Surge Protection For Telecom

https://www.raycap.com/electrical-protection-telecom-system/

Telecommunications systems rely upon critical equipment in order to not only provide coverage within specific areas to their customers, but also to provide communications capabilities through their interconnected network.  People rely upon cellular connectivity for their routine daily tasks as well as for critical communications during times of emergency.  Connectivity to emergency services is crucial at all times, and can be the difference between life and death in some instances.  The challenging aspect of this responsibility is the fact that the same kind of inclement weather conditions that can bring on the necessity for connectivity to emergency services, also has the capability to destroy the equipment that provides that connectivity.  One of the most common causes of damage to telecom systems as well as outages in connectivity is lightning strikes to the towers that provide the unobstructed signals to cell phones.  In order to provide the best and clearest signal possible, cellular towers must be the tallest structures within an area, ultimately making them a perfect target for lightning strikes.  Much of the equipment that is housed within these towers as well as the materials with which the towers themselves are constructed are also attractants of lightning.  When the strikes happen to the cell tower top, it has the ability to not only damage or destroy equipment located nearby but also equipment further away.  This is due to one of the inherent issues with the telecom business:  in order to provide an unobstructed signal you often must also position yourself as the best possible target for lightning.

In order to compensate for the obvious issues that come with these kinds of flaws  to a system, the telecommunications industry has utilized surge protection devices as a buffer between the lightning strikes and the equipment housed within the towers.  This is an attempt to minimize the amount of damage that is produced by inclement weather and the lightning strikes which must be expected.  There are various methods of attempting to lessen the risk exposure of a site to lightning strike, overhead shields and lightning rods being examples, but it must be expected and predicted that there will be a certain amount of lightning strikes to the towers themselves every time there is a thunder storm in the area.  The damage that will be produced by the lightning strike can be mitigated through surge protection equipment.  The damages that will generally be found outside of the strike point are usually based on the electrical surge that is produced by the strike itself.  This surge overwhelms the circuitry of the computerized equipment, and is able to travel along power lines that interconnect these devices.  These surges are stopped in their tracks by surge protection equipment installed along the lines that interconnect these devices.  Through a redundant and effective installation of surge protection devices, the amount of predictable damage to equipment as well as the outages that will be expected as a result of this damage can be brought to a minimum.  The integration of surge protection equipment therefore is critical to the ongoing functionality of telecom systems.

Lightning Protection For Wind Turbines Devices

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The push towards green energy, and wind technology in particular, continually causes additional wind farms to come online throughout the world. As well, current wind farms are also being expanded. The turbine manufacturers as well as the wind farm owners & operators have become increasingly aware of the ability to reduce costs associated with inclement weather conditions, and in particular lightning strikes. The damage that operations can sustain from a lightning strike comes in multiple forms. The most obvious damage that which is physically damaged by the lightning strike itself, including replacements of machinery used in the process, but this is not the major source of monetary loss.  Wind farms can operate continually as long as the wind is blowing, ultimately producing power upwards of 24 hours a day and seven days a week. The costs associated with systems being taken offline due to lightning strikes, and not able to produce power, are less tangible but far more costly.  The wind turbine electrical systems continually face challenges because wind turbines are fixed to wind towers which are almost always the tallest structure within a geographic region. When they are exposed to a harsh weather, it must be expected that the turbines and the blades that are affixed to them, will likely be at risk from lightning strikes. These strikes of both an indirect and direct association create intense electromagnetic fields as well as transient over voltages. These over voltages are passed directly through the electrical system and to the sensitive equipment within the turbine. The surges can propagate through the system and produce latent as well as immediate damage to all circuitry and computer equipment. Additional components like power converters and electronics, transformers and generators are also easily damaged by surges created by lightning. The latent damage that can occur as a result of multiple strikes to the structures as well as repeated exposure to surges occurs within key power components. Much of this damage is not covered by any warranty that is offered by the manufacturer, ultimately forcing repair costs upon the operator.

The offline costs associated with power surges and lightning strikes affect the business in a different way. When a turbine is disabled, it must be repaired or have components replaced by a service team.  All of the costs associated with purchase of new equipment as well as salaries for the team itself must be absorbed from the profit pool. Combine this with the fact that profits are being reduced due to the fact that the turbine is offline during critical times where it could be producing power utilizing free fuel sources, and you have a recipe for dwindling profits that can be easily bankrupt even good businesses. The installation of the most advanced surge protection technology available for wind turbines is not only suggested but necessary in order to push green technology into the mix as a legitimate competitor with the fossil fuel industry.  Surge reduction or elimination technologies are being continually improved, thus assisting this emerging industry to gain a greater foothold.

Lightning Damage From Surges

https://www.raycap.com/wind-turbine-surge-protection-2/

Green energy production technology is one of the most promising energy production methods with regards to the future of mankind.  This may seem like a bold statement, but improving the world by creating better energy systems that ultimately harm the earth to a lesser degree must be viewed as an improvement for everyone on the planet.  All over the world, civilized societies rely upon electricity that is delivered to their homes and businesses through electrical grid systems.  This electricity is manufactured and stored until it is delivered to consumers.  The systems that deliver electricity are not the issue, and instead we find that the damage is caused during the energy mining and manufacturing process.  Electricity is created through the use of turbine technology, the simplistic way of explaining this that as the turbines are turned they create electricity.  The way that these turbines are turned in order to produce enough electricity to satisfy large populations of consumers has traditionally been through the burning of fossil fuels or by capturing the water flowing through a dam. While these methods have proven to be able to be reliable enough to produce the volumes of electricity that are necessary for metropolitan areas, they also one of the leading causes of disruption in terms of pollution, causing climate change and damaging clean water systems. While the proponents of fossil fuels will argue that the climate change aspect is not significant enough to justify higher costs, there is no denying that pollution is created. No matter what, it is globally understood that polluted air is not conducive to a healthy environment for humans or animals. Because of this fact, it is universally accepted that a method of creating the same electricity product with non-polluting methods would be superior. The reason that wider spread rollouts of green energy production technologies such as wind and solar have not occurred really comes down to two critical aspects. First and foremost are the costs associated with these methods, and second is the reliability of these methods to produce enough electricity to satisfy large amounts of customers.  Both of these issues are being solved through the use of advanced technologies, including but not limited to the use of industrial surge protection equipment.

Surge protection for green energy systems reduces the amount of damage caused to these systems by natural events such as lightning strikes.  While the acute damage that happens at the strike point is nearly unavoidable, this is not the largest cost associated with damage of this sort. Instead, we find the majority of damage costs come from the associated power surge that damages the sensitive equipment utilized in the process, and of course the taking of the systems offline. As surge protection equipment improves, there will be less damage to the components of these systems which will ultimately drive down costs of production. In the same regard, we find that keeping these systems online for longer periods of time can produce larger volumes of electricity to satisfy the growing populations. This can actually be done without increasing prices because in part the fuel sources that turn the turbines has no cost associated (ie: sun and wind). By simply keeping the systems online and functioning for longer periods of time the amount of power that is generated will be increased, and the costs associated with the production will be decreased.

Surge Protection Devices

“Surge protection devices” are also referred to as SPDs, and are essentially equipment that is used for the specific purpose of limiting the amount of electricity that can pass through them and on to downstream components.  They can be easily compared to a dam, where they are installed along the flow routes of electricity instead of water.  They are designed to allow a specific amount of electricity to pass through them which is in line with the tolerances of the equipment placed after them along that flow route.  If the electrical flow surges past a specific point, the surge protection device performs its duty.  It cuts off any excess electricity that is over and above that specific tolerance.  The methods that can be employed to achieve this goal are varied, consisting of either drawing down the flow, completely cutting off the flow, or diverting the excess electricity to another place.  While each surge protection device functions differently, and are designed for different applications, they all perform the same task of protecting equipment that can be damaged by excess electric flow.

The main differences between industrial surge protection devices and residential surge protection devices is the level to which they are constructed and the technology that drives their function.  Basically, industrial surge protection devices need to be built to more exact standards and from more robust materials due to the fact that they are utilized in harsher environments to protect more expensive equipment.  Within a residential space, the equipment that is being protected is probably limited to televisions, computers and various other devices that cost only a few thousand dollars.  Within an industrial environment, the components that are being utilized can easily cost tens of millions of dollars, and be providing services that people depend on daily.  If the business is simply manufacturing a product, offline time and equipment repair may only have a negative impact on the bottom line.  If the business is service oriented, and has customers that rely on that service, the impact of outages and equipment repair can significantly decrease the quality of life of those who utilize the services.  Thus, with regard to industrial businesses, the stakes when it comes to surge protection are far higher.

Technologically advanced surge protection equipment from companies like Raycap provides a level of protection that is unmatched.  These devices are relied upon to not only protect equipment owned by the world’s largest companies, but also to keep the services that we all use on a daily basis up and running.  Protecting everything from the ability to make a call on a  cell phone, to the ability to turn on the lights in your house, Raycap products keep these residential and industrial applications not only functioning, but profitable. Raycap is continually striving to create better products that will provide even higher level of accuracy and technological advancement.  Their products are already the gold standard in surge protection, and they will continue to provide the most cutting edge solutions available.

Lightning Protection For Wind Turbines

Climate change as well as challenging environments across the globe have created a growing interest in the exploration of green energy production.  As populations rise in established areas and expand into previously under populated spaces, the need for alternative methods of creating power grow increasingly important.  When combined with the understanding that even small amounts of pollution are not beneficial to our environment, we see that the debate between power production methodologies becomes one that is almost entirely economic.  The choices that are made by countries or localized governments that have to do with the methods of power production for their citizens, are influenced not only by the technology and ability to produce a stable stream of energy, but also by the expenses involved in the production itself and the ability of powerful lobbyists to influence governing officials.  Fossil fuels are able to be utilized to produce power effectively however they are always going to produce a certain amount of damage to the environment, and are going to also have certain costs associated with their mining, refinement, transport and purchase.  Green energy technologies use free sources of power to generate the same electrical product as fossil fuels.  The expenses involved in green energy technologies are seen in the care and maintenance of the systems as well as the equipment procurement, repair and storage systems involved in the process.  One of the most obvious examples of the challenges that increase these costs is wind power production.

The typical wind tower is usually the tallest structure within an area, so as to remain unobstructed.  That same tower is generally made of a large amount of metal.  This ultimately makes the tower itself a target for lightning strikes.  Lightning will usually hit the blades or nacelle, which are made of composite materials that do not have the ability to effectively withstand a direct lightning strike.  The additional damage that is seen after a lightning strike involves the power surge that travels through the associated tower and overwhelms computerized equipment that is held within it.  This surge also has the ability to travel throughout the entire wind farm, moving through electrical components interconnected by cabling.  Once the tower has been struck, surge protection devices that are mounted throughout it do their jobs and divert the surge to ground, rendering them inoperable to protect against another such surge until replaced. If lightning strikes again before these components are replaced the tower is at risk of surge damage and can even become inoperable.  The difficulties in replacing surge protection components within structures like this, combined with the losses associated with offline power production statuses during times when the free wind fuel source is available, creates a situation where power production using this method can be more expensive than using simple fossil fuels to accomplish the same goal.  Luckily, the integration of more technologically advanced surge protection devices can potentially solve these issues.  These new devices have the ability to remain functional even after a surge incident, ultimately resulting in fewer repair calls and more uptime.  As we see larger scale rollouts of wind farms using the more advanced surge protection systems, we are seeing that the prices of green energy can be brought until it is in line with fossil fuels.  This represents the ability to transition over to cleaner and less costly production methods, and also illustrates a brighter future.

Surge Protection Is A Mainstay Of Industrial Businesses

Industrial businesses will generally have a few physical characteristics that are consistent across a variety of business types. Physical aspects of an industrial business will involve remote locations, tall structures and high tech equipment connected to both data transfer lines as well as high voltage lines. While all of these things are necessary to ongoing production, they also serve as a weakness that many people are unaware of.  That weakness involves lightning strikes and power surges, and it also represents one of the biggest causes of losses that businesses suffer. Industrial installations are predominately located in areas that cause a certain level of exposure, and place sensitive equipment at risk of damage due to the unprotected status. Steps can be taken to enclose and shield the equipment itself, but lightning striking a structure is generally powerful enough to destroy any shielding. The surge that follows the strike will also be far greater than any equipment can handle, and there will be circuitry damage that follows. This will not be isolated to the equipment that is actually inside of the structure, as the surge has the ability to travel along any cable or connector that will join two components together, effectively traveling between them and doing damage to both. It can also move on to subsequent components from that point as well, damaging anything that is connected together.

The defense against this type of damage comes in the form of surge protective devices which are fitted along cables and lines, or at critical junction points. Through a system of redundant surge protection devices installed at appropriate positions, industrial installations can enjoy a certain level of protection against the inevitable lightning strike. These devices act as a stop gap, preventing the flow of electricity past the point where they are installed. Different surge protective devices function in different ways, some diverting the electrical overload to a ground and some simply creating a gap that cannot be crossed by the flow of electricity that is over a certain level. At the current time there is also new technology that goes beyond the simple gapping system that has been used for decades, allowing for a "always on" feature.  This ability to not be placed into a "tripped" status protects equipment from the rare but possible second strike to the same structure, which would have been unprotected against using a traditional surge protective device. These new devices are more robust and allow for faster restoration times as well as keeping systems constantly protected.

Surge protection devices are responsible for minimizing the damage that is expected during ongoing business activities, the damage that is built into business plans to be covered by prices charged for products. As better technology reduces the expected expenses, consumer prices are allowed to drop while profit margins remain intact. Surge protection is an integral part of most people's lives, even if they are unaware of it.

This article was created using research from

https://www.raycap.com/surge-protection/

Surge Protection Lowers Alternative Energy Prices

Make no mistake about it, the debate over alternative energy is about money and not about climate change. The fossil fuel industry supports energy production methods that utilize their products to produce power, and they are threatened by any production method that does not. For this reason, a negative ad campaign has been going on for many years in an attempt to suppress the evolution of technology that could improve the alternative power production industry. These include muddying the waters with discussions about the actual damage caused by burning fossil fuels in an attempt to justify it through lower costs. The industry creates a debate about the amount of damage that is acceptable in order to pay a lower price. This argument will be rendered meaningless if the prices of alternative energy production can be driven down past fossil fuels, so attempts are made to reduce the funding of technology that can result in this happening. Ultimately the fossil fuel industry will lose this battle, due to the fact that areas of technological advancement that are outside of the actual industry are helping to drive prices down.

The surge protection technology market is helping to dramatically reduce the costs of alternative energy production. This is being accomplished through the evolution of more technologically advanced surge protection devices that can not only provide better protection but also remain active during and after a surge incident. The costs of alternative energy production are found primarily in the repair and replacement of equipment used in the process, due to the fact that the fuel is free. Because of the exposed nature of solar panels and wind towers, they are targets for lightning strikes, which produce damage at the strike point as well as surge related damage to attached components. While there is little more that can be done to reduce the actual instances of lightning strike and the damage to the strike points themselves, large amounts of cost can be saved through the reduction of downstream damage to components as a result of the subsequent power surge. Lightning strikes produce a massive surge that travels along cables and lines, overwhelming sensitive equipment that is attached both inside and outside the structure. This chain-effect can result in the damage to equipment large distances away from the point of strike, and increase the damage costs as as result. Through the integration of more robust and technologically advanced surge protection devices within these systems and along cables, the damage downstream can be minimized resulting in greater efficiency and savings through extension of equipment life. Through the integration of technologically advanced surge protection devices that are "always on" and do not require resetting, systems of energy production can remain online for longer time frames during production times when there is wind and sun available, resulting in energy surpluses that previously were impossible. All of these advancements will eventually result in alternative energy being both cleaner and cheaper, and public support will always go to the cheaper product.

Public support for alternative energy production methods is increasing every year, and eventually they will be the standard and not the alternative. Surge protection technology is pushing this forward even if the fossil fuel industry is attempting to stand in the way.

Portions of this article were researched using information found on

https://www.raycap.com/surge-protection/