.e., Si, Ge), compound semiconductors (i.e., SiC, GaN, GaAs) and metamaterials, mechanical, electrical and IDDs, and combinations thereof that is operable to respond to a second overvoltage exceeding a first E2 predetermined threshold level induced by an E2 component pulse in an EPN;
• wherein said second limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly is operable to mitigate said second overvoltage and responds to decrease the level of said second overvoltage to a second E2 predetermined threshold level within less than one microsecond after said second over-voltage exceeds said second E2 predetermined threshold level of said second overvoltage;
• a third limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly including TVSs, MOVs, GDTs, other solid state and nonlinear components based on semiconductors (i.e., Si, Ge), compound semiconductors (i.e., SiC, GaN, GaAs) and metamaterials, mechanical, electrical and IDDs, and combinations thereof that is operable to respond to a third overvoltage exceeding a first E3 predetermined threshold level induced by an E3 component pulse in an EPN;
• wherein said third limiting, absorbing, and shunting assembly is operable to mitigate said third overvoltage and responds to decrease the level of said third overvoltage to a second E3 predetermined threshold level within less than one second after said third overvoltage exceeds said second E3 predetermined threshold level of said third overvoltage;
• and
• wherein said TSS with reconfigurable interface for inline installation is embedded and sealed in said casing with input and output cable glands with access and connections of electric power cable conductors to dedicated screw terminals at each end of said high current capacity busbars and has an additional, externally accessible electrical power ground connector terminal for direct grounding connection.