Ressources
Videos
General documents
Catalog
Installation guide
Bureau Veritas certificate
List of references
Commercial Leaflet
ESE vs conventional system
QUALIFOUDRE certificate
Lightning protection systems
Ioniflash Mach NG range
Technical datasheet M60
Technical datasheet M15
Technical datasheet M45
UL certificate M60
Technical datasheet M30
CE certificate
Technical datasheet M25
Competitive advantages
Ioniflash Mach NG TF range
Mach TF leaflet
Technical datasheet M60 TF
Technical datasheet M30 TF
UL certificate M60 TF
I Flash Report & Ionicount
Technical datasheet I Flash Report
Technical datasheet Ionicount
CE certificate I Flash Report
CE certificate Ionicount
FAQ
France Paratonnerres answers all your questions on lightning, air terminals, lightning protection legislation, etc…
How lightning current is created? During strong contrasts in temperatures (heat waves) very particular clouds appear: cumulonimbus. In these clouds (which can rise many km), important updrafts produce many water and ice. The mixing inside these clouds produce electrical charges which gather in different locations. The positive charges being up, and negative charges being down. When the dielectric strength of the space between up and down is not sufficient anymore, an emission produces (a huge spark). The lightning is the visible representation of this emission. This is a very violent and short electrical discharge, passing through the space between cloud and ground. The lightning strikes are discharges appearing between the clouds. France is impacted each year between 1 and 2 million times by lightning, depending on the meteorological conditions. This frequency depends from a location to another. Discover our E.S.E. air terminals What is the difference between the keraunic level Nk, lightning density Ng and density of the touching points of the lightning Nsg ? The keraunic level (Nk) corresponds to the strikes number and, more precisely, the number of thunders heard in a defined area. The lightning density (Ng) is the number of lightning impacts per km² and per year. The density of the touching points of the lightning onto the ground (Nsg) is the average number of lightning strikes onto the ground per km² and per year. It is estimated that lightning strikes about 1 time out on 10 thunders heard. So Nk =10Ng Below is the French map of the density of the touching points of the lightning onto the ground (Nsg) from the NFC 17-102 (2011) standard according to the data supplied by Météorage :
Below is a world map showing the lightning density (Ng) measured by the NASA :
Where does the thunder come from? The specific sound of the thunder comes from the rise of the pressure with electrodynamic origin. This overpressure disappears when the strike is off, producing an acoustic shockwave. The acoustic strength and intensity depends on the form, the length, the intensity and shortness of the lightning strike. How can we define the areas wich can be the more sensitive of lightning? The keraunic level is the number of days per year when thunder has been heard in a defined area. The French departments have been separated in 2 categories: Keraunic level less or equal to 25, and keraunic level over 25. Is the lightning going down or up? There is 2 types of lightning strikes : Upwards and downwards, defined by the direction of the leader (initiation of the lightning, preparing the way until the lightning) The names of the cloud-to-ground lightning flashes depend on the polarity and orientation of the first leader. So, we have :
Nearby, an upward leader is generated. When they meet, the discharge occurs by electrons transfer from the cloud to the ground. These are the most common type.
As for all upward charges, it starts from a sharp of the ground (mountain, telecommunication tower,…) and spreads until a cloud area charged positively. With low distance, a downward leader is generated from a cloud. When the contact is made, the positive charges are transferred from the cloud to the ground.
This leader comes from an upward positive leader from the ground. These leaders will spread until the base of the cloud positively charged. When approaching, the discharge occurs and the electrons are transferred from the cloud to the ground.
Discover our E.S.E. Air Terminals |
FAQ – Lightning protection :
What are the devices enabling to protect from direct and indirect effects of lightning? The air terminals are dedicated to protect a building from direct impacts by moving the atmospherical discharges until the ground. The principle consists in creating one or several preferential impacts points of Lightning, with low impedance conductive elements, and then, to spread and dissipate the lightning current in the ground.
As a complement, the Surge Protector Device ensures the internal protection of the building, for the overvoltages with high amplitude damaging or destroying the installations, the electronic and electric devices. It will enable to limit the voltage by deviating it until the earth of the building.
What are the existing air terminals? Discover our range of E.S.E. Air Terminal
The Simple Rod air terminal is composed from a metallic rod with 2 to 8 m height dominating the structure to protect, and linked to 2 down conductors minimum, and 2 earthing systems. The protection radius ensured by this air terminal which is limited to 30 m more or less (Protection level IV, height = 60 m), especially dedicated to the protection of small structures or areas like towers, chimneys, tanks, water tower, antenna masts… The EN 62305-3 standard describes the installation procedure for these air terminals. 13 Simple Rods, 13 down conductors, and 13 earthing systems are necessary to ensure the protection below :
The catenary wires protection is a method closed to the meshed cage principle, because it is constituted with meshing of the conductors far from the structure to protect, to avoid any contact with lightning current. Catenary wires are located over the structure to protect, connected to down conductors and specific earthing systems. The width of the meshing and distance between the down conductors must respect the same rules as for the meshed cage. The EN 62305-3 describes the installation procedure for this method. Generally, this method is heavy and expensive, due to the complexity of the structures to protect. 26 capture points, 26 down conductors and a grounded loop earthing system are necessaries to ensure the protection of the structure here below :
The catenary wires protection is a method closed to the meshed cage principle, because it is constituted with meshing of the conductors far from the structure to protect, to avoid any contact with lightning current. Catenary wires are located over the structure to protect, connected to down conductors and specific earthing systems. The width of the meshing and distance between the down conductors must respect the same rules as for the meshed cage. The EN 62305-3 describes the installation procedure for this method. Generally, this method is heavy and expensive, due to the complexity of the structures to protect.
The ESE air terminal is a terminal which enables to generate artificially an upward leader earlier than a simple rod, with an ionization system, in order to establish a special impact on its point. The capture of the lightning strike being faster than a simple rod, this technology enables to benefit from larger protection areas, ensuring protection for large dimensions structures. The generated protection radius depends on the early streamer emission value of the air terminal (Δt in µs), its height, and the efficiency of the protection. The protection radius ensured by this type of air terminal is 120 m (Protection level IV, height = 60 m , early streamer emission time 60µs) The NFC 17-102 standard describes the installation procedure for this type of air terminal. The installation of this type of air terminal is easy and cheaper than other technologies. It can protect whole buildings with one E.S.E. air terminal. It enables the protection of a structure and its environment, the protection of opened areas and well integrate in the architecture of a structure without aesthetic alteration. 1 ESE, 2 down conductors and 2 earthing systems are necessary to ensure the protection below :
Discover our range of E.S.E. Air Terminal What is the legislation in France in lightning protection? 5 steps must be done to ensure an efficient lightning protection. In this context, the Engineering department of France Paratonnerres can follow you up during each step:
In France, the installations classified for environment called “ICPE” in France are industrial, tertiary or agricultural (production factory, water treatment plant, workshops, storage buildings, hospitals…) likely to present some risks or to generate pollution or damages for neighbourhood health, patrimony, and environment. The person in charge of a classified site must implement the lightning risk analysis (according to NFC 17-102 and EN 62305-2) for its site, if it is required in one of the sections designated in Ministerial order of July 19th 2011. Ministerial orders for public buildings (like places of worship, alimentary products storage, fertilizer plants, sorting centres, nuclear installations, covered warehouses for combustible material, pyrotechnic structures, poultring farms, hotels, restaurants and altitude shelters) also defines regulatory framework for the verification and the lightning protection installation.
What are the different existing surge arrester devices? A surge protector is an electronical protection apparatus, acting like a variable impedance, depending on the tension at its poles : In normal functioning (no lightning impact), the SPD is acting like an opened circuit for the rest of the installation.
The SPDS are classified as follow :
Discover our surge arresters Can we consider that an E.S.E. installed in a church can protect the nearest buildings, near the church? If the E.S.E. is installed on the highest point of the village, linked to 2 down conductors and 2 special earthing systems, in fact, the homes can be protected from direct impacts of lightning, in the protection area of the E.S.E. |
