The disclosure includes a method of diagnosing a grounding system of a structure that includes a charge collecting structure conductively connected to the ground via a grounding path, where diagnosing involves an act of monitoring output of a voltage and/or a current and/or an electrostatic detector connected to the grounding path.

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 method for conditioning to reduce lightning strike effects is provided herein. The method includes positioning a plurality of tabs on a component. The plurality of tabs are electrically conductive. The component includes at least one of a composite material and a metal material having at least one joint. The method includes positioning the component on a support that is electrically insulated, and connecting a plurality of wires between an initial set of the plurality of tabs and a pulse generator. The pulse generator is configured to generate a plurality of current pulses through the plurality of wires. The plurality of current pulses imitate a plurality of lightning strikes. The method further includes striking the component with the plurality of current pulses from the pulse generator, and reconnecting the plurality of wires to one or more different sets of the plurality of tabs between the plurality of current pulses.

A method for conditioning to reduce lightning strike effects is provided herein. The method includes positioning a plurality of tabs on a component. The plurality of tabs are electrically conductive. The component includes at least one of a composite material and a metal material having at least one joint. The method includes positioning the component on a support that is electrically insulated, and connecting a plurality of wires between an initial set of the plurality of tabs and a pulse generator. The pulse generator is configured to generate a plurality of current pulses through the plurality of wires. The plurality of current pulses imitate a plurality of lightning strikes. The method further includes striking the component with the plurality of current pulses from the pulse generator, and reconnecting the plurality of wires to one or more different sets of the plurality of tabs between the plurality of current pulses.

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 lightning diverter system is disclosed including an outer rod having a first outer rod segment, a second outer rod segment, and a housing cabinet; and an inner rod having a first inner rod segment and a second inner rod segment. The second inner rod segment is in attachment with the second outer rod segment. The inner rod and the outer rod are concentric and configured to move between a rod extended configuration and a rod retracted configuration. A conductive break is in attachment with the outer rod and the inner rod. The lightning diverter system further includes a sensor configured for monitoring an environmental parameter and sending a first signal to a processor configured for determining if the environmental parameter fails satisfy an environmental parameter threshold and sending a second signal to move the lightning diverter system between the rod retracted configuration and rod extended configuration.

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 lightning diverter system is disclosed including an outer rod having a first outer rod segment, a second outer rod segment, and a housing cabinet; and an inner rod having a first inner rod segment and a second inner rod segment. The second inner rod segment is in attachment with the second outer rod segment. The inner rod and the outer rod are concentric and configured to move between a rod extended configuration and a rod retracted configuration. A conductive break is in attachment with the outer rod and the inner rod. The lightning diverter system further includes a sensor configured for monitoring an environmental parameter and sending a first signal to a processor configured for determining if the environmental parameter fails satisfy an environmental parameter threshold and sending a second signal to move the lightning diverter system between the rod retracted configuration and rod extended configuration.

According to one implementation of the present disclosure, a method is disclosed. The method includes: detecting, on or proximate to one or more surfaces of an aircraft, a presence of an electric-field above a predetermined threshold; and in response to the detection, activating one or more beam sources to generate an ionized column of charge away from the aircraft.

According to one implementation of the present disclosure, a method is disclosed. The method includes: detecting, on or proximate to one or more surfaces of an aircraft, a presence of an electric-field above a predetermined threshold; and in response to the detection, activating one or more beam sources to generate an ionized column of charge away from the aircraft.