The replacement of mechanical subsystems in industrial applications with electronics has greatly increased the demand for surge protection engineered to this specific environment. Not only is the potential for damage from a surge event increased, but the value of sensitive electronics deployed in industrial applications means that surge protection should be a key priority.
As noted in the IEEE paper “Electrical Surge-Protection Devices for Industrial Facilities—A Tutorial Review,” (IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, Vol. 43, No.1) “every piece of electronic equipment” in industrial applications is at risk to power surges from the grid inside and outside the plant.
Taking a holistic approach to industrial surge protection is the most appropriate way to minimize this risk and its potential impact.
Key areas of protection can include:
- Factory automation and control
- Heavy equipment and instrumentation
- Motion control
- LED Lighting systems
- Utilities equipment
- Embedded computers and communication equipment
- Programmable logic controls
Notable strategies can include:
- Protection inside the facility and out—at the main circuit breaker and at specific sensitive equipment
- Comprehensive low-resistance grounding—surge protection is not complete without this
- Data line and power protection—surges can damage multiple types of equipment
- Approach surge protection comprehensively—engineering end-to-end is the best strategy
To learn more about industrial surge protection and how Transtector and PolyPhaser can help, click here.
