The Industrial Need For Lightning Protection

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“Lightning protection” is a generalized way of describing a suite of protection measures used to fend off the damage that can be caused by lighting strikes to property and equipment. Within the industrial sector, this phrase will usually describe the lightning rods, overhead shielding and grounding mechanisms that are put in place in order to divert lightning strikes away from critical equipment that is exposed. Due to the physical makeup of industrial facilities, with structures or components being positioned in remote areas comprised of few other structures which are taller, as well as being made of materials that are lightning attractants, we find that lightning damage is almost unable to be completely avoided. The measures and failsafes that get put into place in order to protect expensive equipment and systems are diversion techniques, and represent attempts to divert lightning strikes to structures that are distanced away from critical components, and where the strike and subsequent surge can be better controlled. Lightning seeks the path of least resistance to earth, which is the reason it will so often strike the tallest structure in a region, or a component made out of a material that possesses the ability to conduct the electricity to the earth. Lightning rods and overhead shields draw the strike to themselves where they can route it to the earth in a safe manner. A major issue with many industrial installations is the poor earthing capabilities within the region they exist, as well as a difficult time effectively drawing the strike to a safe region. Within industries like wind power production and telecommunications, the towers that represent the most critical aspect of the process literally act as a magnet for strikes because of their height and positioning, as well as often poor earthing abilities. These are the reasons that we find that “surge protection for industrial installations” is often separated from “lightning protection” even though the source of the surge is still a lightning strike most of the time.

 

Lightning strikes produce an intense power surge capable of damaging and destroying almost any computerized component, no matter how robust. The operational range for electrical flow that is safe for the components used in many industrial processes is far short of the volume of electricity produced in a lightning strike, so protection measures beyond simple diversion techniques must be put into place to protect the equipment and systems. Surge protection devices are installed within structures along pathways where electricity would travel from the top to the bottom of structures, as well as along any form of wire or cable that electricity can flow effectively through. The data transfer and power cables within systems create adequate ravel paths for the surge produced by lightning strikes, and through the installation of technologically advanced surge protection devices along these pathways, the downstream equipment can be salvaged many times after a strike instance takes place. Through minimization of damage and avoidance or diversion of strikes, we find that surge protection and lightning protection systems within industrial facilities are saving millions of dollars every year.