Designing electrical products for the oil & gas industry requires high reliability, as environmental hazards and lightning strikes can damage costly equipment. Surge protection, using components like TVS Diodes, is crucial in safeguarding electrical systems from these threats. This article explores how MAX 20/40-Cell Series TVS Diodes from MDE Semiconductor, Inc. help Transtector provide power protection for critical oil & gas applications.
Surge Protection in Oil & Gas Applications
Electrical surges can occur from lightning strikes or equipment like motors, relays, and contactors, which produce damaging surges when switched on or off. TVS Diodes protect circuits by clamping excessive voltage to safe levels during surges. When a surge occurs, the diode routes excess current to the ground, preventing damage to equipment.
Introducing the MAX 20/40-Cell Series
The MAX 20-Cell Series from MDE Semiconductor, Inc. offers high-current TVS Diodes capable of handling at least 20,000 W of peak power. These diodes respond in under 1 picosecond, providing fast protection for equipment operating from 5V to 22V. The MAX 40-Cell Series, a stacked version, offers even higher protection, handling up to 40,000 W for equipment operating between 12V and 150V.
Transtector’s Use of MAX 20 Diodes
Transtector is a leader in communication and power protectionary solutions, offering a wide range of power surge protection products along with professional consultation, training, and support to customers worldwide. It boasts a diverse range of product portfolios, including AC, DC, data, and signal surge protectors for various industries including telecommunications, medical imaging, transportation, energy, security, and the military. As a reputable company, Transtector enforces a high standard in manufacturing its data and power protection devices, including supply chain management and vendor selection.
Transtector integrates MDE’s MAX-20-22CA Diodes into its surge protection products for the oil & gas industry. These diodes are available in custom assemblies for optimal durability and included in Transtector’s DC Defender surge protectors, ensuring reliable protection in harsh environments.
Why Choose MDE TVS Diodes for Surge Protection?
TVS Diodes from MDE Semiconductor, Inc. meet stringent industry standards, ensuring high reliability and safety. Transtector’s choice of MDE MAX 20 Diodes reflects the quality and effectiveness of these components in protecting critical systems. MDE also offers custom diode assemblies, so companies can focus on product design without worrying about fitting the protection components.
Considerations When Choosing TVS Diodes for Surge Protection
While the fundamentals of TVS Diodes are similar, there are structural and electrical differences that matter for different industrial applications. Industrial equipment usually uses bi-directional TVS Diodes. A bi-directional TVS Diode protects the AC power line and reference-crossing signal transmission circuits. We offer MAX 20 and 40 Series as bidirectional TVS diodes.
Besides the diode configuration, you should consider the following electrical characteristics when choosing a TVS Diode:
- Breakdown voltage – This is the threshold where the TVS diode starts conducting in the Avalanche mode.
- Reverse stand-off voltage – The maximum voltage level that the TVS diode can operate in normal conditions, and it must be higher than the equipment’s nominal voltage.
- Peak pulse current – This parameter denotes the maximum current the TVS diode can safely handle within a specified, short duration.
- Clamping voltage – The number indicates the maximum voltage that falls across the circuit during suppression. System integrators must anticipate the equipment’s exposure to the clamping voltage, which is higher than the nominal voltage.
The above factors ensure that the TVS Diodes will perform effectively in specific industrial applications.
Still doubtful about choosing suitable TVS Diodes? We can help. Reach out to chat with us today!