Lightning Protection Device Safety Management of Wireless Surveillance Equipment
September 10 08:06:32, 2025
Lightning can be categorized into direct lightning, static induction, electromagnetic induction, and ball lightning. It is characterized by high current amplitude, steep current rise, and significant voltage surges. Lightning can cause severe damage to facilities, equipment, and infrastructure, leading to fires, explosions, and even harm to humans and animals. Therefore, wireless monitoring systems that are deployed in outdoor environments for extended periods require enhanced lightning protection measures.
Buildings at risk of fire or explosion, as well as those vulnerable to lightning strikes, such as loading platforms, open storage areas, oil tanks, and open-air structures, must implement effective lightning protection. Similarly, high-voltage power lines, large construction sites, wireless monitoring equipment in mountainous or forested areas, power plants, and substations should all adopt protective strategies against direct lightning strikes. Buildings with a high risk of fire or explosion should also use induced lightning protection. Transformer rooms and structures with explosion hazards need additional measures to prevent lightning surges from entering the premises.
**Lightning Protection Measures**
Depending on the type of lightning—direct, induced, or surge—different protective methods should be applied.
1. **Direct Lightning Protection Measures:**
- **Lightning Rods:** These are used to protect high-rise buildings, power plants, transformer substation equipment, and specific sections of transmission lines. They guide the lightning current safely to the ground, preventing it from striking critical equipment or structures. In essence, a lightning rod acts as a conductor, drawing lightning away from sensitive areas and protecting wireless monitoring devices and buildings from damage.
- **Lightning Conductors (Overhead Ground Wires):** Installed along the top of transmission towers, these grounded metal wires serve as the primary defense against lightning on power lines. They are also commonly used in wireless monitoring systems to provide an extra layer of protection.
- **Lightning Protection Belts and Nets:** Metal grids installed on rooftops, corners, ridges, and eaves help protect tall civilian buildings. These systems are also suitable for indoor wireless monitoring equipment, offering a reliable method of shielding against lightning strikes.
2. **Induced Lightning Protection Measures:**
Induced lightning can generate dangerous high voltages, increasing the risk of fires and explosions. To mitigate this, metal equipment, pipes, and structural steel should be properly grounded. Parallel pipelines should be connected using metal wires if their spacing is less than 100 mm. Joints, elbows, and other connections that may not be fully secure should also be bridged with metal wire. This helps reduce the impact of lightning and indirectly protects wireless surveillance systems.
3. **Protection Against Lightning Surge Waves:**
Lightning-induced surges are a major cause of electrical failures, especially in power systems, where they account for over 70% of lightning-related incidents. The main protective methods include valve arresters, gap protection, and tube arresters. Since wireless monitoring equipment is often connected to electrical systems, safeguarding the power source is crucial to ensuring the overall safety and functionality of the system.