Its 1500W peak pulse power rating (1.5kW) handles surges like those from inductive load switching or lightning-induced transients in general-purpose equipment. The single bidirectional channel protects lines that swing both positive and negative relative to ground, simplifying layout versus back-to-back unidirectional devices.
When a surge hits, the diode clamps the line to 64.3V maximum, which sets the voltage stress the downstream components must survive. The 1500W peak pulse power is rated under a 10/1000µs waveform; the 156A peak pulse current at an 8/20µs waveform gives a second reference for shorter-duration transients common in IEC 61000-4-5 testing. No power line protection means this device is intended for signal or low-voltage DC bus protection, not AC mains.
The SM15T36CA comes in a DO-214AB SMC surface-mount package.