Lightning Interception - A Review of Simulation Procedures Utilized to study the Attachment of Lightning Flashes to Grounded Structures

Summary

A precise evaluation of the point of lightning strike to a grounded structure should take into account the development of  streamers from different parts of the structure, subsequent streamer to leader transition, inception of a stable upward connecting leader and the final encounter between the upward moving connecting leader and the down coming stepped leader. On the other hand, the most common procedure of lightning protection of power transmission and distribution lines is based on the electro-geometrical method which neglects most of the physics associated with the attachment process of lightning flashes to structures. This method assumes that the stepped leader will get attached to the first point on the structure that comes within a critical distance from the tip of the stepped leader. This critical distance is called the striking distance. Several expressions are available in the literature that express the striking distance as a function of return stroke current and structure geometry. However, the  lightning research has progressed significantly forward over the last several decades resulting in a deeper  understanding of the physics of lightning attachment making it possible to numerically simulate the attachment process. The goal of this paper is to provide a brief review of these procedures.

Additional informations

Authors

KAWAKAMI, Anton Janssen

Keywords

Lightning Interception, Lightning Flashes, system technical performance