2003-05-05 / JTL

Li ght ni ng
over vol t age
pr ot ec t i on
2003-05-05 / JTL
Facts and trivia
Potential difference between a thundercloud charge
center and ground is estimated to be of the order of 10
million to 100 million Volts.
15% are cloud-to-ground strokes. Rest is light-show.
Some 95% of ground strokes are negative with respect
to ground (northern hemisphere).
Average flash will light a 100 Watt bulb for 3 months.
Flash temperature exceeds 30 000 C (50 000 F)
The average thickness of a bolt is 1 - 2 inches.
9/10 people struck by lightning survive the event (>75%
with long term trauma). Ray Sullivan got seven hits
between 1942 and 1976.
2003-05-05 / JTL
Current magnitudes
Discharge current (acc. BS6651):
1% > 200 kA
10% > 80 kA
50% > 28 kA
90% > 8 kA
99% > 3 kA
Recorded max. >360 kA.
Up to 42 separate strokes has
been recorded with 10 - 90 ms
intervals in one discharge.
2003-05-05 / JTL
Direct current pulse properties
Pulse rise time about 1...10 us (10 to 90%).
Pulse duration (to half-value) 50 ... 700 us.
Earth potential differences can last several
milliseconds.
BS5561 recommends following "direct hit"
max. values for design purposes (99%
confidence)
Current 200 kA and max di/dt 200
kA/us.
Most standard down conductors have
inductance of the range of 1.5 uH/m. ==>
Voltage difference over the down conductor
can be several Mega volts.
2003-05-05 / JTL
Induced surges
The "voltage" of a direct hit is virtually unlimited.
High voltage AC distribution lines (20 kV) are air-gap-limited
to around 100 kV at pole transformers.
Recommended protection capacities in AC line (IEEE C62.41):
Category C, Open distribution lines 10 kV / 10...20 kA
Category B; Building entry point 6 kV / 3 kA
Category A; Distribution outlets 6 kV / 1 kA
An indirect strike within 100m of cables or buildings can
induce surges up to 5 kV and 1.25 kA in AC cables.
Telephone (and instrumentation) cables have higher series
impedance thus limiting the current <200A (typically).
Category C; (high) 10 kA (design value, o.k. for many small surges)
Category C; (low) 2.5 kA
2003-05-05 / JTL
Transient coupling
Lightning transients have three main coupling paths:
Radio-frequency interference (RFI)
Typically only a nuisance
Induced voltages via magnetic or capacitive coupling.
Shielded signal cables and twisted pairs are pretty
immune.
Common mode voltages can cause component damage.
Surge currents caused by localized shifts in earth
potential.
Relatively low voltage but long common mode pulses
Can (literally) burn series impedance components in multi-
phase surge protection circuits.
2003-05-05 / JTL
Standards for lightning protection (USA)
NFPA-780 (37% of technical committee members are lightning rod
vendors)
American Petroleum Institute (API) recommended practice 2003
(1998)
DOD Explosives Safety Board 6055.9 (1997)
MIL-HDBK-419A (1987) Grounding, bonding and shielding for
Electronic Equipment. (800+ pages)
Department of Energy bulletin DOE/EH-0530 (1996), events summary
and risk analysis.
FAA-STD-019c (1999) lightning protection for facilities
IEEE Std 142-1991 recommended practice for grounding of industrial
and commercial power systems
IEEE Std 1100-1999 recommended practice for powering and
grounding of electronic equipment
U.S. Air Force Instruction 32-1065 (1998), civil engineering directive
covering grounding systems in detail.
U.S. Navy, NAVSEA OP 5, Vol. (ammunition and explosives ashore)
2003-05-05 / JTL
Standards for lightning protection (EU + Asia)
TC-81
IEC 1024-1 Protection of structures against lightning
IEC 1024-1-1 Guide A, Selection of protection levels for
lightning protection system.
IEC 1024-1-2 Guide B, Design, construction,
maintenance and installation of lightning protection
system.
IEC 1662 Technical report "Assessment of risk of
damage due to lightning."
CP 33 : 1996 - Code of Practice on lighting Protection
(Singapore)
2003-05-05 / JTL
Standards for surge protection
IEEE C62.41-1991
BS6651-1992 Appendix C
IEC 60079-14 (1996-12)
IEC 1312-1 Protection against LEMP Part1: General
principles.
2003-05-05 / JTL
Protection methods
Structures:
The traditional mesh of copper wires on roofs and walls and
their associated earth rods protect the bricks and mortar but
not necessarily the electronics.
Electronics:
Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) cannot protect equipment
against direct lightning strikes. Their task is to neutralize
voltage surges on cables caused by inductive or resistive
(earth potential variations) coupling from nearby lightning
strikes.
2003-05-05 / JTL
Surge protectors
Air gaps (specially in HV-lines)
very high surge currents
not accurate voltage
GDT:s (Gas Discharge Tubes)
high surge currents
slow and shorting
MOV:s (Metal Oxide Varistors)
medium to high surges
quite fast but "soft"
Transient suppressor diodes
(clamping diodes)
small surge currents
accurate clamp voltage
fast
2003-05-05 / JTL
Protect your protectors!
Varistors, GDT:s and Transils can
either be destroyed in a flash or
deteriorate during time.
Like good bodyguards they
usually fail "safe" shorting the
connection.
Overcurrent protection
must be designed!
GDT:s trigger voltage has a
tendency to creep lower after
numerous functioning cycles
(spikes or whiskers buildup).
Design for
interchangeability and
serviceability!
2003-05-05 / JTL
Recommended design for data lines
Two-stage protection with a resistor or resistor/inductor
combination in between (only inductor is not recommended).
At the line end first 10 kA capable GDT, then series impedance
and then transil diodes.
2003-05-05 / JTL
For unprotected mains connection
First stage
arrestor with
>20kA current
capability.
Then inductor
with adequate
current rating.
Second stage
(>3 kA rated)
at equipment
mains input.
2003-05-05 / JTL
Lightning conductor construction
Air terminal (rod) on top.
Preferably a blunt tip. No isolating coating.
Sturdy copper wire or strip to earth electrode.
min. cross section of 16 sq. mm (10... 15 degrees C
temperature rise with a single 30 kA stroke.)
Smooth turns and never over 90 degrees angles.
Copper (or copper plated) ground electrode with a low
impedance to ground. DC resistance preferably < 10 Ohms.
Preferred topologies:
Ring (with min. 2 connecting wires for buildings)
X and Y
Massive, non corroding connections between sections.
2003-05-05 / JTL
Lightning rods
"Classical" air terminal design
by Mr. Benjamin Franklin
Widely used but the sharp point is
actually a drawback.
Over the seven-year study, not one
of the sharp Franklin rods were
struck by lightning, while twelve
blunt rods were hit, Moore and his
colleagues report in the journal
Geophysical Research Letters [15
May 2000]
1
.
2003-05-05 / JTL
"Sci Fi approach"
`Early Streamer Emitters' (ESEs)
Air terminals equipped with a device or
formed such a way that it supposedly
creates an upward propagating streamer
faster than a standard air terminal.
Manufacturers claim that they have a
different protective radius (than a
standard rod).
2003-05-05 / JTL
Early Streamer Emitters
US Standards committee NFPA 780 and the Standards council
made an independent study:
Early Streamer Emission, Air terminals, Lightning protection
systems, Literature review and Technical analysis January
1996.
Three hundred and three different works were reviewed, 301
rejected ESE as no better than a conventional rod. Two were
authored by a manufacturer.
==> The US NFPA Standards Council rejected
consideration of the ESE for a new standard and does
not recommend their use.
(Actually the study revealed that no standard protection scheme
provides a 100% protection!)
2003-05-05 / JTL
ESE realism?
Observe the difference between cartoon physics illustrations about the
suggested protective radius and especially the shape of it, compared to
widely accepted IEC standards model.
2003-05-05 / JTL
ESE favors
Different types of ESE:
1. Radioactive
(Radium 226, Alpha emitter, banned in most countries between 1975 -
1989, ionizing found to happen max. 2 cm from surface)
2. Sparking (ionizing)
3. Voltage pulsing (a few kilovolts)
4. Special shape to make corona discharge
5. Special shape to prevent corona discharge
Some models emit a cloud of ionized air in high voltage
laboratory environment, where no other early streamers are
present and no high winds exist (like in thunderstorms)
2003-05-05 / JTL
Down conductors
Sturdy wire, pipe or
thick foil.
Massive steel or
aluminum
constructions can be
used instead.
Straight lines, smooth
curves, no sharp
angles.
Never over 90 degree
turns!
Special attention to
corrosion between
different metals in
connections.
(find 5 errors in picture)
2003-05-05 / JTL
Routes of a down conductor.
Most military standards recommend isolated down conductor,
not connected to structures at all. Some require even
separate ground electrodes.
In building standards an electrically conducting structure is
often used as down conductor (it is impractical to even try to
make a smaller impedance with added wiring!)
With isolated conductor, maintaining a very low impedance
path to ground is required, otherwise the charge will sidestep.
Over 1.5 m sidesteps through walls have been observed.
When using a metal mast as a down conductor, normal signal
cabling can survive because the mast makes a better route
than the cable. This requires isolated electronics on both
ends of the mast! (WS425, WT50, MAWS !#%&/)
2003-05-05 / JTL
Ground electrode
Typically copper wire either
buried to the ground 0.5 - 1 m
deep, or connected to ground
rods.
Make as low impedance to the
ground as possible.
Ground rods can be of solid
copper, copper tubes, copper
clad steel or stainless steel.
Typically 20 - 50 mm thick, in
some cases filled with mineral
salt (to decrease ground
resistance).
Recommended length and
number of electrodes is
dependent on soil moisture and
resistivity.
(What is wrong with this picture?)
2003-05-05 / JTL
Soil properties
Soil resistivity varies a lot, even at the same location
depending on the moisture and salt content (and ice).
Examples: [Ohm-meters]
Topsoil, loam 1 - 50
Gravelly clays, sandy clays 25 - 60
Fine sandy or silty clays 80 - 300
Gravel, gravel-sand mixtures 100 - 500
Granite, sandstone 20 - 2000
Gravel, sand, stones, little clay 600 - 4500
Surface limestone 100 - 10 000
2003-05-05 / JTL
Ground rod electrode example
Excellent for most soft soil
types. (very little digging)
Minimum rod spacing is 2.5
times the rod length.
In salty / wet ground even one
2 - 3 meter long rod can make
<10 Ohms. Normally 4 -10
rods makes the trick.
Using longer rods usually
does not help much
(resistivity increases
downwards)
2003-05-05 / JTL
Buried wire electrode example
Specially when bedrock is close,
ground is very dry or rods are
not feasible, a three wire Y -
buried electrode is a favored
construction.
Three pieces of min 16 mm2
copper wire are buried into 0.5 -
1m deep ditches. Recommended
wire segment length is 10 - 30m.
Connect all ground wires to the
down conductor with a heavy-
duty terminal block at the same
point! Do not daisy-chain the
connections.
Treating the ground (MgSO4,
CuSO4) can be used to decrease
the ground impedance.
2003-05-05 / JTL
Web resources (take always with a grain of salt...)
Comprehensive application notes:
http://www.mtlsurgetechnologies.com/downloads/tans/in
dex.htm
Reading: (interesting if true, as everything on the Web)
http://www.lightningeliminators.com/technica.htm
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010824.html
http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_bus/CodeReview200
2.html