Towers and Lightning Safety — Lesson 4

This lesson covers the principles of lightning protection, focusing on the protection of communication towers and wind turbines. It discusses the prevalence of upward lightning from tall structures, the empirical relationship between the height of an object and the percentage of upward flashes, and the potential damage caused by lightning to wind turbine blades. The lesson also explores the designs used in blade protection, the issues involved in tower protection, and the strategies to reduce the transfer of lightning energy to the local network. Lastly, it provides safety tips during a thunderstorm, presented in a cartoon format for easy understanding.

Video Highlights

00:13 - Height of tower and incidence of lighting
03:32 - Lightning protection of wind turbine blades
07:35 - Issues involved in tower protections
10:34 - How to provide good lightning protection for towers
13:26 - Follow on earth wire reduce transient in communication cable
17:26 - Lightning safety and how to stay safe during a thunderstorm
24:06 - What to do if caught in a thunderstorm while outside

Key Takeaways

- Upward lightning from tall structures like communication towers and wind turbines is becoming more prevalent.
- The height of an object significantly influences the percentage of upward flashes.
- Lightning can cause severe damage to wind turbine blades, which are expensive and difficult to replace.
- Proper lightning protection for towers involves dissipating most of the lightning current to the ground.
- Safety measures during a thunderstorm include staying indoors, avoiding electrical appliances, and staying away from tall structures.