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ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
 PROTECTION AGAINST
LIGHTNING

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
 References

BS-EN 62305-1:2011: General principles

BS-EN 62305-2:2006: Risk management
BS-EN 62305-3:2011: Physical damage to structures and life hazard
BS-EN 62305-4:2011: Electrical and electronic systems within structures

FURSE- A Guide to BS EN 62305:2006 Protection Against Lightning.

SIEMENS- SURGE PROTECTION.

SCHNEIDER- ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION GUIDE 2011

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
 Characterization of the
Lightning Wave
➢ Surges
The definition for a surge varies, but, in general, it is an increase of
at least ten percent in current and voltage that typically lasts only a
few microseconds. Although the duration of a surge is very short,
the amount of electrical energy associated with a surge can be
significant because, during a surge, voltage can rise to as much as
few thousand volts.

The over voltages created by

lightning strokes are characterized
by a 1.2/50 μs voltage wave
 Transient Overvoltages
➢ Surges.
▪ Structural lightning protection conforming to BS 6651 is designed to
protect the building against lightning damage. It is not intended to,
and will not, protect electronic equipment against the secondary
effects of lightning. By „electronic equipment‟ we mean any piece of
equipment that incorporates sensitive electronic components:
computers, telecommunication equipment, PBX, control and
instrumentation systems, programmable logic controllers.
▪ Large surges, such as those caused by lighting, can result in
immediate, catastrophic failure of electronic equipment. However,
even smaller surges occurring repetitively can, over time, degrade
and eventually damage electronic equipment.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
 Transient Overvoltages
➢ Surges
 Sources of Damage to
a Structure
➢ Lightning affecting a structure can cause damage to the
structure itself and to its occupants and contents, including
failure of internal systems. The damages and failures may also
extend to the surroundings of the structure.
➢ The Lightning current is a source of the damage.
➢ The following situations shall be taken into account, depending
on the position of the point of strike relative to the structure
considered:
✓ S1: Flashes to the structure.
✓ S2: Flashes near the structure.
✓ S3: Flashes to the lines connected to the structure.
✓ S4: Flashes near the lines connected to the structure.
➢ S1: Flashes to the structure
 ➢ S1: Flashes to the structure can cause :

• Immediate mechanical damage, fire and/or explosion due to the

hot lightning plasma arc itself.

• Fire and/or explosion triggered by sparks caused by over

voltages resulting from resistive and inductive coupling and to
passage of part of the lightning currents.

• Injury to living beings by electric shock due to step and touch

voltages.

• Failure or malfunction of internal systems.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
➢ S2: Flashes near the structure
 ➢ S2: Flashes near the structure can cause :

• Failure or malfunction of internal systems.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
➢ S3: Flashes to the lines connected to the structure

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
➢ S3: Flashes to the lines connected to the structure can
cause:

• Injury to living beings by electric shock due to touch voltages inside the
structure caused by lightning currents transmitted through the
connected line.

• Failure or malfunction of internal systems due to over voltages

appearing on connected lines and transmitted to the structure.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
➢ S4: Flashes near the lines connected to the structure
➢ S4: Flashes Near the lines connected to the structure can
cause :

• Failure or malfunction of internal systems due to over voltages

induced on lines and transmitted to the structure.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
If the structure is subjected to any one of the previous sources of
damage illustrated the lightning can cause three basic type of
damage:

✓ D1: injury to living beings by electric shock.

✓ D2: physical damage (fire, explosion, mechanical destruction,

chemical release) due to lightning current effects, including
sparking.

✓ D3: failure of internal systems.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
The following types of loss, which may appear as consequence
of damages relevant to structure, are considered:

✓ L1: loss of human life (includingpermanent Injury).

✓ L2: loss of service to the public.

✓ L3: loss of cultural heritage.

✓ L4: loss of economic value.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
 Lightning Protection Level
(LPL)
❖ Four lightning protection levels (I to IV) are introduced. For each
LPL, a set of maximum and minimum lightning current parameters
is fixed , Lightning current for each LPL based on 10/350μs
waveform.
 Lightning Protection system
(LPS)
How To Design a Lightning Protection System?

Risk Assessment
Calculation Class of LPS

External Lightning Air Termination System

Protection Down Conductor System
(Structure) Earth Termination System

Internal Lightning
Protection SPDs
(Equipment)
 Risk Assessment
Calculation
Risk and Risk Components:
The risk R is the value of a probable average annual loss. For each
type of loss which may appear in a structure or in a service, the
relevant risk shall be evaluated.
The risks to be evaluated in a structure may be as follows:
✓ R1: risk of loss of human life.
✓ R2: risk of loss of service to the public.
✓ R3: risk of loss of cultural heritage.
✓ R4: risk of loss of economic value.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
 Risk Assessment
Calculation
Risk and Risk Components:
Each risk, R, is the sum of its risk components. When calculating a
risk, the risk components may be grouped according to the source of
damage and the type of damage.
 Risk Assessment
Calculation
Risk and Risk Components:
R1 = RA + RB + RC+ RM+ RU + RV + RW+ RZ
R2 = RB + RC+ RM+ RV + RW+ RZ
R3 = R B + RV
R4 = RA + RB + RC+ RM+ RU + RV + RW+ RZ

And for Typical values of tolerable risk RT

It should be noted that there is no tolerable risk for R4 the loss of

economic value.
 Risk Assessment
Calculation
Calculations Consideration
Parameters:
1- Characteristics of the structure and its environment.
(e.g. structure dimensions, location, LPS installation, soil resistivity,
lightning flash density)

2- Characteristics of incoming LV power line and connected internal

equipment.
(e.g. cable length, buried/overhead, transformer existence, SPD protection)

3- Characteristics of incoming telecom line and connected internal

equipment.
(e.g. cable length, buried/overhead, SPD protection)

4- Characteristics of the zone inside the building.

(e.g. Floor surface type, Risk of fire, Special hazard, Fire protection)
Risk Assessment
Calculation
 Risk Assessment
Calculation
Calculations Steps:

Step-5: Calculation of the risk (Rn) and compare its value with the
tolerable limits (RT).
✓ If the risk values < tolerable limit ==> external lighting protection
system not needed.
✓ If the risk values ≥ tolerable limit ==> external lighting protection
system seemed to be necessary.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
 Lightning Protection system
(LPS)
How To Design a Lightning Protection System?

External Lightning Air Termination System

Protection Down Conductor System
(Structure) Earth Termination System

Internal Lightning
Protection SPDs
(Equipment)

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
 External Lightning
Protection System
➢ Extrenal Lightning Protection System:
Part of the Lightning Protection System consisting of an air
termination system, a down conductor system and an earth
termination system. Typically these parts are outside the structure.

➢ Air Termination System:

Air-termination components installed on a structure shall be located at
corners, exposed points and edges (especially on the upper level of
any facades) in accordance with one or more of the following methods.
✓ The protection angle method
✓ The rolling sphere method
✓ The mesh method
 ➢ Air Termination System:

The values for the protection angle, rolling sphere radius and mesh size for each class
of LPS are given in the table.

✓ The rolling sphere method is suitable in all cases.

✓ The protection angle method is suitable for simple shaped buildings but it is subject
to limits of air termination height as indicated in the following slides.
✓ The mesh method is a suitable form of protection where plane surfaces are to be
protected.
 ➢ Air Termination System:

Rolling Sphere Method:

Air rods or free standing masts can be used to
keep the rolling sphere away from the structure
to be protected. If correctly dimensioned, air
rods or free standing masts will ensure that
the sphere does not come into contact with
any part of the structure‟s roof.

View on arrow B View on arrow A

 ➢ Air Termination System:

Rolling Sphere Method:

when dimensioning the air-termination system for a structure, or a structure mounted
on the roof, the sag of the rolling sphere is decisive. the penetration distance ρ of the
rolling sphere below the level of the conductors in the space between the conductors
may be calculated:

where, r : Radius of the rolling sphere

d : Distance between two air-termination rods
The height of the air-termination rods Δh should always be greater than the value of
the penetration depth p determined, and hence greater than the sag of the rolling
sphere. This additional height of the air-termination rod ensures that the rolling sphere
does not touch the structure to be protected.
 ➢ Air Termination System:
➢ Rolling Sphere Method:

Simple table for

determination of sag of
the rolling sphere over
two air-termination rods
the protective angle the
penetration distance (ρ)
 Lightning Protection Level
(LPL)
❖ The minimum values of lightning current amplitude for the different
LPL are used to derive the rolling sphere radius, that can expressed
by r = 10 × I 0.65
Where: r = radius of rolling sphere (m)
I = minimum peak current (kA)

Radius of rolling sphere for each LPL

 ➢ Air Termination System:
Protective angle Method:
The protective angle method is a mathematical simplification of the rolling sphere
method

Key
1 air-termination rod
2 protected structure
3 assumed reference plane
α protection angle
 Protective angle Method: 61

The volume protected by a vertical rod is assumed to have the shape of a right circular
cone with the vertex placed on the air-termination axis

Key
A tip of an air-termination rod
B reference plane
OC radius of protected area
h1 height of an air-termination rod above the
reference plane of the area to be protected
α protection angle
Protection angle vs air rod height corresponding to the
class of LPS
Simple determination of the protective angle
 ➢ Air Termination System:

Mesh Method:

This is the method that is most commonly used in. Again, four different air termination
mesh sizes are defined and correspond to the relevant Class of LPS.

This method is suitable where plain surfaces require protection if the following
conditions are met:
✓ Air termination conductors must be positioned at roof edges, on roof
overhangs and on the ridges of roofs.
✓ No metal installation protrudes above the air termination system.
 Mesh Method:

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
➢ Conductors for structural lightning protection systems
The following sizes are suitable for the majority of lightning protection systems:
Flat tape conductor:
25 x 3 mm bare tape, or 25 x 3 mm PVC covered tape
Solid circular conductor
8 mm diameter bare or PVC covered solid circular conductor
Stranded conductor
70 mm2 bare or PVC covered stranded conductor

PVC covered LSOH covered

Bare copper tape Tinned copper tape
copper tape copper tape
 ➢ Down Conductors System:

In order to reduce the probability of damage due to lightning current flowing in the LPS,
the down-conductors shall be arranged in such a way that from the point of strike to
earth:
a) several parallel current paths exist;
b) the length of the current paths is kept to a minimum.

Typical values of the preferred distance between down-conductors are given in the
following Table:
Notes:
a) The number of down-conductors shall be not less than two and should be
distributed around the perimeter of the structure to be protected.
b) The installation of as many down-conductors as possible, at equal spacing around
the perimeter interconnected by ring conductors reduces the probability of
dangerous sparking.
c) A down-conductor should be installed at each exposed corner of the structure,
where this is possible.
d) Down-conductors, even if covered in insulating material, shall not be installed in
gutters or water spouts.
e) The down-conductors shall be installed so that, as far as practicable, they form a
direct continuation of the air-termination conductors.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT
 Surge Protection
Device (SPD)
❖ Surge Protection Device (SPD):
The function of a surge protective device (SPD) is to
provide a degree of protection for electrical equipment from the
damaging effects of electrical surges. The amount of protection
provided depends upon the ratings of the device.

The way that an SPD protects an electrical circuit is by limiting the

voltage that can be applied to the protected circuit in the event of a surge.
This requires the SPD to channel the excess surge away from the
protected circuit to ground through the SPD.

ELECTRICAL
DEPARTMENT