Early Streamer Emission (ESE) Lightning Protection Systems
During thunderstorm conditions when the lightning downward leader is approaching ground level, an upward leader may be created by any surface. nVent ERICO Interceptor ESE i-Series generates controlled magnitude and frequency pulses at the tip of the terminal during high static fields prior to a lightning discharge. This enables the creation of an upward leader from the terminal that propagates toward the downward leader coming from the thunder cloud. These early streamer emission air terminals (ESEAT) are in accordance with the 2011 edition of NFC 17-102. The design requirements, protection level calculations and protection radius are obtained from this standard and similar ESE standards. Due to the internal control circuit, the Interceptor ESE i-Series enables the early launching of an upward leader compared to other passive components.
The Interceptor ESE i-Series has been extensively tested at an independent high-voltage laboratory in accordance with the revised 2011 requirements of French NFC 17-102. The testing, as defined in the standard, was designed to simulate naturally occurring conditions and allow comparison of the performance between differing types of lightning protection systems.
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nVent ERICO System 1000 Components
1) nVent ERICO Interceptor ESE i-Series Terminals
Designed and tested to NF C 17-102 and similar standards. These ESE terminals are available in three models to suit specific site requirements. Suitable for use with a variety of downconductor systems including tape, stranded conductor and nVent ERICO Ericore conductor.
2) Cantilevered and Guyed Mounting Masts
Mounting masts available for cantilevered or guyed installations on structures.
3) Conventional and Isolated Conductors
Lightning protection conductors are designed to handle the high current, short duration electrical current flows of a lightning strike. nVent ERICO conventional conductors are offered in a variety of materials and windings. nVent ERICO Isolated Downconductor (ISOnV) System is also available for use with System 1000 installations.
4) nVent ERICO Lightning Event Counter
Monitor a System 3000 installation with a lightning event counter. Records quantity, hour and date of lightning strikes for retrieval during inspections.
5) Grounding System
The grounding system must have a low impedance to disperse the energy of the lightning strike. Because the lightning discharge consists of high frequency components, we are particularly concerned with the frequency-dependent electrical parameter of a grounding system – impedance – as well as low resistance grounding.
NFC 17-102 Design Principles
The design and installation of the terminals should be completed in compliance with the requirements of the French Standard NFC 17-102. In addition to terminal placement requirements, the standard requires a minimum of two paths to the ground per terminal for non-isolated conductor systems. A down conductor cross-sectional area of ≥50 mm2 is specified.
According to NFC 17-102:2011, the standard protection radius (Rp) of the ESE i-Series is linked to ΔT, the protection levels I, II, III or IV (as calculated in EN 62305-2) and the height (h) of the ESE i-Series above the structure or feature to be protected (defined by NFC 17-102 as a minimum 2 m).
Ideal for:
- Compliance to NFC 17-102
- Low-lying, sprawling structures where conventional methods would be cost-prohibitive
- Applications without a conventional installation method specified and where an enhanced solution is advantageous
Learn More
Learn more about nVent ERICO System 1000 and our Early Streamer Emission (ESE) Lightning Protection Products.
Tell Us About Your Project!
Tell us about your project or design! Let our dedicated teams of engineers and designers around the world provide support for your lightning protection project.