Design, simulation, and laboratory experiments of high voltage strike for lightning protection system in fishing boat model

Lightning is a natural phenomenon that often happens. When lightning strikes, the power produced is so large that lightning is very dangerous. One area where lightning often strikes is in the sea. This causes the crew who sailed in the middle of the ocean is vulnerable to lightning strikes. To increase the safety of the ship from the effects of the lightning strike, it needs a lightning protection system in accordance with the type of ship. Lightning protection on ships mainly consists of air termination, down conductor, and ground body. So far, studies on ship protection are only available for metal vessels such as cargo ships and warships. Therefore, studies on the design of lightning protection systems that are suitable for traditional boat types are needed. In this study, the lightning protection system was designed using the rolling sphere method. The design results obtained were then tested using software simulations. Based on the simulation results, the design of the lightning protection system was validated using a high voltage strike laboratory experiment. This experiment was carried out using a voltage impulse stroke to a laboratory-scale ship model. From the results of experiments conducted, the rolling sphere method can be used to determine the height of air termination in the fishing boat. In addition, the addition of conductor cables (overhead wires) can expand the protection zone so that it is better at protecting protection objects. © 2020 IEEE.