Experimental study on lightning air terminal performance based on material type

Abstract

Lightning air terminal is a main part of the external lightning protection system in the form of an upright rod conductor which has a construction in the formed side of lightning air terminal tapered shape as collector's static electric charge. The main parameters that determine both the deficient performance of a Franklin's lightning air terminals seen from the breakdown voltage level. This study discusses lightning air terminal based on material types. This research was conducted for 6 times experiments using lightning air terminals with 3 different type of material, namely copper, aluminum and galvanized iron (standard IEC 62305). The method used is testing the Lightning air terminals (LAT) based on different type of material using a high voltage DC negative polarity by adjusting the gap. Variables that are sought in the form of breakdown voltage and resistance of each lightning air terminals. The results from the study showed that the type of material from lightning air terminals affect the ability to deliver the lightning current to the ground as seen from the breakdown voltage level. The level of breakdown voltage for each material is different with the same gap. At a gap of 1 cm, test uses three types of materials testing of lightning air terminals, the probability of the type of material exposed to breakdown voltage on the types of copper by 100% with an average value of 8.23 KV breakdown voltage with 0.06 Ω resistance. Tests with two kinds of materials of lightning air terminal, the probability of the type of material exposed to breakdown voltage on the types of aluminum at 100% with an average value of breakdown voltage kV 8.48 with 0.08 Ω resistance. Testing with one type of material of lightning air terminal, the probability of the type of material exposed to breakdown voltage on the types of galvanized iron materials by 96.67% with an average value of breakdown voltage of 8.64 KV with 0.10 Ω resistance.