Lightning strikes are not only dangerous, but can create an extremely high level of damage to most types of systems. Lightning is largely misunderstood by many people, who would believe that the majority of damage as a result of a lightning strike happens at the point of the strike itself. While there is no doubt that there is explosion, fire and debris damage at the strike point (which can be minimized through avoidance tactics like the installation of lightning rods or overhead shields) the majority of monetary damage that happens occurs as a result of the power surge that is created. When lightning strikes an object, hundreds of thousands of volts of electrical current can enter it and surrounding objects. In a typical situation this would be recognized as "strike point" damage, but in the instance that the object being struck is connected to other components through power lines or data processing lines, a clear pathway is provided for the electricity to flow down the chain. Components in the installation that are connected together via cables of almost any kind are able to be damaged one by one as the power flows from one to the next. While a constant and metered flow of power is acceptable and will not cause damage, the large excesses of power created by a lightning strike overwhelm the components and damage internal items like circuitry and wiring. This will not only result in damages to the equipment that need to be repaired, it will also knock the system offline and render it inoperable until which time it can be fixed and restored. You can see how the damage costs and the downtime of whatever system is effected can create large problems for any business.
So what can you do if you operate a business that can be effected by lightning strikes, or even if you have expensive computerized equipment in your residence that can be effected? The answer is avoidance of damage and minimization of surge damage through protective measures. First and foremost, if you operate a facility that has tall or isolated structures you will want to install lightning rods and overhead shields to draw the strikes away from critical components and toward areas where it can be controlled without damage. Second, you will want to install surge protection devices at critical junction points throughout your system. These surge protection devices should also be redundant in case one is rendered inoperable for any reason. Power will flow in straight lines and couple into cables that will allow it to easily flow from component to component. The installation of surge protection devices at junction boxes, along lines and at other critical points will allow for electrical excesses to be stopped through a gapping measure. The principal of all surge protection works the same way, to recognize the increase in electrical flow and immediately create a gap between the surge protective device and the next component in the chain. The electrical flow can then be diverted to ground or controlled in some other way, without it being able to flow to the next component and damage it. Residential surge protection is the same principal, just with far less technologically advanced devices and lower capacities.
Industrial surge protection has become critical to the ongoing operations of many industries that we consumers rely heavily on. Examples of this can be seen in the telecommunications industry and the alternative energy industries, where computer heavy systems are housed inside or directly connected to towers that are positioned in remote and exposed areas. These natural attractants for lightning will endure an expected amount of strike related damage every period, but the more that subsequent surge damage can be reduced through surge protective devices, the lower costs will be and the better service will be for consumers. As we move into more advanced systems within nearly every industry, the necessity of advanced surge protection becomes even more crucial.
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Electrical Surge Protection And Alternative Energy
The battle between alternative energy production methods and fossil fuel production methods is a strange argument. With regards to the support for one method over another that is provided by the public in the form of votes and political support, the public considers a few different elements to come to their decision. The biggest deciding factor for most people is the price they will pay out of their paychecks for electricity in their homes, because the modern grid systems that are in place in nearly every city on earth allow us to pay a price for modern convenience. If one method costs more to produce, the public balks at it because they do not want to pay more for a product that can be manufactured cheaper. The cost of that production in the form of damage to the environment is the other major factor, and while nobody is supportive of damage to the environment most people look at a certain amount being tolerable as a price to pay for cheaper electricity. For this reason, the actual amounts of damage that is being done is clouded by both sides attempting to push their agenda, and without hard evidence that is supported by both sides people default to what they can see. If they cannot see the damage right now, it must not be that bad and they will support the cheaper method. Since there is little hope for a dramatic shift in people's perception, the best method for creating more support for alternative energy production is to improve the systems so that the power itself is produced cheaper. If a method is both cleaner and cheaper, it will receive the majority of support. This is why there is such an effort on the part of the fossil fuel industry to suppress technological advancements that might benefit alternative energy, and bring production costs down. Luckily there is no way to stop private industry from creating products that can assist in this process, and as a result they are being developed.
One of the most interesting developments in the story is the integration of higher level surge protection devices into systems to reduce costs. The primary cost for alternative energy is not the fuel source like it is with fossil fuels. Instead, the cost is seen in the replacement and maintenance of the equipment used in the process. There is a large amount of computerized and data processing equipment involved in the wind and solar production methods, and this equipment is semi-exposed by being housed directly inside the wind towers or connected directly to the systems through data and power lines. Lightning is attracted to the remote nature of these types of installations, and lightning strikes are common. Damage to the strike point itself is almost unavoidable, but the extremely large power surges that follow a lightning strike do significant amounts of subsequent damage to the connected equipment by burning out circuitry and causing explosions, fires, data losses and system downtime. Through the integration of superior grade surge protection equipment these losses can be minimized, and uptimes can be extended. Raycap makes a line of SPDs that need no replugging and resetting in order to remain functional even after a surge, allowing for even more improvement to uptimes. The longer that an alternative energy production system can stay operational while the sun is out or the wind is blowing, the more power it produces for the same costs. This is why the simple integration of better surge protection equipment can ultimately drive the costs of power production down to a point of being cheaper than fossil fuels.
Raycap is leading the way in the advancement of alternative energy production simply by creating products that are more advanced and have higher levels of protection ability. Even though the industries are not directly linked, the further advanced the surge protection devices become, the lower the prices of alternative power go. In this manner, technology cannot be stopped by even the most entrenched competitor, and eventually we will move completely to an alternative energy production method globally.
One of the most interesting developments in the story is the integration of higher level surge protection devices into systems to reduce costs. The primary cost for alternative energy is not the fuel source like it is with fossil fuels. Instead, the cost is seen in the replacement and maintenance of the equipment used in the process. There is a large amount of computerized and data processing equipment involved in the wind and solar production methods, and this equipment is semi-exposed by being housed directly inside the wind towers or connected directly to the systems through data and power lines. Lightning is attracted to the remote nature of these types of installations, and lightning strikes are common. Damage to the strike point itself is almost unavoidable, but the extremely large power surges that follow a lightning strike do significant amounts of subsequent damage to the connected equipment by burning out circuitry and causing explosions, fires, data losses and system downtime. Through the integration of superior grade surge protection equipment these losses can be minimized, and uptimes can be extended. Raycap makes a line of SPDs that need no replugging and resetting in order to remain functional even after a surge, allowing for even more improvement to uptimes. The longer that an alternative energy production system can stay operational while the sun is out or the wind is blowing, the more power it produces for the same costs. This is why the simple integration of better surge protection equipment can ultimately drive the costs of power production down to a point of being cheaper than fossil fuels.
Raycap is leading the way in the advancement of alternative energy production simply by creating products that are more advanced and have higher levels of protection ability. Even though the industries are not directly linked, the further advanced the surge protection devices become, the lower the prices of alternative power go. In this manner, technology cannot be stopped by even the most entrenched competitor, and eventually we will move completely to an alternative energy production method globally.
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