Lightning Protection Products

Lightning is one of these natural events that catch people’s imagination. In real world they can be linked to a disruptive electric discharge due to the dielectric breakdown of the air between the clouds or between the clouds and the ground.

The use of lightning protection systems are the most effective method of reducing the risk of fire, explosions and damage to infrastructure due to lightning.

Petrochemical, refinery and storage facilities are some of the largest and most sophisticated industrial structures that need protection from lightning. Lightning also significantly affects all outdoor activities and can pose a serious risk for people in the open area. People who are directly struck by lightning, or stand next to lightning current-carrying objects or who, as a result of a flashover may even be carrying partial lightning current themselves, could sustain serious injuries which can even result in death.

LEC's systems and solutions are industry-leading in the prevention of potentially dangerous levels of lightning in the offshore sector, an industry that heavily relies on the handling of hazardous and combustible materials.

Legacy lightning protection systems involved sticking a metal rod into the ground. LEC's product line provides advanced technology through the use of charge dissipation technology.

This technology uses point discharge theory to facilitate the reduction of static electrical charge buildup. It accomplishes this by ionizing surrounding air to neutralize accumulated charges on the earth’s surface, thus ground charges that develop streamers no longer have sufficient electrical energy supporting them to initiate the strike process; thereby greatly reducing the risk of a lightning strike within the protected area.

Benefits of our patented lightning protection system (DAS)

• Provides enhanced performance over traditional lightning protection

• Patented technology

• High-grade stainless steel construction

• Lightweight and easy to install

• Corrosion-resistant

• Low wind loading

• Large selection of mounting hardware

• Independently tested

• Meets or exceeds UL 96A, NFPA 780, and IEC 62305 standards

Once lightning protection systems are installed, regular maintenance and periodic safety checks are required to ensure it continues to work at its optimum level.

To ensure your oil, gas, and mining facility is fully protected from a lightning event, contact our experts at LEC.

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Water is a fundamental utility. Its increased consumption is the reflection of population growth and an improved standard of living. A more efficient use of drinking water is growing in significance, especially against the backdrop of increasingly scarce drinking water resources. Therefore, waste water treatment plants are a key element of the drinking water cycle.

Due to vast surface areas and exposure of frequently isolated sites, water and wastewater treatment plants are particularly exposed to lightning risks. Lightning protection for water treatment plants involves protecting wellheads, pumping stations, and processing plants, which are highly susceptible to lightning strikes and damage. When any one of these units is affected by direct or indirect lightning strikes, and the resultant damage from surging electricity, you are looking at anywhere from hours to days’ worth of loss of service.

Furthermore, the consequences of a strike can be serious ranging from costs of re-establishing the availability of the treatment plant to the unknown cost for eliminating ground water contamination. Consequently, lightning protection systems must be installed to efficiently eliminate this threat and to increase the availability of the plant.

A well thought out lightning protection system is a critical step for the purposes of safety, protection of property, insurance costs, and down time.

A lightning protection system consists of external protection, and internal lightning protection. External lightning protection minimizes fire risk by lightning strike and the realization of the Lightning Protection Zones Concept helps to optimize the availability of the installation to a maximum level.

To ensure maximum technical and economic protection, the area of protection is sub divided into lightning protection zones (LPZ). Subsequently a risk analysis is carried out for each LPZ and the relevant types of damage. The mutual dependence of the LPZ’s are then examined and the required protection measure are defined to reach the necessary protection goal.

Our lightning protection solution aims to:

• Protect your facility, equipment, assets, and personnel
• Provide a safe working environment
• Provide effective interlocking defence thereby reducing vulnerability of interdependent critical infrastructure
• Reduce the risk of downtime

LEC installs the lightning protection systems in a neat and aesthetic manner while maintaining the national and international code requirements. We further provide a ‘no strike’ warranty on our installations and system.

Contact us to find out more about how we can work with you.

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Prior to export, processed crude oil is stored in Floating Roof Tanks (FRT) to further allow any trapped gas within the crude oil to escape, and further stabilise the oil. In the oil and gas industry, FRT’s are vital in the processing of crude oil to the acceptable export specification. However, because of global climate change, the frequency of accidents which include equipment damage and fire damage caused by lightning in fuel depots is rapidly increasing with floating roof tank fire being a major threat to crude oil production.

Thus Fuel Tank Lightning protection is now an indispensable part of the oil depot safety system.

Interaction of Lightning with a floating roof tank

By design to ensure ease of movement of the floating roof within the tank shell, there exist a gap between the tank shell and the edge of the floating roof. This eliminates friction, guarantees ease of movement but creates issues in the following areas when lightning strikes.

• Sparking

When lightning strikes a floating roof, the lightning current will flow over the roof towards the edge of the roof, and at the edge there exist a discontinuity because of the tank shell-roof gap, this prevents the current from flowing through the tank shell to the ground.

• Roof surface charging

Prior to an eventual lightning strike electric charges will accumulate in the sky. This creates a difference in potential between the roof and the shell which can result in transient currents.

• Heating

The flow of high energy lightning current can cause erosion and melting of thin metal sheets and this can generate incendiary particles even around the shell-roof gap; though tanks with a thickness greater than 5mm cannot be melted by lightning.

The discussion above shows that the gap between the roof and the tank shell is a major cause of lightning voltage spark. In order to mitigate this, LEC on fuel tank lightning protection recommends RGA.

Retractable Grounding Array (RGA) is basically a self-retracting conductor. The RGA retracts and extends based on the roof level thereby maintaining the shortest electrical connection possible and by so prevents the issue associated with the use of long cables. It is made of multiple weaved strands of low resistance tinned copper wire and is typically installed on the tank shell and connected to the edge of the roof.

Society increasingly depends on petroleum products, so storage management of crude oil and its products has become particularly important. The approach to solving the lightning induced fire issue is centred on eliminating voltage differential by installing a fuel tank lightning protection system such as LEC”s Retractable Grounding Assembly.

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Who needs a lightning protection system?

Every industry which has sufficient risk of a lightning related event causing harm and damage to a structure, the people in and around it and the systems on and within it requires a lightning protection systems.

How often does lightning strike?

Data from NOAA shows that over the continental U.S. alone, an average of 20,000,000 cloud-to-ground flashes occur every year. And worldwide, lightning strikes the ground about 100 times each second, or 8 million times a year.

Is lightning protection necessary?

Lightning strikes are very common. A lack of lightning protection means you risk the chance of suffering massive damage to equipment or even risk the safety of your employees. Thus lightning protection systems are very important. Also with a UL Certified lightning protection systems you can take advantage of available discounts on your insurance.

Will a lightning protection system be noticeable?

If the system is designed early enough in the planning stage much of the system can be run under the roof; while our system are designed to be nearly invisible from the ground. Cables can be completely concealed during new construction, or hidden in and around building elements on existing buildings, leaving just the air terminal exposed.

Our building already has a lightning protection. Can you check it for us?

Absolutely. We do inspection and reconditioning work, kindly contact our lightning eliminator expert for more details.

We have just installed a new roof on our building. Does this impact our existing lightning protection system?

Yes it does. Many times, when a new roof is installed, the roofers will attempt to dismantle and then reinstall the lightning protection system and this should be avoided at all costs. We can work closely with your roofing company to ensure that the lightning protection systems are secure and capable of handling a lightning strike after a new roof is installed.

 How effective is a lightning protection system?

According to Underwriters Laboratories a properly designed and installed system greatly diminishes the risk of property damage caused by lightning strike. LEC’s lightning protection systems attempt to equalize the voltage between the clouds and earth within the area of protection thus preventing the lightning to strike.

Lightning Eliminators advocate a complete, comprehensive set of lightning protection systems to ensure complete protection of your employees, your facility and the various components therein.

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Lightning wants to get to ground. It will follow the path(s) of least impedance to do so.

All electricity, including lightning, performs in terms of flow, in rather predictable ways – governed by natural law. Electricity always seeks the pathway of lowest resistance as its primary route to ground, and will traverse, often destructively, any impediment in its path to get to its destination. Thus grounding of electrical devices and installations is universally known to be critical to the performance and safety of these assets.

Grounding 101

- “Ground” is the surface of the Earth existing as soil or rock of various compositions.

- “Soil resistivity” is a measurement of the resistance of earth materials (soils and rock) to the movement of electrons (electric current).

- Soil resistivity levels are absolutely critical to the performance of grounding rod and the entire grounding/earthing systems.

- Ground to resistance of any given electrode will vary given the immediate soil conditions the electrode finds itself in (moisture content, specific soil chemistry, proximity of non-conductive buried rocks, proximity to other conductive buried objects and/or soils, etc.), and as a result, each electrode will have a specific resistance-to-ground.

When we set out to create a robust solution for grounding in less-than-ideal conditions, we quickly focus our efforts on dramatically expanding the number of emitting points for current carried by any electrode in any soil condition, all in a compact size, with a manageable footprint and installation depth.

However, LEC’s Patented Chem-Rod solves this issue and much more. This grounding rod uses advanced engineering to achieve a consistent, low-impedance electrical connection with the earth, even in unfavorable and varying ground conditions.

- It has a large surface area for better connection to the earth

- The Electrolytic salts continually increase the soil’s conductivity, further reducing impedance and resistance.

- Another key product – GAF is a combination of organic soil materials, which further optimizes the conductivity of the soil around the Chem-Rod.

- Our grounding rod comes with a standard removal cap, enabling easy refills and maintenance

The biggest advantage of our copper grounding rods is they will likely perform well for 40 years or more in most soil types. It offers the best annual cost advantage of available materials in most situations.

We are a full-service firm aligned to solve your most complex challenges in grounding, surge suppressions and lightning protection. Contact us.

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We all know that lightning arrestors and surge protection devices are designed to protect a facility and the assets within from lightning strike by absorbing or dissipating electrical currents and surges. However these devices are not a suitable substitute for good grounding.

Grounding is the most fundamental technique for protection against lightning damage. You can’t stop a lightning surge, but you can give it a direct path to safely discharge into the earth.

Grounding rod

The weakest aspect of many installations is the connection to the earth itself. After all, you can’t just bolt a wire to the planet! Instead, you must bury or hammer a rod of conductive, noncorrosive metal (generally copper) into the ground, and make sure most of its surface area contacts conductive (that means moist) soil. This way, when static electricity or a surge comes down the line, the electrons can drain into the ground with minimal resistance.

LEC’s Chem-Rod provides a low impedance ground in location of high soil resistivity. Together with GAF (Ground Augmentation Fill) the system dissipates lightning energy and other dangerous electrical fault currents, even in sandy and rocky soil conditions.

It’s a permanent soil treatment solution for a low impedance ground, comprising of a 2” or larger hollow copper rod. This electrode is filled with an electrolytic salt mixture (GAF). The rod derives moisture from the soil and atmosphere and utilizes the moisture to slowly dissolve the electrolyte in the rod creating a conductive rooting effect, providing an ever increasing lower resistant ground in any type of soil. The rod should be refilled periodically to provide long-term soil treatment.

The grounding rods filled with electrolytic salt come with an exothermically welded tail. The LECWELD requires no outside power source or equipment for lightning safety installation. The process forms a solid copper molecular bond that does not loosen or corrode throughout the life of the host structure. (Compare to compression connectors, split bolts, crimp connectors, brazing, etc.)

Installation and maintenance of an effective grounding rod is essential due to the following:

- Efficiently dissipate heavy fault currents and electrical surges, both in magnitude and duration

- Provide a stable reference for electrical and RF circuits at the installation to minimize noise

- Protection of personnel who work within the area from dangerous electric shock

The Chem-Rod from LEC has been proven to be the best and most economical grounding solution. Contact LEC and transform your grounding system into a high-performance ground.

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Lightning strikes are expected to increase by 12% by the turn of the century!

This finding simply suggest that an increased activity can be expected in many regions – including areas that have historically seen less activity due to overly humid and wet conditions. And this trend is expected worldwide.Understanding the threat and preparing people, property and places for the increased risk is critical.

Below are some very basic lightning safety tips that every business should know.

• Seek safe shelter – a house and other substantial building offers the best protection from lightning

• Avoid unsafe shelter – unless specifically designed to be lightning safe, small structures like small open shelters do little to protect occupants from lightning.

• If you are outdoors – postpone activities promptly, stay away from trees, avoid leaning against vehicles, get out of water and avoid metal

• If you are indoors – avoid contact with corded phones, electrical equipment and plumbing. Also, bring your pet indoors before the storm.

Additional lightning safety tips:

• Insurance benefits for lightning safety standard-complaint lightning protection systems

• Increased education and promotion of safety standard-complaint lightning protection systems

• In the building development process, risk assessment measures to gauge the lightning hazards should be expanded

Despite the wealth of accurate information on lightning and lightning safety, there are still many misunderstandings that persists. Let’s share some facts.

• Rubber tires and rubber soles do not provide protection from lightning.

• Metals conduct lightning electricity but doesn’t attract it.

• Lightning often strikes the same place repeatedly

• Lightning protection system are installed more today and is definitely not a thing of the past

• Surge protection is just one element of a complete lightning protection system

• Industrial lightning protection system design and installation is complex and not a do-it-yourself project

• Just because the surrounding taller buildings have LPS installed, your smaller structure still requires protection

• The human body does not store electricity. It’s perfectly fine to touch a lightning victim to give them first aid

• When thunder roars, go indoors! Is the truism that actually holds up.

Lightning is deadly but often an avoidable hazard. If lightning safety tips are properly followed the threat can be greatly reduced.

We are among the fastest growing and most innovative companies in the lightning protection and earthing sector. We innovate, build and offer one of the most efficient and reliable systems for protection against lightning, surge protection earthing solutions. Contact our lightning eliminator consultant today!

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Computers and machinery failure can occur due to lightning strikes. Computer systems and networks are now essential elements of our work culture which has roots in almost every industry. Damage to such important devices can be extremely risky to the business. A single devastating lightning strike alone can cause structural and electrical damage, which can result in stalled production and plant shut down.

A properly installed Lightning protection system not only helps in saving lives but also provides protection to company equipment and damage from potential fires.

The lightning protection solution and services we offer provide you with the expertise to reduce/eliminate the exposure of your installation to lightning conditions and to implement suitable protection measures.

Lightning Protection system design

Our lightning protection design systems are well engineered and cost-effective.

Lightning Eliminators & Consultant includes services such as :

1. Gathering data and information:

 Measuring soil resistance.

 Measuring earth resistance

 Lightning protection system requires visual inspection (Only if installed)

 Measurement of the supply grid

 Checking the type of construction along with infrastructure.

 Occupancy of the entire building.

 Contents of the building.

2. Looking for analyzing risk

 Analyzing the demand for required lightning protection.

 Checking for earth potentiality for risk assessment.

 Risk of catching fire.

 Studying the interference.

 Analyzing the risk level in terms of international standards.

3. Designing the study

 Arriving at engineered specifications.

 Type of protection required.

 Detailed evaluation of the site exposures.

 Dimensions and sizes of the components.

 Analyzing location of air terminals and coverage area

 Directing the conductor connections and routing.

 Earthing provisions.

4. Delivering, installing, testing and then commissioning

 Providing the product material along with the labour, equipment and services.

 With accordance with international standards along with code of practice the process of installation and testing is done.

 A minimal training is provided for both on site and off site risk management for financial risk mitigation.

 Our patented as well as manufactured goods come with an international standard.

Rest assured our lightning protection system design is perfect for aesthetic-conscious users as they blend in with the structure. Protect your most valuable assets with market-leading lightning eliminating technology.

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A lightning protection design system should be installed to shield and divert lightning strikes which can cause a complete or partial loss of a facility and its content due to fire. A single devastating lightning strike can also cause structural and electrical damage, which can result in stalled production and plant shut down costing millions of dollars.

The LEC lightning protection solutions provide you with the equipment and expertise you need to reduce/eliminate the exposure and susceptibility of your installation to lightning. Our comprehensive solutions range from consulting to design and review, and from lightning protection installation to products and material sales. Allowing our experienced consultants to offer impartial design solutions and always in compliance with industry standards.

LEC’s experienced engineers and technicians provide a comprehensive lightning protection design and assessment services to:

- Consultant engineers

- Architects and builders

- Project managers

- Facility managers and contractors

- Communication network and IT managers

- System administrators

Our lightning protection design systems are cost-effective, yet made from the best materials to reduce the cost of maintenance.

There is nothing easy about designing a lightning protection system, it takes great care and knowledge from a professional to get it right. Every facility is different, which means every design should be tailored to your use case.

Our general design services include:

- Assessment and management of lightning risk

- Design of co-ordinated lightning protection, surge protection, and earthing systems

- Review of existing LPS and earthing system design and drawing

- Drafting services with full system layouts and details

Rest assured our lightning protection design system are perfect for aesthetic-conscious users as they blend in with the structure.

Special lightning protection design system:

LECs patented Dissipation Array System works under the charge transfer technology. It's enabled to dissipate the electrical field within a particular area. In other words, DAS when combined with an effective grounding system, it can effectively eliminate the streamer/leader connection and prevent lightning events within the protected area. Cost-effective with a ‘no-strike' warranty, our DAS has set a global standard in lightning protection for 4 decades.

Protect your most valuable assets with market-leading lightning elimination technology.

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Electronics and technology are used in virtually every aspect of all industries. Even if a shelter within an industrial facility does not include a wide range of industrial technologies, it’s likely the structure will have a lighting system or perhaps an HVAC unit.  This is why every structure should feature lightning protection.

Common business-related electronic technologies that are at risk of destructive damage from a lightning strike are:

-          Electronics and software

-          Communication network

-          Security systems

-          Fire alarms

-          Fire suppression systems

Lightning strikes can cause fire, explosion, dangerous chemical releases and critical mechanical disruptions. Humans and animals, within the area where these events occur, are also at risk of injury or even death.

To avoid the possibility of damage from lightning that could cripple business capabilities, provide the structure with effective lightning protection. This is best done by implementing a lightning protection plan while constructing the structure; this way many lightning-related problems can be avoided.

A lightning protection plan includes protecting the internal electrical system and protecting the structure itself; though its prime focus is to protect the structure from direct lightning strikes. A lightning protection system intercepts the burst of energy from the lightning strike and conducts it towards the ground, where it is safely dispersed within the earth. With the energy diverted, the structure and all that is within it including the electrical system remain safe.

Having said this, some customers can ask for lightning protection only, with the assumption that lightning protection alone will provide all the protection it needs. If the site doesn’t have proper grounding and bonding in place, the earth potential rise caused by a lightning strike may result in arcing and side flashing between metallic objects, thus causing damage to electrical equipment. Thus a grounding system is equally important. The residual energy which still has the potential to harm sensitive electronic systems can be tamed by implementing a surge protection system.

All in all a complete lightning protection system including grounding and bonding system and surge protection system is required for complete facilities protection approach.

Lightning Eliminators are LPI certified masters with many patented products; LEC is uniquely qualified to provide the highest level of lightning protection available within the industry.