A Lightning Protection System (LPS), when used as part of a total lightning and surge protection assembly, plays a vital role in protecting equipment, structures, and even buildings against direct lightning strikes.
Many electric power facilities are knocked off-line each year due to lightning. Do you know that not only are there primary effects of a lightning strike (like fire) but secondary effects, such as transient surges and overvoltage, as well? Each time a bolt hits, the electrical current is carried through to the ground, and the ground potential rise (GPR) and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) can be coupled or transferred through the wires and into the equipment and sensitive electronics of the facility. If not immediately destroyed, degradation occurs every time this happens, and that item's life is shortened. This can be highly costly to electric power-providing companies and their customers. Therefore it is essential to have lightning protection and to create a complete and comprehensive solution that combines lightning protection with grounding engineering and appropriate surge solutions.
Lightning protection systems protect a building from structural damage, physical harm of individuals inside, and destruction of the electrical and electronic infrastructure.
Whether it is a nuclear power facility such as Browns Ferry or substations, much like those operated at EPB, or a cooperative, such as Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, the usual protection, like lightning rods and overhead grounding/shield wires, do not do the job, they need assurances and have found that a customized approach, tailored to meet their unique set of circumstances, is more preferable than the standard approach – and have opted to implement a solution based on charge transfer technology.
The Dissipation Array System (DAS) uses a different, innovative method of operation. DAS uses “charge transfer” technology, which prevents lightning termination within the area of desired protection altogether. The technology is so effective the DAS has over a 99% success rate and is the only lightning protection product to offer a full no-strike warranty. We at Lightning Eliminators have provided critical solutions for numerous electric power facilities over the past 50-plus years.