Find the Level of Protection for LPS Design by using SARS POWER Lightning Risk Assessment Calculator
After IS/IEC 62305 and NBC 2016 comes into practice, the detailed lightning risk assessment has become a mandatory parameter for lightning protection system. With Lightning Risk Assessment Calculation Software, we came to know whether our structure need Lightning Protection System or not. If it needs LPS than at which level of protection we have to design the system.
All these calculations are little bit complicated and hence to make it easier for the calculation, SARS POWER has developed a Lightning Risk Assessment Calculation Software to help meeting the requirement of LPS design.
It is a free tool for all which is available here to do the calculations and it is also available on the play store in mobile app version. Let’s understand why lightning risk assessment plays a very important role in LPS design.
As per IS/IEC 62305, there are total four sources of Lightning Strikes- a) Lightning Hit on the Structure; b) Lightning Hit near by the Structure; c) Lightning Hit on the Services; d) Lightning Hit nearby the Services.
All these sources bring different types of damages to our structure- a) Damage to the Physical Damage; b) Damage to the services to the public; c) Damage to Human Life. Due to all these damages, different losses and risks are indulged in to our structure and we have to protect our structure from all these Losses.
Hence, risk assessment plays a very important role in the lightning protection system design. Risk assessment of any building shall be done based on the various factors and parameters of the building/structure as per IS/IEC 62305-2. Some of the factors and parameters includes- Location of the structure, Dimension of the structure, no. of annual thunderstorm days, surrounding vicinity of the structure, type of Power Lines & Telecom Lines, No. of human beings that will be involved in the structure, type of structure and much more.
All these parameters have given some value as per losses and Risk. We have to calculate the 4 risk values for the 4 types of losses that are indulged in the structure. Those four calculated risk values than compared by the tolerable risk values given in the structure as shown in the below table-
| Types of Losses | Tolerable Risk Values |
| Risk of loss of human life | 10-5 |
| Risk of loss of service to the public | 10-3 |
| Risk of loss of Cultural Heritage | 10-4 |
| Risk of loss of Economical Value | 10-3 |
If the calculated risk value is smaller than the tolerable risk values than no lightning protection system is required and in case of vice versa, a proper LPS design is required for our structure and then the level of protection needs to be decided.
All these calculations are little bit complicated and hence to make it easier for the calculation, SARS POWER has developed a Lightning Risk Assessment Calculation Software to help meeting the requirement of LPS design.
It is a free tool for all which is available here to do the calculations and it is also available on the play store in mobile app version.