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Lightning Prevention SystemLightning Principles
For understanding how dissipation works, we need to know the basic of what causes a lightning strike. Lightning is an electrical discharge at an enormous voltage which is equalizing the difference of electrical potential created by a thunderstorm, whether it is between two clouds, two different areas in the same cloud, or between the cloud and the ground. A point discharge system works by reducing that difference of potential.
While scientists still have much to learn about thunderstorms and how they work, it is generally accepted knowledge that the electrical charges in the thunderstorms are transferred that the movement of hydrometeors, water particles in various sizes and physical states within the cloud. These hydrometeors create an electrical charge buildup within the cloud. As we know from basic electrical theory, an electrical charge buildup that is stationary is called static electricity or electrostatics.
Electrostatics, defined as the study of interactions between stationary charges, is in its simplest definition a model of a thunderstorm buildup and a lightning strike. As we said earlier, lightning is nothing more than the electrical discharge between two opposite static charges. If we have an electrical charge in the cloud and an opposite charge on the ground, they are going to be attracted to each other. Once this charge builds up enough to overcome the dielectric of the atmosphere between the two opposite charges, it will arc, and the result is lightning.
Point Discharge Theory
This principle states that a sharp point will bleed off or ionize a static electrical charge into the atmosphere. PCLPS point discharge products are designed to reduce the static ground charge buildup.
This is the same reason that lightning rods have a sharp point on them. The sharp point will dissipate or bleed off some of the static ground charge, but once it becomes saturated with charge to the level that it can no longer keep up with the charge buildup, it then acts as a connection point for the lightning strike and carries the lightning energy to ground.
All objects on the earth dissipate or ionize the building ground charge below a thunderstorm naturally. A properly designed dissipation system should enhance this natural dissipation. A point discharge system should dissipate enough of the ground charge to prevent any part of the structure or facility from generating a streamer capable of attracting a lightning strike.
Point Discharge Terminals
Petunia Co. offers complete line of lightning Dissipation Terminals that utilize the point Discharge Principle to mitigate direct lightning strikes. PCLPS products are designed to protect anything from the tallest broadcast towers to the smallest remote scada system, and almost any type of structure or facility in between.
PCLPS Terminals are the latest design in dissipation products. PCLPS Terminals help to prevent direct lightning strikes by dissipating the static electrical charge into the atmosphere through the process of ionization. This ionization process will reduce the formation of streamers, which complete the path of the lightning strike, thereby reducing the likelihood of attracting a direct lightning strike to your structure.
As a storm cloud builds and travels overhead, it will concentrate an electrical charge on the earth, that is opposite in charge to the lower portion of the cloud itself. As this charge builds, it will accumulate at the top of the structure until enough charge exists to from a streamer, which attracts and completes the lightning strike. With the installation of PCLPS Point Discharge terminals, the small electrodes will break down into corona and ionize this charge into the atmosphere at a relatively low potential, making it less likely to form a streamer. Since the object on the ground that produces the best streamer is the one most likely to be struck, the PCLPS Terminals, and the structure on which they are installed, are much less likely to sustain a direct lightning strikes.
Many of our PCLPS Dissipation Terminals are designed to be included in a UL 96A Master Label lightning protection system. We offer a standard Vertical Dissipation Terminal ( DT-100) that is used for most general building applications.
We also offer Horizontal Dissipation Terminal ( DT-200 ). For structures or equipment which has a high susceptibility to lightning strikes, we offer our DT-400 Series that has four times the protection of our standards vertical dissipation terminals.
Petunia also provides a complete line of PCLPS Point Discharge Terminals designed specifically for broadcast and communications tower (DT-500 &DT-510), high mast lightning and other high-risk structures.
Whatever your requirements, we have a product to fit the application. And for those special applications, we have the capabilities to design and provide a custom system to fit your needs.
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DT-50L ,DT-50T , DT-50AD
Small Object Protection
Satellite Dishes. Communication Antennas, Remote Scada Systems, Microwave Dishes. |
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DT-100
Standard Risk Protection
Office Buildings, Shelters, Industrial Facilities, Homes, Warehouses |
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DT-120
Medium Risk Protection
Protection for Side Mounted Tower Equipment such as Antennae’s, Dishes and Sensors |
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DT-200
Standard Risk Protection
Commercial and Industrial Applications where Fall Protection is required |
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DT-400
Medium Risk Protection
Monopoles, High Mast Lightning, Externally Mounted Cameras |
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DT-500 Vertically Mounted
High Risk Protection
Monopoles, High Mast Lightning, Externally Mounted Cameras |
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DT-510 Horizontally Mounted
High Risk Protection
Communications Towers, Bridges, Petro-Chemical Storage Facilities, Stacks |
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