Course Lightning-1: Introduction to Lightning Protection System Design

Course Description:

This course is intended to prepare the targeted persons with the following:

• Knowing Lightning and Surge protection terminology, Abbreviations, Signs and Symbols,
• Knowing what is lightning and types of Lightning Flashes,
• Knowing what is the Lightning Protection Systems LPS, types and components,
• Knowing The Correct Choice Of Lightning Protection system Components,
• Knowing Installation Requirements of Lightning Protection system Components.

The targeted Persons:

Design engineers, New graduate engineers, under graduate engineering students.



Skills Development:

On completion of this course the target person will be able to:

• Select the right type of LPS for a case under design.
• Select the right components of any LPS.
• Test and inspect any LPS system.
• Install any LPS in a proper way.

Course outline:

1					Introduction to Lightning System Design
	A				Lightning and Surge protection terminology
	B				Lightning and Surge protection Abbreviations
	C				Lightning and Surge protection Sign and Symbols
2	A				What is Lightning?
	B				Types of Lightning Flashes
		1			Lightning Discharges
			a		The Downward flashes (cloud-to-earth flash)
				1	Negative lightning discharges
				2	Positive lightning discharges
			b		Upward flashes (earth-to-cloud flashes)
		2			Lightning Strokes
	C				What is the shape of The Lightning Waveform?
	D				How Lightning strikes can affect the electrical and/or electronic systems of a building?
	E				What are the main effects of Lightning?
3	A				What is the Lightning Protection Systems LPS?
	B				Why Using the Lightning Protection Systems LPS?
	C				Popular Risks Definitions
		1			Side flash
		2			Step potential
		3			Touch potential
	D				What is The Effective Lightning Protection System?
4					Types of Lightning Protection Systems LPS
	A				First: LPS for Protection for buildings and installations against direct strike by lightning
		1			Notes on different Types of Lightning Protection Systems LPS
	B				Conventional lightning protection system
		1			Franklin Rod LPS
		2			Franklin/Faraday Cage LPS
	C				The Correct Choice Of Lightning Protection Components (LPC)
5					Conventional Lightning Protection System LPS Components
	A				The External Lightning Protection System
		1			Functions of External Lightning Protection System
		2			Components of External Lightning Protection System
			a		Strike Termination Subsystem
				1	Non-Isolated System:
				2	Isolated System:
			b		Forms of Strike Termination Subsystem
				1	Vertical Air Terminals
				2	Horizontal air termination network:
					A- Meshed conductor network:
					B- Overhead wires (Catenary wires):
				3	Combination of Vertical Air Terminals and Horizontal air termination network
				4	Natural Air Terminals
6					Conductor Subsystem
	A				Function of Conductor Subsystems
	B				Effects of Lightning Strikes on Conductor Subsystems
	C				Conductor Subsystem Material Requirements
		1			Comparison between Copper and Aluminum as a Lightning Conductor Material
		2			Use of Dissimilar Metals in the Same Lightning Conductor Subsystem
		3			Lightning Conductor Geometry
	D				Types of the Conductors in Conductor Subsystems
		1			The Air-Termination Conductors (The Main Conductors)
		2			Down Conductors (The Extension Conductors)
			a		Down-Conductors for a Non-Isolated Lightning Protection System
				1	Temperature Rise Criteria:
					A- Requirements of Down Conductor Installation In Non-Isolated Lighting Protection System
					B- Down conductors of an isolated external lightning protection system
	E				Installation Requirements For Down Conductors
		1			General Consideration For Down Conductors Installation
		2			Down Conductor Routing
		3			Fixing Of Down Conductors
		4			Measuring Points (Test Joints)
	F				Natural Components Used as Down Conductors
		1			Metal Installations
		2			Facade Elements, Mounting Channels And The Metal Substructures Of Facades
		3			Metal Downpipes
		4			Use of Rebar in Reinforced Concrete
		5			Use of Rebar in Precast Concrete
		6			Use of Rebar in Prestressed Concrete
7					Earthing Termination Systems
	A				Grounding Electrode Subsystem (Earth Termination System)
	B				Grounding System – General Overview
	C				Resistance value for Grounding Electrode Subsystem
	D				Grounding Electrode Subsystem Types
		1			Type A arrangement
			a		Calculating the minimum total length of electrode at each down-conductor for Type A arrangement
			b		Type A Arrangement For Sites With Extreme Weather Conditions
		2			Type B arrangement
			a		Calculating the minimum length of the ring earth electrode for Type B arrangement
		3			Comparison of Type A and Type B arrangements
		4			Type C arrangement
			a		Type C arrangement: Foundation earth electrodes
		5			Earth Termination System Testing
8					Internal Lightning Protection System
	A				The Internal Lightning Protection System
	B				Function of Internal Lightning Protection System
	C				How Internal Lightning Protection System prevent hazardous sparking inside the building or structure?
	D				Components Of The Internal Lightning Protection System
9					Equipotential Bonding Subsystem
	A				Equipotential Bonding Subsystem
	B				Parts Of Equipotential Bonding Subsystem
		1			Main Equipotential Bonding
		2			Supplementary equipotential bonding
		3			The Difference Between Main And Supplementary Equipotential Bonding
	C				Considerations For Different Cases Of Main Equipotential Bonding In Any Installation
		1			Lightning Equipotential Bonding For External LPS And External Conductive Parts
		2			Lightning Equipotential Bonding Of External Services
		3			Lightning Equipotential Bonding For Internal Systems
		4			Lightning Equipotential Bonding Of Roof Top Fixtures
	D				Equipotential Bonding Conductors
	E				Equipotential Bonding Bars
	F				Connection Components
	G				Separation (Isolation) Distance Requirements
	H				Test And Inspection Of The Equipotential Bonding Subsystem
10					General Overview of Surge Protection Subsystem
	A				Importance of Surge Protective Devices SPDs
	B				Working Principle for Surge Protective Devices SPDs
	C				Selection and Installation Of Surge Protective Devices SPDs
11					Non-Conventional Lightning Protection System
	A				Components of Non-Conventional Lightning Protection System
	B				General Information About Non-Conventional Lightning Protection System
	C				Active Attraction LPS
		1			Improved Single Mast System (Blunt Ended Rods)
		2			The Early Streamer Emission Air Terminals
			a		Claimed Advantages Of ESE Over Conventional Air Terminal According To The Proponents Of ESE And Arguments Against These Claimed Advantages
			b		How ESE Proponents Support The Efficacy Of The ESE Technique? And What Is The Argument Against This Support?
			c		Summary For Comparison Between ESE And Conventional Techniques
			d		Types of Early Streamer Emission ESE Air Terminals
				1	Radioactive Air Terminals
				2	Pulsed Voltage ESE Air Terminals Type
				3	Sparking-Controlled Leader Trigger (CLT) ESE Air Terminals Type
12					Active Prevention/Elimination LPS
	A				Introduction
	B				Differences in Lightning Protection Technologies
	C				Notes on different Types of Lightning Protection Systems LPS
	D				Principle of Operation for Active Prevention/Elimination LPS
	E				Types Of Lightning Elimination/Prevention Systems
		1			Dissipation Array System (DAS)
		2			Charge Transfer System (CTS)
13					Components and Configurations of The Dissipation Array System
	A				The Dissipation Array (Dissipation Ionizer or the Charge Transfer Mechanism)
	B				Different Configurations of Dissipation Ionizer
		1			Spline Ball Diverter System (SBDS)
			a		The Spline Ball Ionizer (SBI) Module
			b		The Spline Ball Terminal (SBT) Module
	C				The Ground Charge Collector (GCC)
	D				The Charge Conductor (CC) (Labeled “Service Wires”)
	E				Transient Voltage Surge Suppression (TVSS)
	F				Special Lightning Elimination Air Terminals : Ion Plasma Generator (IPG)
	G				Protected Area Considerations in Dissipation Array Systems
	H				DAS Selection Criteria
	I				SBI and SBT Application Criteria
		1			Using the SBI and SBT in Standards-Based Systems:
		2			Location and Spacing Criteria
14					Examples for Typical Designs of Dissipation Array Systems (DAS)
	A				DAS for A Basic Building Block
	B				DAS for A Typical Electrical Overhead Distribution Line
	C				DAS for Towers, Poles and Stacks with a Hemispherical Dissipation Array
	D				Tall Towers, Buildings, Tanks and Other Structures
	E				Structures Having a Circular or a Polygonal Outline like Tanks
15					Examples for Typical Designs of The Spline Ball Ionizer (SBI)
	A				The Spline Ball Ionizer (33)
	B				Spline Ball Terminal (SBT) (80)
16					The Claimed Advantages for Dissipation Array System (DAS) And Arguments against Them