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LinkedIn Engineering Report : 6 Author: Zark Bedalov, Jun. 10/ 2020

➔ Structure Lightning Protection
(A Short Excerpt from: Wiley Book: Practical Power Plant Engineering, From Chapter, 10)

Building Lightning Protection

Material Classifications:
This engineering discipline is specific but often neglected. This report offers a design start. However, to
prepare your project specification, it is suggested to review NFPA780 and UL96A standards thoroughly,
or IEC standards as applicable.
The lightning protection system together with the ground electrode system forms a common low
impedance path for the lightning strikes to effectively dissipate the lightning energy into the ground.
Air terminals and associated hardware and materials are installed on all the buildings and structures
needing lightning protection, depending on the type of building, height, type of construction and the
structural materials used.
Lightning protection is subject to the site inspector’s approval. An approval will be given if proper
materials classified for lightning protection are used. Copper or Aluminum materials can be chosen
based on the metallic materials of the roof. Copper lightning protection materials shall not be installed
on aluminum roofing, aluminum siding, or other aluminum surfaces.
All the plant metallic structures are expected to be bonded to the plant grounding system.

Class I and Class II Materials (Table 10.5 and Fig. 10.12) are used throughout the plant, depending on
the structure height in accordance with the NFPA Standards 780, as follows;

• Class I Materials: Lightning conductors, air terminals, ground terminals, and associated fittings
are required for the protection of structures ≤ 23 m (75 ft) in height, according to NFPA
Table 4.1.1.1(A)..
• Class II Materials: Lightning conductors, air terminals, ground terminals, and associated fittings
are required for the protection of structures > 23 m (75 ft) in height according to NFPA
Table 4.1.1.1(B).
Conductors: Lightning conductors
do not fall into the basic wire size
categories used in other
installations. Typically, lightning
conductors are more stranded and
more flexible.
Main conductor conducts primary
lightning currents interconnects air
terminals with grounding rods.
Fig. 10.12. Air Terminal Base Fig. 10.13 Air Terminal Height
Main conductors must interconnect all the roof air terminals and form two or more paths from each air
terminal downward for connections with ground terminals.
Secondary conductors connect metal bodies within the zone of protection to the lightning protection
system to eliminate electrical potential that may cause arcing.
Class I- Main Conductors: Stranded copper conductors at least 57.4 kcml and aluminum conductors at
least 98.6 kcml.
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Class II- Main Conductors: Not less than 115 kcml for stranded copper conductor and, 192 kcml and for
aluminum conductors.
For secondary or bonding conductors use the minimum size 26.4 kcmil for copper and 41.1 kcmil for
aluminum for Class I and II.
Copper materials must be of the grade required for commercial electrical work of 95 percent
conductivity. Copper Alloys materials if used must be as resistant to corrosion as copper.

Table 10.5: NFPA Std. 780 Material Classifications for Lightning Systems

Placement of Air Terminals:

Fig. 10.14 Protection of Low Rise Buildings ≤ 7.6 m Fig. 10.15 Protection of Buildings ≥ 15m

Air Terminal Height: The tip of an air terminal must be not less than ≥ 254 mm (10 in.) up to 1000 mm
(40 in.), above the object or area it is to protect (Fig.10.13).
Air terminal devices are not required for those parts of a structure located within the zone of protection
as shown on Fig.10.14 and 10.15. The zone of protection forms a cone whose apex is located at
the highest point of the air terminal, with walls forming a 45 degree or 63 degree angle from
the vertical, depending on the building height.
Structures shorter than 7.6 m (25 ft) above earth shall be considered to protect lower portions of
structure located within a 2 -1 ( 63 degree) of protection.
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For structures exceeding 15m (50 ft), the protection zone over the lower sections will be under the 1-1
cone ( 45 degree) of zone of protection.

Pitched Roofs are defined as roofs having a span of 12 m (40 ft) or less and a pitch 1/8 or greater and
roofs having a span of more than 12 m (40 ft) and a pitch ¼ or greater. All other roofs shall
be considered gently sloping and are to be treated as flat.

Separation of Air Terminals: Local specialist contractors are acquainted with the applicable practices in
the area. This separation may generally be applicable for most of the commercial applications.
Air terminals shall be placed at or within 0.6 m (2 ft) of ridge ends on pitched roofs or at edges
and outside corners of flat or gently sloping roofs at intervals not exceeding 6 m (20 ft).
Flat or gently sloping roofs that exceed 15 m (50 ft) in width or length shall have air terminals located at
intervals not to exceed 15 m (50 ft) on the flat or gently sloping areas or such area can also
be protected using taller air terminals that enlarge zones of protection. Along the roof edges the
maximum spacings shall not exceed 7.6 m (25 ft).
There shall be no more than 45 m (150 ft) maximum length of cross run conductor without connecting
to the cross run conductor of the main perimeter or down conductor.

Down Conductors: Provide at least two down conductors on any kind of structure. Structures
exceeding 76 m (250 ft) in perimeter shall have a down conductor for every 30 m (100 ft) of
perimeter or fraction thereof.
Each down conductor shall terminate at a ground terminal dedicated to the lightning protection system.
Cable and cable connectors for Class II shall be continuous from air terminal to ground and
interconnected with the balance of the system.

Ground Rods: Ground terminals shall be copper-clad steel, solid copper, hot-dipped galvanized steel, or
stainless steel. It shall be not less than 12.7 mm (½ in.) in diameter and 2.4 m (8 ft) long. Rods shall be
free of paint or other nonconductive coatings and driven vertically not less than 3 m (10 ft) into the
earth.
Electrical system and telecommunication grounding electrodes shall not be used in lieu of lighting
ground electrodes; This provision does not prohibit the bonding together of grounding electrodes of
different systems.

Protection Level Sizing by IEC: The lightning protection materials and conductors are sized to meet the
projected intensity and risk of lightning strikes. Lightning is a natural phenomenon where, for the
purpose of analysis and design, a statistical approach is taken.
The IEC 62305 series includes four lightning protection levels based on the design rules of lightning
protection (LPS) capable to protect against maximum values (“sizing efficiency”) and minimum values
(“interception efficiency”) of current, starting as LPL 1 the highest, while LPL 4 offering the lowest level
of protection.

Table 10.6 details that for air-terminal

placement, the main consideration is
the minimum value of expected current
and the ability of the lightning
protection system to intercept smaller
flashes. These current levels are taken together with probability percentages that lightning may be greater than
these levels. For example, LPL 1 positions terminals in such a way that 99% of all lightning flashes are intercepted
(all those of 3 kA or greater). There is only a 1% probability that lightning may be smaller than the 3 kA minimum, and
may not be close enough to an air-terminal to be intercepted and thus would not be expected to cause damage to the
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structure. Protection greater than LPL I (99%) would require significantly more material, is not covered by the
standard and generally is not required for commercial construction.
The lower lightning protection levels (LPL 2, 3, 4) each increase the air-terminal spacing, reducing their
ability to capture smaller lightning flashes.

Common Grounding: All the grounding in or on a structure shall be interconnected to provide a

common ground potential. This interconnection shall include lightning protection, electric grounding,
telephone, and antenna system grounds, as well as underground metallic piping systems.
Underground metallic piping systems may include water service, well casings located within 7.6 m
(25 ft) of the structure, gas piping, underground conduits, underground liquefied petroleum gas
piping systems, and so on. Buried installations preferably use Cadweld (Exothermic) connections.

Metallic Structures: Metallic structure exposed to direct lightning flashes and having a structural metal
thickness of 5 mm (3/16 in.) or greater are considered conductive and shall require only structure
connections to the lightning and grounding protection system. It shall not need air terminals.

Masts: Electrically continuous metal masts shall require only bonding to ground terminals.

Metal Towers and Tanks: Metal towers and tanks constructed so as to receive a stroke of
lightning without damage shall require only bonding to ground terminals.

Concrete Tanks and Silos: Lightning protection systems for concrete (including pre-stressed
concrete) tanks containing flammable vapors, flammable gases, and liquids that produce
flammable vapors and for concrete silos containing materials susceptible to dust explosions shall
be provided with either external lightning conductors or with conductors embedded in concrete.
To be considered properly protected against lightning, the stacks, chimney, condenser, boilers are
required to be properly grounded on at least two places to the grounding system, at 18 m (60 ft) apart
or less or every second structural column. The connections are made to cleaned spots on the structural
steel members with appropriate bonding plates or exothermic connections, having contact surface area
not less than 50 cm2 (8 square inches).

Steel Prefabricated Buildings: Air terminals of appropriate material class are installed on the laminated
metal roof elevations ( if the metal thickness is less than 5 mm (3/16 in.) and if falling outside the zone
of protection afforded by the balance of the lightning protection system. The air terminals are bonded
directly to the steel framework by short cables. The connections are made by bonding plates or
exothermic connections on cleaned areas of the steel formwork. The building steelwork is considered
and used as the primary lightning conductor.

Ground connections are made at every second steel column

at the foundation level by exothermic process around the
building or structure and tied directly to the closest building
grounding loop or grounding rod.

Book available at Wiley.com

Contact: LGhosalkar@wiley.com
More info: https://zarkbed.blogspot.com/2020/02/book-practical-power-
plant-engineering.html

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