Lightning Strike on a Wind Power Plant Captured on Camera
3 March 2018SELECTION AND DESIGN OF LOW VOLTAGE SURGE ARRESTERS
3 March 2018As Yılkomer, we strive to explain the negative effects of lightning impulses at every opportunity, but as a result of lightning strikes that occurred across our country in the last 3 months, many facilities have suffered serious damage. Many facilities such as wind turbines, solar power plants, gas stations, and factories, examples of which we can multiply, have unfortunately been damaged as a result of lightning impulses.
The lightning strike that fell on a gas station in Antalya was of a lesson nature. The lightning impulse, which makes us question the current regulations and protection measures in our country, fell right next to the lightning rod while a vehicle was refueling; both the station and the vehicle burned seriously, and many electrical systems in the facility and its surroundings were damaged. As a result, the facility has been out of order for 1 month, and no one can guarantee that the same situation will not happen again when it is renewed;
You can see the damage caused to the facility from the relevant photos;
The existing lightning rod in the relevant facility did not catch the lightning because, in fact, a scenario occurred highlighting the necessity for us to take additional measures according to the rolling sphere method in empty areas, considering that lightning rods also work according to a protection angle method. In addition, there were no protection measures in electrical systems. Telecom lines, power lines, and automation lines were exposed. Therefore, the importance of implementing a cascaded protection LV surge arrester system within the scope of IEC 62305 standards emerged. Especially the impulse coming from the telecom line caused serious damage to the facility.
In conclusion, we need to provide the 4-way protection foreseen by the IEC 62305 Standard throughout the facility. Relying only on the lightning rod system and leaving electrical lines exposed, not using Passive systems as a protection measure, performing uninsulated down conductions, and not paying attention to the concept of equipotential lead to many negative consequences;
It is extremely important to take our facility under protection as a precaution in the first place to prevent such negative situations from happening.
You can have your facility taken under protection by Yılkomer Engineers by having a lightning protection risk analysis done within the scope of the IEC 62305 Standard.
