IEEE Std 998-2012

IEEE Guide for Direct Lightning Stroke Shielding of Substations

method acknowledges that the “angle of protection” cannot be a fixed parameter and varies with height of
air termination above the surface to be protected. IEC 62305 Part 3 provides curves showing the angle of
protection for varying height of air termination for different levels of protection defined in Part 1. It is
observed that the horizontal geometrical distance covered by the prescribed curves are less than that
covered by rolling sphere of the radius corresponding to each lightning protection level. In other words, the
protection angle method followed by IEC 62305 is a simplified approach on the basis of principle of
minimum distance to provide the end users a readily available guideline for simple structures.

I.3.5 Mesh method

I.3.5.1 Model

a) The lightning stroke will only terminate on a grounded (earthed) conductors placed on the roof of
the object. This is probably based on the superior conductivity of air termination material over the
general structural material used for roof.
b) There is no discussion in IEC 62305 on the model for the physical process of initiation.
c) The lightning stroke travels through the air. There is no discussion on the physical process of the
travel.

I.3.5.2 Method

a) Determine the probabilistic minimum stroke current for the object to be protected
b) Determine the corresponding lightning protection level from the look up table.
c) Determine the required minimum size of mesh for the applicable lightning protection level for the
plane surface to be protected.
d) Positioning is intended to create a configuration that results in stroke termination on the protective
equipment rather than the protected object.
e) The object is considered to be protected for the specific minimum stroke current if the dimension of
the mesh (width and length) is less than the minimum mesh size prescribed for the applicable
lightning protection level.

Note on the method

The mesh method is prescribed to be a suitable form of protection where plane surfaces are required to be
protected. The method is considered to protect the whole surface under certain conditions, such as
positioning of air-termination conductors on prescribed locations, limiting mesh dimensions within
prescribed limits, providing minimum two direct routes to earth, prohibiting any metal installation to
protrude outside the volume of protection provided by the mesh method. Location of an isolated metallic
part on the same plane of protected surface is apparently not prohibited by this method. However, the
minimum distance principle could necessitate a minimum height of the mesh over the roof in case of
presence of a metallic part on the roof requiring protection.

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