High voltage protection apparatus

A surge arrester for connecting to a component of an electrical power circuit comprising

• arrester components including a valve element formed by one or more valve blocks,
• a formed dielectric body for housing said arrester components, said dielectric body comprising means for forming a substantially air-free interface encircling said arrester components, the inner surface of said dielectric body being in interfacial contact with the outer surfaces of said arrester components and said air-free interface being the interface between said inner surface of said dielectric body and said outer surfaces of said arrester components,
• a cover of conductive material encircling at least a portion of said dielectric body, and
• receptacle means for enclosing said dielectric body, said receptacle means comprising means for electrically connecting to and hermetically sealing to a mating separable insulated connector component and for electrically connecting said arrester components to said mating separable connector component and including a second formed dielectric body and a second cover of conductive material encircling at least a portion of said second dielectric body, said second formed dielectric body and said second cover of conductive material being physically distinct respectively from said first-mentioned formed dielectric body and from said first-mentioned cover of conductive material.

A surge arrester for connecting to a component of an outdoor electrical power circuit comprising

• arrester components, said arrester components including an arrester element having at least two metal oxide valve blocks and at least one or more conductive elongate spacers, said valve blocks and said conductive elongate spacers arranged in an alternating relationship,
• a formed dielectric body for housing said components,
• means for forming a substantially air-free interface encircling said arrester components, and
• means for increasing the electrical creepage path across an outer surface of said body, said increasing means including a plurality of insulating sheds.

An elastomeric arrester receptacle comprising

• an insulating elastomeric housing including an arrester receptacle bore and a cable passageway formed therein,
• an outer conductive elastomeric jacket disposed over said insulating elastomeric housing and
• means extending into said arrester receptacle bore for establishing an electrical connection to an insulated electrical connection device,
• said arrester receptacle bore formed and dimensioned to form an interference fit with an inserted arrester thereby establishing an air-free interfacial contact with the inserted arrester, said connection establishing means interfitting with a mating connector of the inserted arrester and comprising a cable connector, said cable connector comprising a threaded fitting extending into said arrester receptacle bore.

An elastomeric arrester receptacle comprising

• an insulating elastomeric housing including an arrester receptacle bore and a separable insulated connector receptacle bore formed therein,
• an outer conductive elastomeric jacket disposed over said insulating elastomeric housing and
• means extending into said arrester receptacle bore for establishing an electrical connection to an insulated electrical connection device,
• said arrester receptacle bore formed and dimensioned to form an interference fit with an inserted arrester thereby establishing an air-free interfacial contact with said inserted arrester, said connection establishing means interfitting with a mating connector of the inserted arrester and comprising a threaded fitting extending into said arrester receptacle bore.

A surge arrester for connection to an insulated power cable comprising:

• first and second interfitting housings each comprising a metallic housing cover, a conductive elastomeric layer and an insulating elastomeric layer disposed within said conductive elastomeric layer and having a cable passageway formed therein interfitting when said housings are interfitted;
• an arrester element disposed within said second housing;
• and
• cable connection means in electrical contact with said arrester element for contacting the center conductor of said insulated power cable upon the interfitting and assembly of said housings about said insulated power cable.

An elastomeric surge arrester receptacle comprising

• an elbow-shaped insulating elastomeric housing including a truncated conical arrester receptacle bore formed therein and a bushing receptacle bore formed therein perpendicularly to said arrester receptacle bore,
• an outer conductive elastomeric jacket disposed over said insulating elastomeric housing,
• conductive means extending into said arrester receptacle bore for establishing an electrical connection to a surge arrester receivable in said arrester receptacle bore and
• conductive means extending into said bushing receptacle bore for establishing an electrical connection to an apparatus bushing,
• said arrester receptacle bore being dimensioned to form an interference fit with an inserted surge arrester to thereby establish an air-free interfacial contact with said inserted surge arrester, said conductive means extending into said arrester receptacle bore being electrically short-circuited to said conductive means extending into said bushing receptacle bore.

An elastomeric surge arrester receptacle for receiving a surge arrester to provide overvoltage surge protection for one or more components of a high voltage power circuit comprising

• an insulating elastomeric housing including a truncated conical arrester receptacle bore formed therein,
• an outer conductive elastomeric jacket disposed over said insulating elastomeric housing,
• first conductive means extending into said arrester receptacle bore for establishing an electrical connection to a surge arrester receivable in said arrester receptacle bore and
• seond conductive means electrically short-circuited to said first conductive means for establishing an electrical connection to a component of said high voltage power circuit,
• said arrester receptacle bore being dimensioned to form an interference fit with an inserted surge arrester to thereby establish an air-free interfacial contact with said inserted surge arrester.

A surge arrester having component parts capable of being affixed to an insulated power cable intermediate the terminal ends of said power cable for establishing an electrical connection to a high voltage power circuit to provide surge protection for one or more components of said power circuit comprising

• an insulating elastomeric housing including a first bore formed therein for receiving an insulated power cable therein and a second bore formed therein for receiving arrester components therein,
• an outer conductive jacket disposed about said insulating elastomeric housing,
• arrester components including one or more valve blocks adapted to be received within said second bore, and
• conductive means for establishing a short-circuit electrical connection between at least one of said arrester components and an insulated power cable intermediate the terminal ends of said power cable upon receipt of said power cable in said first bore,
• said first bore extending entirely through said housing to enable said conductive means to establish said electrical connection to said power cable passing into, through and out of said first bore in said housing.

A method for providing surge protection for a high voltage power system comprising the steps of

• selecting a portion of an insulated high voltage power cable between its terminal ends for connecting a surge arrester thereto,
• preparing a predetermined length of said portion of said power cable for attachment to said surge arrester,
• positioning a surge arrester about said length after said length is prepared and
• establishing short-circuit electrical connections between the central cable conductor of said power cable and one end of said surge arrester and between the opposite end of said surge arrester and ground.

A cable splice having component parts for electrically interconnecting prepared cable portions of one or more high voltage power cables of the type having a center conductor surrounded by an insulating layer that in turn is surrounded by a conductive sheath comprising

• an arrester element including one or more valve blocks,
• an insulating elastomeric housing including a cable passageway for receiving prepared cable portions of one or more high voltage power cables and including a bore for receiving said arrester element,
• first conductive means disposed over the exterior of said housing for maintaining said exterior electrically at ground potential,
• second conductive means for electrically interconnecting the bared center conductors of said cable portions and adapted to be disposed in said cable passageway in an assembled condition,
• third conductive means for electrically interconnecting the conductive sheaths of said cable portions with said first conductive means,
• fourth conductive means for electrically connecting one end of said arrester element to said bared center conductors of said cable portions and
• fifth conductive means for electrically connecting the other end of said arrester element to an electrical ground.

A surge arrester for connecting to a component of a high voltage electrical power circuit comprising

• arrester components,
• a dielectric body for housing said arrester components,
• and a cover of conductive material in direct physical contact with the outer surface of said dielectric body and encircling at least a portion of at least a majority of said arrester components,
• said dielectric body being in interfacial contact with said arrester components and comprising means for forming a substantially air-free interface between said arrester components and said dielectric body, said dielectric body comprising dielectric material molded around said arrester components.

A surge arrester for connecting to a component of a high voltage electrical power circuit comprising

• arrester components,
• a formed dielectric body for housing said arrester components,
• and a cover of conductive material in direct physical contact with the outer surface of said dielectric body and encircling at least a portion of at least a majority of said arrester components,
• said dielectric body being in interfacial contact with said arrester components and comprising means for forming a substantially air-free interface between said arrester components and said dielectric body, said dielectric body being dilatable about said arrester components.

A surge arrester for connecting to a component of a high voltage electrical power circuit comprising

• arrester components,
• an insulating housing for said components,
• a cover of conductive material in direct physical contact with the outer surface of said housing and encircling at least a portion of at least a majority of said arrester components,
• and an insulating adhesive layer at the outer surfaces of said arrester components.

A cable splice having component parts for electrically interconnecting prepared cable portions of one or more high voltage power cables of the type having a center conductor surrounded by an insulating layer that in turn is surrounded by a conductive sheath comprising

• an arrester element including one or more valve blocks,
• insulating means including a cable passageway for receiving prepared cable portions of one or more high voltage power cables and including a bore for receiving said arrester element, said insulating means comprising at least one of said component parts of said cable splice,
• first conductive means disposed over the exterior of said insulating means for maintaining said exterior electrically at ground potential,
• second conductive means for electrically interconnecting the bared center conductors of said cable portions and adapted to be disposed in said cable passageway in an assembled condition,
• third conductive means for electrically interconnecting the conductive sheaths of said cable portions with said first conductive means,
• fourth conductive means for electrically connecting one end of said arrester element to said bared center conductors of said cable portions and
• fifth conductive means for electrically connecting the other end of said arrester element to an electrical ground.