Lightning Protection Calculation

primtech features a powerful lightning protection calculation implementing conventional lightning protection calculation methods. Using lightning protection rods and wires as lightning arresters, it visually illustrates the required results in form of the lightning protection volumes and areas.

 

CAD-Plan showing the
horizontal lightning protected area

21-bay Air Insulated Substation (AIS)
with 3-D lightning protection area

The Calculation Method

primtech supports lightning calculations according to the DIN VDE 0101 Standard as well as the rolling-sphere method derived from IEC 62305-1 Standard. In the rolling-sphere method, all 4 protection classes can be calculated also using spheres of various radii.

Optimal Support in the Engineering

Due to the rapid calculation of the 3-D protection volumes - which is spanned by the lightning protection facility - primtech ideally supports the engineering process for High Voltage Switchgear. It enables the quick calculation of different lightning protection classes or the variation of lightning arresters (e.g. adjusting height of rods) which can then both be easily visually compared and evaluated.

 

Lightning protection area using rolling sphere method
but of an insufficient lightning protection class.

Rods and Wires

The primtech lightning protection calculation can accommodate lightning protection rods and wires as lightning arresters. The protection calculation of large complete substations, such as the 21-bay substation below with 46 lightning rods, is just as feasible as the combined calculation of lightning arresters comprising of rods and wires.

 

Lightning protection area spanned by lightning protection wires
and complemented by lightning protection rods

Exporting the Protected Areas

3-D lightning protection volumes are inappropriate for illustrating the protected zones in plans. To this end, primtech shows protected areas horizontally at the heights to be protected and vertically along sectional planes of your choice.

 

CAD-Plan showing the vertical lightning protected area

Development of High Voltage Substations

The lightning protection calculation is designed and optimized for Air Insulated Substations (Switchyard). This allows for rapid and consistent protection calculations even for large substations (see 21-bay Switchyard illustration). Furthermore, the protection calculations can be applied to buildings, illustrated by the example below of a Gas Insulated Substation (GIS).

 

GIS-Building with 3-D protection area

 

 

 

Computers and software are part of the routine of an Engineering office, as they enable agility, practicality and precision in the elaboration of projects, therefor primtech3D is a powerful tool, that provides time reduction, increases productivity, better control of the project, optimization of your work scope with access to special tool for lightning calculation, insulation distances and provides tools to identify installation problems and others.

Nuno Vassalo