Spherical Lightning Protection Device with Insulated Electrodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lightning protection methods are ineffective in suppressing lightning strikes, as they often create a positive charge region that can attract lightning, leading to potential strikes on the lower electrode body.
Innovation Solution
A lightning protection device comprising an inner electrode body grounded and an outer electrode body that encloses it with a gap, using an electrical insulator to maintain electrical insulation, and a support body to secure both electrodes, creating a negative charge distribution that suppresses upward streamers and reduces the positive charge region.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional lightning rod method is used to receive and conduct lightning to ground, then lightning strike protection is provided, but a positive charge region is formed that can attract lightning strikes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional lightning protection approach by using a pointed electrode body connected to ground (not suspended) to suppress upward streamers and prevent lightning strikes, rather than attracting them. This reverses the mechanism from attraction to suppression.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameter configuration by grounding the pointed electrode body and using an insulator to create specific charge distribution, transforming the electrode from a lightning attractor to a streamer suppressor through controlled charge accumulation.
2Reliability
If an insulator is used to electrically insulate the inner and outer electrode bodies, then electrical insulation is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator serves multiple functions: it provides electrical insulation between the inner and outer electrode bodies, supports the inner electrode body, and helps maintain the predetermined gap. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner electrode body is nested within the outer electrode body, with the insulator positioned between them. This nested configuration allows compact arrangement while maintaining insulation and support functions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the outer electrode body encloses the inner electrode body with a predetermined gap, then the positive charge region is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator is pre-installed between the inner and outer electrode bodies to maintain the predetermined gap during assembly. This preliminary positioning action ensures the required precision without demanding high precision in the final assembly step.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulator acts as an intermediary component that physically maintains the predetermined gap between the inner and outer electrode bodies, translating the design requirement into a manufacturable feature through a dedicated spacing element.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively suppresses upward streamers and enhances lightning strike suppression by covering most of the surroundings with a negative charge, reducing the positive charge region and improving the lightning strike suppression effect.
Implementation Method 1
an electrical insulator which is provided in the gap to hold the inner electrode body and the outer electrode body in a state of being electrically insulated from each other
Implementation Method 2
the upper electrode body which is disposed via the insulator has a negative charge due to the action of a capacitor
Implementation Method 3
the opposite charge (positive charge) is distributed on the surface of the ground and the positive charge gathers also in the lower electrode body which is grounded
Data Source
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AI summary
The occurrence of an upward streamer is effectively suppressed by reducing a positively charged region formed around a lightning protection device as much as possible. The lightning protection device includes: an inner electrode body 2 which is grounded; an outer electrode body 3 which is provided so as to enclose the inner electrode body 2 with a predetermined gap G from the inner electrode body 2; an electrical insulator S which is provided in the gap G to hold the inner electrode body 2 and the outer electrode body 3 in a state of being electrically insulated from each other; and a support body for the inner electrode body, in which the inner electrode body 2 is formed in a substantially spherical shape, the outer electrode body 3 is formed in a spherical shell shape similar to an outer surface shape of the inner electrode body 2, and substantially an entire surface of the inner electrode body 2 is covered by the outer electrode body 3.