This paper provides a comprehensive review on the types of transients that may affect low voltage electrical systems and discusses various characteristics of lightning, switching, nuclear and intentional microwave impulses giving special attention to their impact on equipment and systems.
This paper presents the available information on the characteristics of electromagnetic transients that may affect systems that conduct electrical signals (power and communication). One purpose of this study is to discuss the capabilities of devices meant for lightning protection, in providing defense for the equipment and systems against other transients.
The analysis in this paper shows that transients have a wide range of rise time, half peak width, action integral etc. with respect to both source and coupling mechanism. Hence, transient protection technology should be more specific with regard to the capabilities of the protection devices.
A transient is a sharp increase in the voltage or current of an electrical system of which the duration can vary from nanosecond scale to few milliseconds.
Transients may be generated in or injected into power supply, communication or any other system where electricity is involved in whatever the form and propagate along the same system to damage the system or any component connected to the system. The type and magnitude of the damage depends on the rate of rise, amplitude, duration, repetition etc. of the transient and the system response.
