Ylijännitelähteiden

Ylijännitelähteet, known in English as overvoltage sources or surge sources, are devices designed to generate high-voltage pulses. These sources are crucial for testing the ability of electrical and electronic equipment to withstand transient overvoltages, such as those caused by lightning strikes or switching operations in power systems. The primary function of an ylijännitelähde is to simulate these potentially damaging voltage spikes in a controlled laboratory environment.

The output of an ylijännitelähde is characterized by its high voltage amplitude, rapid rise time, and specific waveform shape. Standards like IEC 60060 define various impulse waveforms, including lightning impulse and switching impulse, which these sources are designed to replicate. This allows manufacturers and researchers to assess the insulation strength and overall robustness of components, devices, and entire systems against electrical surges.

Ylijännitelähteet employ different technologies, with the most common being Marx generators. A Marx generator is a cascaded series of capacitors that are charged in parallel and then discharged in series, producing a very high voltage pulse. Other types of ylijännitelähteet may utilize impulse voltage generators based on transformer principles or specialized discharge circuits. The selection of a particular type depends on the required voltage levels, pulse shapes, and energy content of the generated impulse.

Applications of ylijännitelähteet are widespread across various industries, including power generation and distribution, telecommunications, automotive, and aerospace. They are essential for product certification, design validation, and failure analysis, ensuring the reliability and safety of electrical infrastructure and consumer electronics in the face of transient overvoltage events.