Lightning Protection for Telecommunication Facilities

 

Telecommunication towers such as cellular, microwave communication, television broadcast or radio repeaters are generally very tall structures, placed in remote and often isolated locations. All equipment with electronics and control equipment are very sensitive to Lightning and Lightning Electromagnetic Pulses. Their maintenance and repair usually requires technicians to travel to remote distances which results in long duration downtime that costs the operators large amount of revenue loss and loss in customer satisfaction. Specially designed  lightning protection system, it’s correct installation and timely maintenance can mitigate many of such failures.

Components of an engineered Wireless Telecommunication Site Lightning Protection System:

1. Ionization Terminals: Streamer Preventing Terminals (SPT) are installed at the top of the tower and at mid-level antennas to generate space charge clouds as the ground field develops. The air around the SPT ionizes keeping a weak field strength at the terminals so the probability of streamer generation is greatly reduced. The space charge clouds suppress the ability of the protected object to generate lightning streamers.

2. Conductive Core: A network of specially designed conductors facilitates the quick movement of charges. This ground field
charge moves up to ionize the air and then creates the space charge, while the ions extracted from the air move down to
neutralize the protected object.

3. Ground Charge Collector: A network of engineered low resistance and low impedance grounding systems lets the charges move without much resistance. This accelerates the generation of space charge and the neutralization of all parts of the protected object.

4.Transient Suppressors: The continuous generation of space charge cloud does not allow the field strength to increase which limits the level of induced voltage in power and communication lines; however, power line and communication lines must have transient suppressors to keep the risk of damaging the electronics to a minimum. A layered approach of protection is recommended.
Layer 1: Service Entrance SPD: Power Line SPD installed at the point of entry of main service.
Layer 2: Distribution Panel SPD: Power Line SPD installed at the sub circuits.
Layer 3: Branch Panel SPD: Power Line SPD installed at remote panel, generally at the end of the distribution network.
Layer 4: Point of Use SPD

  • SPD for Protection of Process Control and Automation Equipment:
  • SPD for Protection of Data, Control & Signaling Equipment:
  • SPD for Protection of Telecommunication Equipment:
  • SPD for Protection of Video and surveillance Equipment

 

Lightning Elimination Systems (LES) is a lightning protection company that uses scientific theory as well as over 15 years of field experience to design custom solutions to shield people, places and sensitive electrical and electronic equipment from the damaging effects of lightning strikes. Contact US to provide Lightning Protection & Grounding for your Communication Site.