A lightning protection system is a system designed to protect a structure from damage due to lightning strikes by intercepting such strikes and safely passing their extremely high voltage currents to "ground". Most lightning protection systems include a network of lightning rods, metal conductors, and ground electrodes designed to provide a low resistance path to ground for potential strikes. | Generated by Foxit PDF Creator Foxit Software Source http wiki Lightning_http wwwfXtsofware com For evaluation only- Lightning protection system A lightning protection system is a system designed to protect a structure from damage due to lightning strikes by intercepting such strikes and safely passing their extremely high voltage currents to ground . Most lightning protection systems include a network of lightning rods metal conductors and ground electrodes designed to provide a low resistance path to ground for potential strikes. Description Lightning protection systems are used to lessen damage to structures by lightning strikes. Lightning protection systems mitigate the fire hazard which lightning poses to structures. A lightning protection system provides a low-impedance path for the lightning current to lessen the heating effect of current flowing through flammable structural materials. Porous water-saturated materials may literally explode if their water content is flashed to steam by heat produced from lightning current. To appreciate the limitations of lightning protection systems it is important to understand the magnitude of lightning s energy. Because of the high electrical potential of lightning often exceeding 100 million volts and 40 000 amperes and the very rapid rise time of a lighting strike no lightning protection system can guarantee absolute safety from lightning. Lightning current will divide to follow every conductive path to ground and even the divided current can cause damage. Secondary side-flashes can be enough to ignite a fire blow apart brick stone or concrete or injure occupants within a structure or building. However the benefits of basic lightning protection systems have been evident for well over a century. 1 The parts of a lightning protection system are air terminals lightning rods or strike termination devices bonding conductors ground terminals ground or earthing rods plates or mesh and all of the connectors and
