Preventive Maintenance for Lightning Current Monitoring

The Lightning Monitoring System LM-S from Phoenix Contact provides information online about lightning strikes in plants and systems. As a consequence, service call planning can be optimized. This new system identifies and analyzes all of the important parameters of lightning surge currents based on the Faraday effect.

A light signal is used as measuring medium. The way in which this light signal is influenced provides information about the type and magnitude of the lightning strike. On the basis of this information, a decision can be made as to whether it is necessary to make a service call. This is especially advantageous for plants and systems in exposed locations such as wind turbines.

The system comprises an evaluation unit with up to three sensors. The sensors are mounted on the discharge conductors that conduct the lightning current. The sensors are connected to the evaluation unit through fiber-optic cables. The communication is established to existing supervisory control or management systems via an Ethernet interface. The integrated Web interface allows access to the most important data of all of the monitored systems around the clock via the system’s own network.

Author: Gary Lim