Lightning Protection | Electrical Seminar Topic
Lightning Protection
“Struck by lightning”
is a metaphor for sudden, unpredictable disaster. A large thunderstorm can
produce over 100 lightning flashes a minute, and even a modest storm cloud can
generate the energy of a small nuclear power plant (a few hundred megawatts)
Not all lightning strikes the ground but, when it does, that energy can be
devastating.
For a drilling rig to be shut down for hours or days due to
equipment damage, or a chemical plant to have fires started by lightning, is a
costly and hazardous risk. Until relatively recently, there was little that
could be done to minimize this risk. Lightning strikes when and where it will.
Traditional lightning protection has sought to collect and
divert the energy of a lightning strike into the ground. While this may avoid
some of the worst effects of a direct strike, it has some serious drawbacks.
None of the traditional systems are 100 percent effective, and all suffer from
the secondary effects related to the close proximity of the electrostatic and
electromagnetic fields.
They are dangerous to flammables, explosives, and
electronics. The unanswered question is, why collect the strike in the first
place, when strikes always create side effects that must be dealt with? New
technologies have demonstrated that it is possible to eliminate the strike
altogether, thereby avoiding all of the risks.
The Charge Transfer System (CTS)
has proven its effectiveness as a system to prevent lightning from striking the
protected area. Such as chemical plants, nuclear power plants, oil and
petroleum facilities, off shore drilling rigs and many other installations.
