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Ground Equipment Needs Most Protection |
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Since lightning tends to strike the highest
local point, special care must be taken to protect tall structures from
direct strikes. These structures are often power lines, microwave relay
towers used in telephone communication, or buildings filled with sensitive
electrical equipment. Without protection, a lightning strike can cause
power line surges and arcing, electrical fires and electrical or
structural damage.
The National Fire Code standards for lightning protection (NFPA-780) for structures call for a pathway, or conductor, that will safely redirect a lightning bolt’s electrical energy to the ground. Additional protection is provided by circuit breakers, fuses and electrical surge arrestors. Sometimes even this equipment is not sufficient to prevent damage. Studies, including results from the RTLP, have shown that lightning strikes result in rapid current surges (reaching an initial peak within a millionth of a second) with such high peak current (over 100,000 amperes) that conventional protection methods are unable to save complex electronic systems from damage. Utilities and high-technology industries, among others, are investigating ways to better protect vital electrical equipment. |
Page Last Revised |
Page & Curator Information |
08/21/2001 |
Curator:
Kay Grinter (kay.grinter-1@ksc.nasa.gov) /
InDyne, Inc. |
