Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Safety and protection of systems and devices – High voltage dissipation
Patent
1992-07-24
1994-11-15
Hoff, Marc S.
Electricity: electrical systems and devices
Safety and protection of systems and devices
High voltage dissipation
361118, H02H 904
Patent
active
053653980
ABSTRACT:
Disclosed is a lightning attractor apparatus for protecting secondary structures within the lightning protection zone of said lightning attractor apparatus, which is electrically grounded to the body of earth and ground water having reference potential. The apparatus includes a central conductive rod, one or more coaxial cylindrical conductors of decreasing height with the lowest cylindrical conductor on the outside, and a conducting base means onto which all above-ground conductors are rigidly mounted, and which provides the link with a common grounding rod. The grounding rod provides the electrical connection of the apparatus with the reference ground potential. Insulative concentric spacers, located at more or less regular intervals along the axis, separate and isolate the above-ground conductors from one another, their separation being such that arc-over between adjacent conductors are effectively suppressed. An insulating covering for the lower portion of the outer cylindrical conductor provides protection by preventing direct contact with current carrying surfaces when lightning strikes the apparatus. A separately grounded conducting annular ring at the base of the tower, extending typically a few inches above the surface, prevents intercepted lightning currents form leaving the immediate area laterally below the apparatus beyond the perimeter of the ring, thus eliminating step potentials in the region outside the base annular ring. The outside cylindrical conductors provide EMI/RFI shielding for intercepted lightning currents that pass through inside conductors. In one aspect of this invention, one or more cylindrical conductors may be individually grounded to reference ground potential.
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Hoff Marc S.
Jackson S.
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