In modern ZnO varistors,traditional aging mechanisms based on increased power consumption are no longer relevant due to reduced power consumption during DC aging.Prolonged exposure to both AC and DC voltages results i...In modern ZnO varistors,traditional aging mechanisms based on increased power consumption are no longer relevant due to reduced power consumption during DC aging.Prolonged exposure to both AC and DC voltages results in increased leakage current,decreased breakdown voltage,and lower nonlinearity,ultimately compromising their protective performance.To investigate the evolution in electrical properties during DC aging,this work developed a finite element model based on Voronoi networks and conducted accelerated aging tests on commercial varistors.Throughout the aging process,current-voltage characteristics and Schottky barrier parameters were measured and analyzed.The results indicate that when subjected to constant voltage,current flows through regions with larger grain sizes,forming discharge channels.As aging progresses,the current focus increases on these channels,leading to a decline in the varistor’s overall performance.Furthermore,analysis of the Schottky barrier parameters shows that the changes in electrical performance during aging are non-monotonic.These findings offer theoretical support for understanding the aging mechanisms and condition assessment of modern stable ZnO varistors.展开更多
文摘In modern ZnO varistors,traditional aging mechanisms based on increased power consumption are no longer relevant due to reduced power consumption during DC aging.Prolonged exposure to both AC and DC voltages results in increased leakage current,decreased breakdown voltage,and lower nonlinearity,ultimately compromising their protective performance.To investigate the evolution in electrical properties during DC aging,this work developed a finite element model based on Voronoi networks and conducted accelerated aging tests on commercial varistors.Throughout the aging process,current-voltage characteristics and Schottky barrier parameters were measured and analyzed.The results indicate that when subjected to constant voltage,current flows through regions with larger grain sizes,forming discharge channels.As aging progresses,the current focus increases on these channels,leading to a decline in the varistor’s overall performance.Furthermore,analysis of the Schottky barrier parameters shows that the changes in electrical performance during aging are non-monotonic.These findings offer theoretical support for understanding the aging mechanisms and condition assessment of modern stable ZnO varistors.
