Arc and surge are both electrical phenomena, but their characteristics and principles of occurrence are different.

1. Arc

• An arc is a high-temperature plasma discharge that occurs continuously between two electrodes.

• A high current flows through the air, ionizing it and allowing it to continuously conduct electricity.

• It occurs in welding or electrical switches and can maintain a constant current.

• It can cause physical damage and requires protection.

2. Surge

• A surge is a transient voltage phenomenon that occurs when high voltage occurs for a short period of time.

• It can be caused by lightning, switching of power grids, operation of large electrical equipment, etc.

• They are usually not sustained and occur intermittently and must be suppressed by protective devices (surge protectors).

• This may cause damage to electronic devices or power systems.

That is, the difference is that an arc is a continuous plasma discharge, while a surge is an instantaneous voltage fluctuation.

Arc Utilization in Electrical Engineering

1. Arc Welding – Welding uses a controlled electric arc to create high temperatures to melt and join metals.

2. Circuit Breakers and Switches – Arcing occurs when electrical contacts are separated in high power systems and mechanisms are needed to safely interrupt this.

3. Plasma generation – using the arc in industrial plasma cutting machines or special coating processes.

4. Electric Arc Furnaces – Electric arc furnaces are used to melt metals in steelmaking, etc.

Surge protection in electrical engineering

1. Surge Protection – Surge protection devices protect electronic devices from momentary voltage spikes.

2. Lightning protection – Power grids and buildings are equipped with surge suppressors to safely dissipate the transient voltage caused by lightning.

3. Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) – In electronic circuits, surges are mitigated using TVS diodes, capacitors, and filters.

4. Power system stability – Analyze and control surges occurring in the power grid to maintain constant voltage and prevent failures.

While arcs utilize strong heat and conductivity, surges are usually controlled for system protection.