Abstract
This paper describes the evaluation of the long duration current impulse withstand characteristics of ZnO blocks for high voltage surge arresters. Four ZnO varistors were manufactured with the general ceramic production method and the long duration current impulse withstand test, electrical uniformity evaluation test and microstructure observation were performed. All varistors exhibited high density, which was in the range of $5.42{\sim}5.46g/cm^3$. In the electrical properties, the reference voltage of samples was in the range of $5.11{\sim}5.25\;kV$ and the residual voltage was in the range of $8.314{\sim}8.523\;kV$. In the long duration current impulse withstand test, sample No.2 and No.3 failed at the 2nd and 4th shot of series impulse currents, respectively, but the rest survived 18 shots during the test. Before and after this test, the variation ratio of the residual voltage of samples survived was below 0.5 %, which was in the acceptance range of 5 %. According to the results of the test, it is thought that if the soldering method is improved, ZnO varistors would be possible to apply to the high voltage arresters like the station class and transmission line arresters in the near future.
