Lightning Protection System in Infrastructure Industry

In contemporary urban settings, buildings stand as essential infrastructure that incorporates IoT, AI and new energy technologies—making their safe operation a top priority. They not only house numerous electrical devices but also serve as major hubs for human activity. As a common natural disaster, lightning strikes pose a grave risk to these vital facilities.

Building power distribution systems cover high-voltage, low-voltage and DC distribution systems, emergency power supplies, and power monitoring functions, to name a few. Power surge protectors are installed in each of these subsystems. Notably, voltage levels differ significantly from country to country and region to region—making the right choice of power surge protectors essential. Key considerations for selection include three critical factors: proper adjustment of the Uₙ value, optimization of the maximum discharge current, and determination of the surge protector’s pole number, with the Uₙ value adjustment being the most vital.

As smart building technology evolves, the safety and stability of security and low-voltage systems have become a top priority. Robust lightning protection measures not only protect valuable electronic devices from lightning damage but also ensure secure information transmission, boosting the overall reliability of the systems. Security and low-voltage systems cover key subsystems like security systems, communication systems, and server rooms, with core protected equipment including cameras, switches, access control systems, and antennas. According to the physical communication interfaces and electrical parameters of these devices, appropriate signal surge protectors must be deployed. During the design and installation of security and low-voltage systems, it is essential to follow science-based lightning protection plans.

Buildings’ lightning monitoring systems combine real-time monitoring of external lightning protection facilities and internal power distribution systems to create intelligent lightning warning and operation management systems. Through multi-dimensional data collection, network-based transmission, and smart analysis, these systems realize accurate tracking of lightning activity, dynamic evaluation of lightning protection equipment status, and early alerts of potential risks, which in turn significantly boost the reliability and efficiency of building lightning protection systems.

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) integrates photovoltaic (PV) modules directly into building envelopes (e.g., roofs, facades, PV windows), realizing the organic integration of power generation functionality and architectural aesthetic design. The BIPV power distribution system is composed of a PV generation subsystem, an energy storage subsystem, a grid-connection subsystem, and a building electrical load subsystem. Due to the long-term exposure of PV modules to outdoor environments, BIPV systems are vulnerable to lightning strikes and surge impacts. To mitigate such risks, an effective lightning protection scheme must comprehensively address key issues including direct lightning strike protection, electromagnetic shielding, rational cabling, and configuration of Surge Protection Devices (SPDs).