Designing a Lightning Protection System

Electrical Installations II- EE 4033

H.N.T. Wijesekara
120716-U
Dept. of Electrical Engineering
Introduction
Lightning strikes can cause; damages to living beings and structures, physical damages,
damages to electrical/electronic systems. Lightning Protection Systems (LPS) are used to
increase and ensure the safety vulnerable parties to lightning.
A properly designed lightning protection system should be able to;

Intercept lightning flash by creating a preferred point of strike.

Conduct the lightning energy to the ground.
Dissipate lightning energy to ground.
Create an equipotential bond to prevent hazardous potential differences between LPS,
structures and internal electric/electronic systems within the structure.

Above mentioned objectives are achieved by using an air termination system, down
conductor system and earth termination system which are designed according to the IEC
standards. To intercept the lightning flashes, air terminations should be placed appropriately.
Positioning of the air termination system is done using;

Rolling sphere method

Protective angle method
Mesh method

In this document, I have designed an Air Termination System with Lightning Protection
Level 1 for the Old TLM Building which is situated near the Library.
Detailed drawings of the buildings are given in the next page.

2m

14 m

Front View

10 m

8m

4m

8m
6m

2m

6m

Top View
10 m

Rear Vie w

Side View 2

Side View 1

Rolling sphere method is a one of the methods used to identify the vulnerable areas of a
building to a lightning strike. Here, a sphere with a suitable radius is rolled over the building
which needs to be protected against the lightning. The areas where the sphere touches the
building is vulnerable to a lightning strike. Then vulnerable areas are protected using suitable
air termination systems.
The radius of the sphere is selected by the lightning protection level. In this case it is 20 m for
Class 1 protection. A graphical representation of these method is shown in the next pages.

19.0788 m

20 m

Front
View

Side

View 1

R19.0788

Top
View

Side
View 2

Using the rolling sphere method, I was able to identify the vulnerable areas of the structure to
a lightning strike and the Lightning Protection Zones (LPZ). In the below given figures I have
identified the LPZ OA, LPZ OB zones. Here LPZ OA zone represents the area vulnerable to a
direct strike and LPZ OB zone represents the area where there is lesser/no risk of having a
direct strike. Normally outside of a building falls to either one of those zones. In the below
given figures the coloured are shows the LPZ OB.

Front
View

Top
View

Top
View

According to the rolling sphere method

all the side walls are protected from a direct lightning strike. Areas which are vulnerable to a
direct strike and need protection is shown in the below given figure.

In order to protect the building, I suggest using 3 air rods of height 2 m and conductors along
the roof edges as shown in the below given figure.

Air rods

Conductors

Below given is the rolling sphere evaluation after setting up the air termination system. It is
clearly visible that the total building is now protected from lightning.

Side View 2

Side View 1