Minimum separation between lightning protection system and non-integrated metallic structures

In an event of direct lightning strike to a protected building which is integrated with an electrical or electronic system installed on the roof such as roof-top PV system,dangerous sparking may occur between external lightning protection system (LPS) and conductive components of the electrical syst...

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Main Author: Fallah, Seyedeh Narjes
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2014
Subjects:
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/64168/1/FK%202014%20111IR.pdf
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author Fallah, Seyedeh Narjes
author_facet Fallah, Seyedeh Narjes
author_sort Fallah, Seyedeh Narjes
collection UPM
description In an event of direct lightning strike to a protected building which is integrated with an electrical or electronic system installed on the roof such as roof-top PV system,dangerous sparking may occur between external lightning protection system (LPS) and conductive components of the electrical system. To prevent such side flashes, a minimum separation distance between the metallic components and air termination system is required. Even though, IEC62305-3 Standard provides a formula to specify the necessary separation distance, so far there is no extensive study that has been done to evaluate the suitability of the application of equation to calculate the separation distance,specifically to the safety of electrical systems integrated into the roof top of building. In this study, a new computational method has been developed for calculation of the separation distance between an LPS and metallic components on the roof. In the proposed method which is based on the theoretical background of the IEC62305-3 Standard formula, the break down behavior of the gap geometry between the LPS and metallic components for the applied voltage across the gap is analyzed. PSCAD software was used to model the LPS and the lightning strokes. Separation distance has been computed considering the voltage-time area of the induced voltage across the gap as rectangle, triangle and trapezium and the results have been compared with the one considering the voltage-time area of the real voltage wave shape. It has been observed that calculated result for separation distance considering the real voltage wave shape is lower than the results for assumed voltage wave shapes. Finally, the value of separation distance which is obtained by the proposed method has been compared to the value obtained by IEC62305-3 Standard formula. The comparison indicates almost 20% difference between the values of separation distances calculated by the proposed method and IEC62305-3 standard formula, whereas the proposed method suggests lower values for separation distance. Therefore, it has been concluded that the IEC62305-3 Standard suggested formula overestimate the values of separation distance. Furthermore, effects of two parameters of resistance and inductance of earthing system that influence the value of separation distance have been investigated. It has been observed that the inductance of the earthing system plays an important role in increasing the potential across the gap and the separation distance in case of fast front lightning current, i.e. subsequent negative stroke and first negative stroke. While, influence of the earth resistance on the value of the separation distance is not remarkable for fast front lightning currents. However, for slow front lightning current such as positive stroke, the earth resistance plays an important role in determining the separation distance.
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spelling upm.eprints-641682018-06-06T06:59:40Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/64168/ Minimum separation between lightning protection system and non-integrated metallic structures Fallah, Seyedeh Narjes In an event of direct lightning strike to a protected building which is integrated with an electrical or electronic system installed on the roof such as roof-top PV system,dangerous sparking may occur between external lightning protection system (LPS) and conductive components of the electrical system. To prevent such side flashes, a minimum separation distance between the metallic components and air termination system is required. Even though, IEC62305-3 Standard provides a formula to specify the necessary separation distance, so far there is no extensive study that has been done to evaluate the suitability of the application of equation to calculate the separation distance,specifically to the safety of electrical systems integrated into the roof top of building. In this study, a new computational method has been developed for calculation of the separation distance between an LPS and metallic components on the roof. In the proposed method which is based on the theoretical background of the IEC62305-3 Standard formula, the break down behavior of the gap geometry between the LPS and metallic components for the applied voltage across the gap is analyzed. PSCAD software was used to model the LPS and the lightning strokes. Separation distance has been computed considering the voltage-time area of the induced voltage across the gap as rectangle, triangle and trapezium and the results have been compared with the one considering the voltage-time area of the real voltage wave shape. It has been observed that calculated result for separation distance considering the real voltage wave shape is lower than the results for assumed voltage wave shapes. Finally, the value of separation distance which is obtained by the proposed method has been compared to the value obtained by IEC62305-3 Standard formula. The comparison indicates almost 20% difference between the values of separation distances calculated by the proposed method and IEC62305-3 standard formula, whereas the proposed method suggests lower values for separation distance. Therefore, it has been concluded that the IEC62305-3 Standard suggested formula overestimate the values of separation distance. Furthermore, effects of two parameters of resistance and inductance of earthing system that influence the value of separation distance have been investigated. It has been observed that the inductance of the earthing system plays an important role in increasing the potential across the gap and the separation distance in case of fast front lightning current, i.e. subsequent negative stroke and first negative stroke. While, influence of the earth resistance on the value of the separation distance is not remarkable for fast front lightning currents. However, for slow front lightning current such as positive stroke, the earth resistance plays an important role in determining the separation distance. 2014-07 Thesis NonPeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/64168/1/FK%202014%20111IR.pdf Fallah, Seyedeh Narjes (2014) Minimum separation between lightning protection system and non-integrated metallic structures. Masters thesis, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Electric power distribution - Protection Lightning protection
spellingShingle Electric power distribution - Protection
Lightning protection
Fallah, Seyedeh Narjes
Minimum separation between lightning protection system and non-integrated metallic structures
title Minimum separation between lightning protection system and non-integrated metallic structures
title_full Minimum separation between lightning protection system and non-integrated metallic structures
title_fullStr Minimum separation between lightning protection system and non-integrated metallic structures
title_full_unstemmed Minimum separation between lightning protection system and non-integrated metallic structures
title_short Minimum separation between lightning protection system and non-integrated metallic structures
title_sort minimum separation between lightning protection system and non integrated metallic structures
topic Electric power distribution - Protection
Lightning protection
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/64168/1/FK%202014%20111IR.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT fallahseyedehnarjes minimumseparationbetweenlightningprotectionsystemandnonintegratedmetallicstructures