TOPIC - Need of Lightning Risk Assessment Study

Cement manufacturing plants are among the largest industrial plants in terms of land, equipment,
buildings/structures and manpower. Operational and maintenance safety are often the regular part of this
industry for uninterrupted plant operation. Safety of buildings and structures too, is always considered during
the design stage taking various factors e.g. Wind Load, Seismic zone, Soil Bearing capacity etc. Among all this,
one critical factor i.e. Protection system against the lightning strikes has equal importance as that of any other
safety system.

Lightning is a phenomena that cannot be prevented and the consequences need no explanation. Lightning
strikes are very common in India during heavy monsoon rains. The monsoon season typically begins in June and
lasts until September. However, some particular regions usually see increased lightning activity before the
monsoon begins and even when monsoon goes away. In India, Lightning Strikes are responsible for at least 10%
of the total deaths caused by nature in most years and, according to the National Crime Records Bureau data, at
least 2,000 deaths were associated with lightning every year since 2005.

One can still recall the incident of Korba Chimney collapse in Year 2009. The incident happened at an under
construction thermal power plant by BALCO, during extreme weather conditions involving lightning and torrenal
rainfall. Workers sought shelter from the rain in a nearby store room, and a lightning strike at approximately
16:00 Hrs. brought the chimney down.

These incidents and figures emphasises the need of a well-designed Lightning Protection System for such
process plants including cement manufacturing plants. A proper Lightning Protection System (LPS) is a must as
the Impact of lightning strike may lead to infrastructure damage, loss of life and the disruption of plant
operation. By taking a systematic approach, applying the suitable standard, carrying out a risk assessment and
acting upon the results of that risk assessment, solutions can be found which are cost effective and successful.

Figure-1: Elements of Lightning Protection System

Air Ground
Terminal Termination

Down Surge
Conductors Protection
 TOPIC - Need of Lightning Risk Assessment Study

Figure-1 above, gives an insight of a Lightning Protection System. A lightning protection system is composed of
following main components

Air Terminals: The small, vertical protrusions designed to act as the 'terminal' for a lightning discharge. These
terminals/rods can be found in different shapes, sizes and designs. Most are topped with a tall, pointed needle
or a smooth, polished sphere. Air Termination Systems can be composed of any combination of three elements
i.e. Rods, Catenary Wires and the Meshed conductors.

Down Conductors: Heavy cables that carry lightning current from the air terminals/rods to the ground. Cables
are run along the tops and around the edges of roofs, then down one or more corners of a building to the
ground rod(s).

Ground Terminations: Long, thick, heavy rods buried deep into the earth around a protected structure. The
conductor cables are connected to these rods to complete a safe path for a lightning discharge around a
structure.

Surge Protection: Surge Protection is the part of Internal Protection System and requires for the safety of
electronic equipment like DCS/Remote Field Instruments/VFDs etc.

Air Terminal

Down Conductor

Figure-2: Typical Lightning Protection System Ground Termination

Generally, Lightning Protection Systems are designed and installed at many of the cement manufacturing plants
during the initial stage of project itself. However, at this time, where global warming has been causing significant
changes to the environment, it becomes utmost necessary to conduct the assessment of existing lightning
protection systems at these plants. Lightning effects are on the rise all over the world due to changes in global
weather patterns, with some climate change researchers predicting as high as a six percentage increase in
lightning strikes for every degree of global temperature change.

Lightning Risk Assessment Study is actually the measure of risk of a lightning strike and probability of damages
along with review of existing LPS. It assesses the lightening risks to the facility according to national and
international standards requirements.

The method used for risk assessment study should be based on IEC 62305. The scope of IEC 62305, is to provide
a procedure for the evaluation of such a risk. Once an upper tolerable limit for the risk has been ascertained, this
procedure allows the selection of appropriate protection measures, in order to reduce the risk at or below the
tolerable limit.
 TOPIC - Need of Lightning Risk Assessment Study

Following sequence is required to be followed for an assessment study, as shown in Figure-1

Lightning &
Surge Risk Detailed Design &
Assessment at Recommendations as
Primary Data per National and Report Discussion &
Collection site. & Data Closure
Collection International
(Review & Gap Standards
Analysis)

Figure-3: Sequence of Lightning Risk Assessment Study

To start with the study, plant layout of existing manufacturing facility, dimensional drawings of existing
buildings, earth pit layout, list of field equipment for surge protection and details of existing LPS are generally
required.

Risk Assessment calculations are carried out considering the standards and codes as shown in Figure-4 but not
limited to. Although OISD 180 is Oil Industry Safety Directorate specifically for Lightning Protection Guidelines
for Hydrocarbon Storage, sometimes is referred for oil storages in the cement plants. Factors like structure
dimensions for collection area calculation, Structure attribute calculations, environmental influences, adjacent
structure contribution factor derivation, power line factors, existing protection, measure, loss of human life
parameter derivation etc. as per international code IEC-62305 are applied to the calculation. It is followed by the
selection of areas/buildings/structures/process areas with higher probability of damages due to lightning. Based
on the resultants, existing Lightning Protection Systems are compared and reviewed followed by the selection of
method for external protection system.

Figure-4: Standards adopted for Lightning Risk Assessment Study (Not limited to)

IEC IEC IEC IEC IS IS NFPA OISD IER

62305_1 62305_2 62305_3 62305_4 2309 3043 780 180 CEA

As per the structure and its complexity, selection of method is done as prescribed in IS/IEC-62305. To determine
the position of Air Termination System, following acceptable methods are used.

a. The Protection Angle Method

b. The Rolling Sphere Method
c. The Mesh Method

Four classes of Lightning Protection System are described as per IEC-62305 i.e LPS-I, LPS-II, LPS-III and LPS-IV
wherein LPS-I being with lower risk and LPS-4 with highest risk associated. As per the results of Risk Assessment
Calculation, particular class is assigned to any structure/building and accordingly, protection system is designed
and suggested.
 TOPIC - Need of Lightning Risk Assessment Study

With this article, author attempts to briefly define the severity of Lightning Strikes and the need of carrying out
Risk Assessment Study at process plants to prevent damages due to the Lightning. Though Lightning Protection
is not a legal requirement till date, businesses and manufacturing plants are required to be protected from
harmful effects of natural hazards, which include lightning. Author also emphasises that stringent laws should
be in place to install the adequate Lightning Protection Systems at all process plants including cement
manufacturing plants.

---------