KIGALI INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUT DES SCIECES ET DE TECHNOLOGIE DE KIGALI Avenue de lArme, B.P.

3900 Kigali, Rwanda Tel +250 571925, Fax +250 571925. Web site : www.kist.ac.rw

Towards a brighter future FACULTY OF ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING PROGRAM OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING FINAL YEAR PROJECT

RESEARCH TITTLE: Installation design of lightning arrester system fOR kist 4 lab BUILDING, kigali

DONE BY: IRAKOMEYE Metuschelah Registration number: GS 20090091 Tel: +250788809349/ +250722809349 Email: metusche@gmail.com

SUPERVISOR: Mr. Michael IRECHUKWU

DEDICATION

I dedicate this project to:

The Almighty God My parents My brothers and sisters Family members Classmates All my best friends

DECLARATION

I, Metuschelah IRAKOMEYE bearing the registration number GS 20090091 hereby declare that the work presented in this final year project proposal entitled INSTALLATION DESIGN OF LIGHTNING ARRESTER SYSTEM FOR KIST 4 LAB BUILDING, KIGALI is my original work and has never been presented elsewhere for any academic qualification. However references are quoted from book, internet and reports as indicated. I declare that, this work is my own, contributing to the fulfillment for the award of a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering.

Date: .././2012 Signature. Submitted to my supervisor Mr. Michael IRECHUKWU Date: ../. / 2012 Supervisors signature..

CHAP 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.1.INTRODUCTION High voltages have become parcel of our daily lives and the main sources of high voltages include volcanic eruptions, lightning strikes, impulse generator, forest fires and snowstorms. These high voltages have got several applications in different domains like medicine, manufacturing, research etc. However they are not always good depending on the source. Lightning strikes produce high voltages and currents that cause serious damages whenever they occur. Consequently, careful design of lightning arrestor to provide a low resistance path to high voltages produced by lightning strikes and to protect tall buildings, telecommunication towers, overhead transmission lines and other lightning targets become standard requirements and practice. Lightning can cause fatality structural damage, and could lead to malfunction of the electric equipment. The lightning stroke will vary by characteristics from area to area. The lightning itself is an emission or discharge of electricity from cloud to ground, from ground to cloud and from cloud to cloud. When the lighting strikes the ground, it chooses a path with low resistance. According to IEEE standard 998-1996 the stroke occurs in two steps, the first is ionization of the air surrounding the centre and the development of stepped leaders, which propagate charge from the cloud into the air. The second step is return stroke, according to the same standard, the return stroke is extremely bright streamer that propagates upward from the earth to the cloud following the same path as the main channel of the downward stepped leader. As the technology is exponentially developing, construction, electrical and electronics industries also gradually develop where sky scrapers are being built and the number of electrical and electronics equipments inside the buildings increases. These buildings and their assets (electrical and electronics), structures, trees, livestock and persons in all parts of the country are the best target of lightning. Therefore if they are not professionally and properly protected, they are damaged by this lightning as it is a severely destructive hazard when it rarely occurs and just as severe where it frequently occurs.

1.2.BRIEF DESCRIPTION AND SIGNIFICANCE Lightning is a huge spark caused by the electrical discharge taking place between the clouds, within the same cloud and between the clouds and the earth. Lightning is again a form of visible discharge of electricity between a raincloud and the earth. The electric discharge is seen in the form of a brilliant arc, sometimes several kilometers long, stretching between the discharge points. How thunderclouds become charged is not fully understood, but most thunderclouds are negatively charged at the base and positively charged at the top. However formed the negative charge at the base of the cloud induces a positive charge on the earth beneath it, which acts as the second plate of a huge capacitor. When the electrical potential between two clouds or between a cloud and the earth reaches a sufficiently high value (about 10 000 V per cm or about 25 000V per cm), the air becomes ionized along a narrow path and a lightning flash result. Many meteorologists believe that this is how a negative charge is carried to the ground and the total negative charge of the surface of the Earth is maintained. The possibility of discharge is high on tall trees and buildings rather than to ground. Buildings are protected from lightning by metallic lightning rods extending to the ground from a point above the highest part of the roof. The conductor has a pointed edge on one side and the other side is connected to a long thick copper strip which runs down the building. The lower end of the strip is properly earthed. When lightning strikes it hits the rod and current flows down through the copper strip. These rods form a low resistance path for the lightning discharge and prevent it from travelling through the structure itself. So, the installation design of the lightning arrestor for KIST 4 lab against those high currents, high voltages, and high frequency is my duty. (http://www.arresterworks.com/pdf_file/what_is_an_arrester.pdf) These findings of this work will constitute a strong reference for future researcher who will need to use its library for literature review from others authors for related project. This study will also be significant to the society as a whole, because it will contribute to the adding of the knowledge to the population about their building protection.

1.3. PROJECT AIM This project aims at designing a lightning arrester system of KIST 4 Labs building to make sure that this building will be safe from lightning strokes. 1.4. PROJECT OBJECTIVES 1.4.1. General objectives: To make the information developed and more accessible to electricians, architects, technicians, electrical engineers, electrical inspectors who are not protection specialists. Need to understand lightning protection. 1.4.2. Specific objectives: To gain experience in doing installation designs To learn more about working principles of lightning arrestor To be familiar with building protection systems To protect assets inside KIST 4 Lab against lightning strokes To increase safety for KIST 4 Lab users To provide low resistance path to over currents from lightning.

1.5. PROJECT SCOPE AND LIMITATION This project is limited to installation design of lightning arrester of KIST 4 Labs building, Kigali and it will be carried out in KIGALI INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (KIST). 1.6. PROBLEM STATEMENT Rwanda is a fast growing country in several domains and one of these domains is the construction industry where sky scrapers are being built especially in Kigali town. Kist 4 Labs building is one of the buildings recently built and it houses many very expensive equipments like computers, electronic and electrical equipments, chemical compounds used in chemistry laboratories and so many other equipments.

So different designs are done to insure that the safety of equipments inside the houses, the house itself and users are safeguarded from being damaged but all of those designs are not professional depending on someone who did design. One of the installation designs done for a building is what we call Lightning installation design. Rwanda has two distinct rainy seasons. The presence of clouds indicates the presence of clouds which cause thunder strikes, therefore making Rwanda a thunder storm region. Lightning is an abrupt phenomenon, it means that no one can know when, where, it will happen or which amount of current or voltage it will produce yet it causes serious damages to life and property. Between October and November, although KIST 1 building had a lightning arrester, it was struck by lightning and computers, the roof of this house and other equipments were seriously damaged. We thank God no life was lost. I therefore decided to work on this protection system for KIST 4 labs building so that what happened to KIST 1 will not happen to KIST 4 building. Briefly, I merely want to solve the problem of bad installation design that causes loss of property and life due to carelessness of designers. (http://www.hindu.com/seta/2004/01/15/stories/2004011500231100.htm) 1.7. PROBLEM HYPOTHESIS In this research I want to find out if the lightning installation design systems for KIST 4 Labs building, is professional, reliable, efficient and meets international protection standards as recommended by International Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE), International Standard Organization (ISO), Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and if it is capable of protecting the whole building and its contents from any lighting stroke whenever it happens.

1.8. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 1.8.1. DATA COLLECTION The data that will be used in my research have two different sources: 1. Primary data source: Primary data will be got from reading books in library, internet, and interview by interviewing some experts in installation design of lightning arrester on sites.

2. Secondary data source: Secondary data will come from information already existing concerning KIST 4 Labs building I am working on and other related findings.

1.8.2. DATA ANALYSIS All these data will be analyzed carefully and conclusions will be deduced from them to test my hypothesis. Note also that these data will be interpreted and the final report will be written.

CHAP 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1.A BRIEF HISTORY AND BACKGROUND OF LIGHTNING PROTECTION Lightning protection science was first conceived by Benjamin Franklin in 1749 with his invention of the first pointed lightning rod conductor. It was also called a lightning attractor and later was identified as the Franklin Rod. Franklin spent many years in the lightning protection design process to include his famous kite experiment, which took place as he was waiting for permission to test his theories on the new Christ Church structure in Philadelphia, PA. Although Franklin did not patent any of his inventions, he published advice on lightning protection in Poor Richard's Almanac in 1753. At that time, common belief was that lightning was a creation of God and therefore should not be interfered with in anyway. Franklin finally was able to convince the church deacons that they should take precautions against lightning damage by installing the lightning protection he designed, citing that rain was also a creation of God but roofs were still used on buildings to protect people and contents of buildings. During the 19th century, lightning protection became an architectural addition to many public and private structures. The overall pointed rod design was complimented with ornamental solid glass balls, which were not only decorative but were believed to be an integral element in the effectiveness of the lightning protection of the structure. The theory behind this addition was that since glass is a non-conductor of electricity that they would repeal the charge and for a time, because of the erratic behavior of lightning it was believed this was scientifically proven. Both the pointed design and the addition of the solid glass balls were soon proven by Nicola Tesla to be a flawed lightning protection design. Tesla's patented design was a great improvement over Franklin's original lightning protection of the pointed rod. In 1919, years after receiving his patent, Tesla publish an article, Famous Scientific Illusions in The Electrical Experimenter explaining the logic he used to dispel the science of Franklin's pointed lightning rod and scientific knowledge he used to design his lightning protection device. In his article, Tesla proved that the pointed tip of the iron rod actually ionized the air around it, which rendered it air conductive and raised the probability of a lightning strike.

Over the decades, since Franklin and Tesla, there has been much progress in lightning protection systems. Great innovations in design and methodology have advanced the protection of mission critical systems for military and government operations and commercial applications. From transportation system control centers to cell phone transmission towers, the instances of catastrophic damage to these and other services we have all come to take for granted has been greatly reduced. (http://allteccorp.com/more_lightning_protection_history.php) As said previously, the lightning results from electrical discharge between cloud and cloud, cloud and earth or within the same cloud. How thunderclouds become charged is not fully understood, but most thunderclouds are negatively charged at the base and positively charged at the top. However formed, the negative charge at the base of the cloud induces a positive charge on the earth beneath it, which acts as the second plate of a huge capacitor. Different authors like Simpson, Mason and Reynolds proposed theories of how charges are formed in clouds. For one to understand how a lightning arrester works and how the lightning discharge occurs should first know how charges are formed in clouds. 2.2.CHARGE FORMATION IN CLOUDS USING SIMPSONS THEORY According to Simpsons theory, there are three essential regions in the cloud to be considered for charge formation.

Figure 1: Charge distribution according to Simpson theory.

Below region A, air currents travel above 800cm/s and no rain drop fall through. In region A, air velocity is high enough to break the falling rain drops causing a positive charge spray in the cloud and negative charge in the air. The spray is blown upwards but as the velocity of air decreases, the positively charged water drops recombine with the larger drops and fall again. Thus region A eventually becomes predominantly positively charged, while region B above it becomes negatively charged by air currents. In the upper region in the cloud, the temperature is low (below freezing), and crystals exist. The impact of air currents on those crystals makes them negatively charged, thus the distribution of charges within the cloud becomes as shown in figure above. 2.3.CHARGE FORMATION ACCORDING TO MASONS THEORY AND THE THEORY OF REYNOLDS Simpson theory is absolute and the explanation presented is not satisfactory. Reynolds and Mason proposed modification according to which the thunder clouds are developed at heights 1 to 2 km above the ground level and may extend up to 12 to 14 above the ground. For thunder clouds and charge formation air currents, moisture and specific temperature range are required. The air currents controlled by the temperature gradient move upwards carrying moisture and water droplets. The temperature is about 0oc at 4km from the ground and may reach -50 o c at about 12 km height. They freeze below -40oc only as solid particles on which crystalline ice patterns develop and grow. The larger the number of solid sites, the higher is the temperature (> 40o c) at which the ice crystals grow. Thus, in clouds the effective freezing temperature range is -33oc to -40oc, the water droplets in the thunder cloud are blown up by air currents and get super cooled over a range of heights and temperatures, when such freezing occurs, the crystals grow into large masses and due to their weight and gravitational force starts moving downwards. Thus a thunder cloud consists of super cooled water droplets moving upwards and large hailstones moving downwards. When the upwards moving super cooled water droplets acts on cooler hailstones it freezes partially i.e. the outer layer of water droplets freezes forming a shell with water inside.

When the process of cooling extends to inside warmer water in the core, it expands, thereby splintering and spraying the frozen ice shell. The splinters being fine in size and moving up by air currents and carry a net positive charge to upper region of the cloud. The hailstones that travel downwards carry an equivalent negative charge to the lower region and the negative charge builds up in the bottom side of the cloud. According to Mason, the ice splinters should carry only positive charge upwards. Water being ionic in nature has concentration of H+ and OH- ions. The ion density depends on temperature. Thus, an ice slab with upper and lower surfaces at temperatures T1 and T2 (T1<T2), there will be a higher concentration of ions in the lower region. However, since H+ ions are much lighter, they diffuse much faster all over the volume. Therefore, the lower portion which is warmer will have a net negative charge density and hence the upper portion i.e. cooler region will have a net positive charge density. Hence it must be appreciated that the outer shells of the frozen water droplets coming into contact with hailstones will be relatively cooler and therefore acquire a net positive charge. When the shell splinters, the charge carried by them in upward direction is positive. According to Reynolds theory which is based on experimental results, the hail packets get negatively charged when impinged upon the warmer ice crystals. When the temperature conditions are reserved, the charging polarity reverses. However the extent of charging and consequently the rate of charge generation were found to disagree with the practical observations relating to thunder clouds. This type of phenomenon also occurs in thunder clouds. Therefore, all these theories state that however charges are formed in clouds, the lower part of the cloud is negatively charged whereas the upper part is positively charged. The negative charges beneath the cloud induce oppositely-charged charges and this cause an imbalance between the ground charges and cloud charges that results in lighting formation as described below: A storm cloud produces a charge of one polarity distributed within the base of the cloud and a corresponding, but opposite, charge distributed on the surface of the earth under the cloud. The process starts with a downward corona-like streamer from the cloud defined as a stepped leader.

This leader transports the electric charge from the cloud to the earth following several unpredictable paths depending on atmospheric ionization of the air in a series of hesitating steps. As the top streamer approaches earth, another upward stream of electric charge builds up almost instantaneously aimed at encountering the top streamer. If a plasma channel is established within properly ionized air the two streamers meet and lightning occurs, establishing a path for conduction of a large electric current, defined as the return stroke, which equalizes the charge between the two equipotential planes. The total elapsed time for a leader to complete its path from cloud to earth is less than 10 milliseconds.

Figures 2: Lightning formation Cloud-to-ground lightning bolts are a common phenomenonabout 100 strike Earths surface every single secondyet their power is extraordinary. Each bolt can contain up to one billion volts of electricity.

This enormous electrical discharge is caused by an imbalance between positive and negative charges. During a storm, colliding particles of rain, ice, or snow increase this imbalance and often negatively charge the lower reaches of storm clouds. Objects on the ground, like steeples, trees, and the Earth itself, become positively charged creating an imbalance that nature seeks to remedy by passing current between the two charges. A step-like series of negative charges, called a stepped leader, works its way incrementally downward from the bottom of a storm cloud toward the Earth. Each of these segments is about 150 feet (46 meters) long. When the lowermost step comes within 150 feet (46 meters) of a positively charged object it is met by a climbing surge of positive electricity, called a streamer, which can rise up through a building, a tree, or even a person. The process forms a channel through which electricity is transferred as lightning. Some types of lightning, including the most common types, never leave the clouds but travel between differently charged areas within or between clouds. Other rare forms can be sparked by extreme forest fires, volcanic eruptions, and snowstorms. Ball lightning, a small, charged sphere that floats, glows, and bounces along oblivious to the laws of gravity or physics, still puzzles scientists. Lightning is extremely hota flash can heat the air around it to temperatures five times hotter than the suns surface. This heat causes surrounding air to rapidly expand and vibrate, which creates the pealing thunder we hear a short time after seeing a lightning flash. Lightning is not only spectacular, its dangerous. About 2,000 people are killed worldwide by lightning each year. Hundreds more survive strikes but suffer from a variety of lasting symptoms, including memory loss, dizziness, weakness, numbness, and other life-altering ailments. (http://lightningsource.wordpress.com/) So, to save life and protect buildings and their assets from the over voltages and high currents generated during lightning strokes, it is desirable to provide a lightning protection system. The components of this system will be discussed in the following chapters of this project.

2.4.DAMAGE FROM LIGHTING People generally think of lightning damages as what happens at the point where a cloud-ground stroke terminates on a tree, structure or elevated wiring. This is generally called a lightning strike. Unless the struck items are protected from lightning, the results of the strike are often visible and lasting. But the lightning current pulse continues into conducting parts of the structure, cables and even underground wiring and pipes. Because the initial lighting impulse is strong, equipments connected to cables a mile (1.6 km) or more from the site of strike can be damaged.

Figure 3: How lightning creates damages. The figure above shows four ways in which a lightning strike can damage residential equipments, in order of decreasing the frequency of occurrence. The most common damage shown in label 1 arises from a lighting strike to the network of power, phone and cable television (CATV) wiring. This network especially if it is elevated is an effective collector of the lightning surges. The wiring then conducts the surges directly into the structure and then to the connected equipments.

While not shown on the figure, lightning can also travel through the ground (soil), reaching underground cables and pipes. This is other route for lighting to come into a building, and can also damage the cables. The second most common mode (2), shown in figure above results from strikes to, or near the external wiring network common to most suburban and rural houses. Air conditioners, satellite dishes, exterior lights, gate control systems, pool support equipment patios and cabanas, phone extensions, electronic dog fences and security systems can all be struck by lightning, and the lightning surges will then be carried inside the house by wiring. As seen on the figure above lighting may strike nearby objects (trees, flagpoles, signs) that are close to, but not directly connected to the house (mode 3). In this situation, the lightning strike radiates a strong electromagnetic field, which can be picked up by wiring in the house, producing large voltages that can damage equipment. Finally the figure above shows mode 4 a direct lightning strike to the structure. This type of strike is very rare, even in high-lightning areas. It can severely damage a structure without a lightning protection system (LPS), and will generally damage most electronic equipment in the house. The structure damage can normally be prevented by a properly installed LPS of Faraday rod and down conductors, but the LPS alone provide little protection for electronic equipment in the house.

2.5.LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEMS The basic theory of protection against direct lightning strikes is to provide terminals projecting into the air above the highest parts of a given structure with interconnecting grounding conductors that provide a path of minimum resistance to earth. The tallest structure in a group is the likeliest target and it determines the degree of protection for lower structures. Lightning strokes, which might otherwise fall inside the zone, are attracted to the mast. In a petrochemical plant, taller structures like splitters, strippers, absorbers, and fractionating columns shield lower structures like reactors or drums. A well-designed lightning protection system protects against direct lightning strikes as well as induced lightning voltages. Protection against direct strikes may be accomplished in buildings, cooling towers, and stacks by the use of air terminals (lightning rods) connected into the grounding system in addition to metal ground bonds. Steel process towers are by nature lightning rods and do not require additional air terminals. The role of building protection system is to protect it against the risk of lightning strokes. The system consists of: 1. The capture device: the lightning protection system; 2. Down-conductors designed to convey the lightning current to earth; 3. crowns foot earth leads connected together; 4. Links between all metallic frames (equipotential boding) and earth leads. When the lighting current flows in a conductor, if potential differences appear between it and the frames connected to earth are located in the vicinity, the later can cause destructive flashovers.

2.6.TYPES OF LIGHTING PROTECTION SYSTEM Normally, there are three types of building protection which are: 2.6.1. The simple lightning rod The lightning rod is a metallic capture tip placed to the top of the building. It is earthed by one or more conductors (often copper strips) (see Fig. 4)

Figure 4: Simple lightning rod

2.6.2. The lightning rod with tout wires These wires are stretched above the structure to be protected. They are used to protect special structures: rocket launching areas, military applications and protection of high-voltage overhead lines. (See Fig. 5)

Figure 5: Taut wires 2.6.3. The lightning conductor with meshed cage ( Faraday cage) This protection involves placing numerous down conductors/ tapes symmetrically all around the building. (See fig.6). This type of lightning protection system is used for highly exposed buildings housing very sensitive installations such as computer rooms.

Figure 6: Meshed cage (Faraday cage) 2.7.CONSEQUENCES OF BUILDING PROTECTION FOR THE ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION'S EQUIPMENT Fifty per cent (50%) of the lightning current discharged by the building protection system rises back into the earthing networks of the electrical installation (see Figure 7): the potential rise of the frames very frequently exceeds the insulation withstand capability of the conductors in the various networks (LV, telecommunications, video cable, etc.). Moreover, the flow of current through the down-conductors generates induced over voltages in the electrical installation

Figure 7: Direct lightning back current (http:// www.electrical-installation. org)

2.8. HOW DOES A LIGHTNING ARRESTER WORK? The lightning arrester protects the structure from damage by intercepting flashes of lightning and transmitting their current to the ground. Since lightning strikes tend to strike the highest object in the vicinity, the rod is placed at the apex of a tall structure. It is connected to the ground by lowresistance cables. In the case of the building, the soil is used as the ground, and on ship, water is used. A lightning rod provides a cone of protection, which has a ground radius approximately, equal to its height above the ground. Courtesy: The Hindu 2.9. LIGHTNING EFFECTS 2.9.1. OPTICAL EFFECT Due to the optical effects caused by atmospheric discharge, lightning strike was called by various names among the people. If the discharge is visible to our eye as a line that braches close to the ground we call it the line lightning and if there are more such lines we call it ribbon lightning. Sometimes we see the discharge in form of small glowing balls that follow each other. We call that the pearl lightning, and if the balls are bigger with longer tail then we have so called ball lightning. Sometimes we do not hear thunder, and all we can see is light. That kind of lightning is called the blitz lightning or luster of time sometimes it will get other way around, we do not see anything, but we hear the thunder. That is so called dark lightning. Light of lightning strike sometimes seems to be flickering. That happens when several lightning strike pass through same channel in a very short time. The optical effects of atmospheric discharge, which human can see, can lead us to wrong conclusions about path of lightning and about its real dimensions. 2.9.2. ACOUSTICAL EFFECTS In the channel in which discharge current flows dominate high temperature and high pressure which contain conductive plasma. This condition lasts while current flows through channel. This air pressure affects our ears and we say that we hear the thunder. In the past people didnt understand phenomenon of thunder and lightning and they thought that it was sign from Gods. For example the old German god Donar represented with the hammer in his hands was incarnation of thunder. Pressure wave moves. Highest pressure is in the area close to the lightning, only few centimeters far from channel of lightning, then getting lower on some distance. Thunder, which is acoustical effect of this pressure, can be heard on some distance of thunder impact like detonation with rumble. If we are far from the impact, we hear some noise. On distance of 10 km we dont hear anything. If we are very close to lightning impact we could lose every feeling about this act. This happens because of the high pressure which rule in this area. Figure 8: How lightning pressure wave moves.

2.9.3. MECHANICAL EFFECTS Beside the acoustical effects of the lightning there are noticeable mechanical effects. It is noticed that strike can damage a part of some building (roof, chimney), destroy a tree or some wooden post but that is not all. It noticed that some metal parts that conducted the lightning current were damaged and misshapen. It means that when we talk about the current of lightning we must pay attention to its mechanical effects that can be very important in certain circumstances. It is determined that the force can be caused by two reasons. First reason is a great enhancement of pressure that happens when lightning passes through some media and heats it. That pressure is especially destructive when it is caught in some closed area, not in the open air. If lightning current passes through some crack in the wall of the house, pressure increases so those walls cant withstand that. It especially happens if those cracks are humid and water in them transforms into steam. The same thing happens if lightning current is passing through the capillary of some tree. Usually the pressure is very high and the tree explodes. The second reason for appearance of force is purely electromechanical. When current passes through some metal part put in magnetic field, mechanical force acts and tries to pull the part out of the field. Force can be determined from the next expression: P= B*ig* l

P stands for mechanical force, B stands for magnetic induction, ig stands for current and l stands for length of the conductor.

It is also known that every current produces its own magnetic field. For example if current passes through two wires not for one from another, every wire produces its magnetic field and every wire is in the field made by another wire. It means that mechanical force appears and affects both wires. Direction of force depends on directions of current in wires. For the currents are parallel and have the same direction, then the force is trying to separate them. Oppositely, if currents are parallel and have the same direction, then the force is trying to bring them close to each other. That force can be determined from this expression in which P stands for force, uo stands for permeability of media between wires, ig stands for current, a stands for distance between wires and l for length of wires.

Almost all damages and deformations of electrical installations are result of this kind of forces. If the house doesnt have appropriate protection and lightning strikes into the house or transmission lines nearby, these damages could be huge. 2.9.4. THERMAL EFFECTS The highest temperature in a channel of thunder is achieved on the position where an electric current enters the metal surface, that is, on the bottom of the channel. Because of that on these places the surface is melted, but that is so small that the diameter of these melted parts of surface isnt greater than 5-20 mm. thats why these holes are hard to find in nature or any other place that isnt special observed. That is explained by the fact that the major part of the energy that the lightning produces is dispersed through surroundings by radiation or pressure, and only smaller part of that energy is spent on heating and melting of the metal surface. That expense of energy on the surface for middle sized lightning is around 150 Ws and for larger lightning up to 7000 Ws. You can expect that strong lightning can burn through steel plate 0.5mm thick and make a hole about 20mm in diameter.

This thermal effect of lightning (melting of material, surface or conductor) causes high pressures that can be the source of mechanical destruction, especially if these conductors, through which electricity flows, are in walls of buildings. Eventual fires and explosions can be explained as consequences of sparks made by metal parts on the places of input or output of electricity, or the overheating on the places where the lightning meets a high transient resistance due to bad contact or other reasons. Very often the flow of lightning after the hit continues through the earth. Because lightning produces heat, after the contact with the ground we can find burst sand in shape of a flower. Those are called futurities. 2.9.5. PROBABILITY OF THUNDER STRIKE One should ask him/ herself what probability is for lightning to strike in some object. Can that be calculated? That should be main consider for setting lightning rod installation. First step in finding that probability would be to establish how many times lightning strike in some area. That wasnt easy before because there were no information or services which provided that information. Thats why people started to explore the numbers of lightning strike days in year for some areas. Based on that information we have what we call isocheraunic charts. They contain lines that combine places which have same or similar number of lightning strike days per year.

Figure 9: world isocheraunic chart.

Those kinds of charts are made for different areas. On the isocharaunic chart of world but form the figure above we can see that the areas around equator have more lightning strike days than on the far north or south where that number is almost zero. Scientists have suggested few expressions that give us average number of lightning strike days in 1 square kilometer per year. One of them is:

In this formula Ns is expected number of lightning strike in 1 square mile per year. Ni is isocheraunic level (number of lightning strike days per year) and alpha is geographic width of area. We can see that results can vary and could be used for orientation. Today some developed countries use devices which record lightning strikes in some area. Networks of those devices give us more precise information about lightning strikes per year in some areas. To get probability of lightning strike in some object we need the information about ground surface on Earth where the lightning will strike. That information we can get from the geometry of desired object. How? We imagine the model of that object and the sphere, which radius matches final permeable distance for the average lightning strike current in that area. If we role the sphere around that object and it touches it. We record places where sphere touches ground and we get the wanted surface. When we know the average number of lightning strike per year on 1 square kilometer (Ns) and we have wanted surface (A), then we divide Ns with A and we get the average number of lightning strike in some object per year. (http://library.thinquest.org)