Abstract
The process of designing protective circuits against damage by transient overvoltages requires much work and expensive equipment. However computer simulation using PSpice can overcome these problems. In this paper a gas tube and a ZnO varistor Pspice-model considering the steepness of the wave-front were presented. The effects of various waveforms on the transient behaviors and firing volt-ages of a gas tube were modeled by controlled voltage source E controlled current source G and TABLE function of PSpice. And the nonlinear characteristics of a ZnO varistor were modeled by controlled voltage source E and H. To estimate the characteristics of the models proposed various waveforms specified in IEC Std. 1000310-4-5 were used in the simulation and the actual tests. The simulation results were compared with test results and showed good agreement.
