The invention relates to a method for designing a lightning protection system for the exterior lightning protection of buildings and systems and to an insulated lightning arrester device related thereto. The lightning arrester of the lightning protection system is at least partly designed as an insulated electric conductor with a conductive layer or casing on the insulation, and conductive structures can be found in the respective building or the respective system, wherein the structures are potentially exposed to inductions which occur in the event of a lightning current to be arrested, and correspondingly the conductive layer on the insulated conductor together with the respective conductive structure forms a secondary loop.

A one-part or two-part air terminal for protecting a structure against lightning strikes. A flexible adapter, such as a spring, attaches an upper air terminal to a lower air terminal or a one-piece air terminal and base. The flexible adapter allows a flexible engagement between parts of the air terminal and has an internal passageway. A elongate tether couples parts of the air terminal in case the upper air terminal or one-piece air terminal breaks, so as to avoid a broken part from injuring individuals around. The elongate tether may be a ball chain or other type of chain. The elongate tether runs through the internal passageway of the flexible adapter. A base mounts to the one-part or two-part air terminal and mounts the air terminal to the structure. A grounding wire grounds the base to the grounding rod.

The lightning detection system includes a lightning ground conductor of a turbine blade, several lightning receptors connected to the lightning ground conductor, and several individual lightning detectors measuring a lightning parameter indicative of the magnitude of a lightning current. A main ground conductor lightning detector measures a magnitude of any lightning current leaving the blade through the lightning ground conductor. Each individual lightning detector includes an individual sensor element, an individual microprocessor, an individual memory storage, an individual wireless communication module, and an individual power supply including a battery and a power harvesting device. The system includes a central wireless communication module communicating directly with one or more of the individual wireless communication modules, and each individual wireless communication module communicates directly with at least one of the other individual wireless communication modules and/or the central wireless communication module.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a lightning protection system comprising a descent path. The method is characterized in that it comprises steps for: sending (E1) a radiofrequency signal to one end of the descent path, measuring (E2) a reflection coefficient, predetermining (E2) resonance frequencies of the descent path; and, comparing (E3) the predetermined resonance frequencies with preset resonance frequencies.

Power line conductors are normally shielded from direct lightning strikes by appropriately placed overhead ground wires. However, even when such overhead ground wires work as intended and intercept a strike, for a short period of time, typically a few microseconds, the shield wire is exposed to an impulse type potential rise. This could be sufficient to cause flashover of one or more line insulator strings. This is called backflash. The present invention solves this problem by providing a power transmission tower structure with an embedded ground conductor positioned in order to optimize the coupling factors to all conductors and reduce stress on all insulator strings through increased electromagnetic coupling. Use of a streamer-inhibited conductor avoids adverse effects such as radio interference and audible noise due to induced charges and improves electromagnetic coupling as a result of the reduced surge impedance of the conductor.

The present apparatus, system and method solves the problems of the prior art by enabling substantial dissipation of an electrical energy surge coming from communications antenna which has been struck by lightning. The apparatus is for mounting to an exterior of a building at or near communications antenna also located at the exterior of the building. The apparatus is connected with incoming coaxial cables extending from exterior mounted antenna and with outgoing coaxial cables which extend from the apparatus to communications equipment housed within a communications center. The lighting strike surge travels from antenna, along the incoming coaxial cable and is redirected within the apparatus by polyphasers which trip at capacity to redirect the surge to three separate grounding bars and prevent the surge from continuing along outgoing coaxial cables leading to communications equipment thus safely dissipating surge and shielding communications equipment.

A system or method for monitoring an electric power lightning arrester including an arrester current sensor providing an arrester current measurement, and an arrester voltage sensor providing an arrester voltage measurement. The system detects a switching signature based on the arrester current measurement or the arrester voltage measurement distinguished from background noise and lightning signatures and computes a measured arrester impedance based on the arrester current and arrester voltage measurements. The system then compares the measured arrester impedance to a nominal or historical arrester impedance, determines that the arrester is faltering based on the comparison of the measured arrester impedance to the nominal or historical arrester impedance, and places an order for replacement of the arrester based on the determination that the arrester is faltering. The system operator then replaces the arrester during a fair-weather, typically off-peak period to avoid failure of the arrester during a lightning strike.

A lightning strike fault monitoring system for a wind turbine generator system and a lightning protection system (110) thereof, wherein the lightning strike fault monitoring system for the wind turbine generator system includes the lightning protection system. The lightning protection system (110) comprises a main body (101) provided with a blind hole (1011), a core (102), a connecting member (103) made of gasifiable material, a first elastic member (104), a second elastic member (105), a sealing cover (106), a bottom plate (107), and a switch used for connecting between an external signal source and a detecting terminal. The core (102) and the first elastic member (104) are respectively accommodated in the blind hole (1011), and the core (102) is connected to the main body through the connecting member (103). One end of the first elastic member (104) abuts against the core (102), and the other end is connected to the bottom wall of the blind hole (1011). One side of the sealing cover (106) is connected to the bottom plate (107) through the second elastic member (105), and the other side of the sealing cover (106) abuts against the core (102). The switch is mounted on the bottom plate (107). The lightning protection system (110) can accurately provide electrical signals for the detecting terminal, so that maintainer can be accurately aware of the occurrence of a lightning strike in order to perform maintenance and troubleshooting of lightning strike failure, thereby improving safety.

An on-board system for evaluating the severity of a lightning strike, intended to be installed in the interior of an airplane and connected to an avionic system of the airplane. The system comprises four devices, a master device and three slave devices, each device comprising a magnetic-field sensor. The devices are placed pairwise symmetrically about a plane of symmetry of the airplane, vertically in line with the leading edge of the wing of the airplane and vertically in line with the trailing edge of the wing, respectively. The system allows an evaluation of the severity of a lightning strike to be obtained depending on the measured magnetic fields.

A non-destructive testing system includes a test article interface and a reference article interface. The test article interface includes a connector to couple to a metal component of an article under test (AUT) and a connector to couple to a carbon fiber composite component of the AUT. The reference article interface includes a connector to couple to a metal component of a reference article (REF) and a connector to couple to a carbon fiber composite component of the REF. The system also includes sensors to generate signals based on voltage and current thermoelectrically induced between the test article interface and the reference article interface, where the current and the voltage are based on a temperature difference between the AUT and the REF. The system also includes a processor to generate, based on the signals, an output indicating whether the AUT is expected to pass a lightning strike test.