Lightning Interception
Non Conventional Lightning Protection Systems

Report by: Vernon Cooray on behalf of Cigre Working Group C4.405 M. Bernardi (IT), C. Bouquegneau (BE), V. Cooray (SE), G. Diendorfer (AT), M. Fernando (SE), M. Ishii (JP), T. Kawamura (JP), C. Mazetti (IT), C. A. Nucci (IT), A. Piantini (BR), F. Rachidi (CH), V. Rakov (US), T. Shindo (JP), H. Torres (CO), S. Visacro (BR), S. Yokoyama (JP)

The external lightning protection systems used by engineers in different countries can be divided into two categories, namely, conventional and non-conventional lightning protection systems. The conventional systems use Franklin rods. Many decades of experience shows that by combining Franklin rods located at critical points on a structure with a proper down conductor and grounding system the damage due to lightning could be reduced significantly [1]. The Early Streamer Emission rods and Dissipation Arrays (sometimes called Charge Transfer Systems) belong to the category of non conventional lightning protection systems. The latter systems have been introduced into several lightning protection standards without testing them over the same long period of time in the field as done for conventional ones to assess and validate their performances. In this note we will summarize the results of studies pertinent to these systems as reported in the scientific literature.

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