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How To Protect Your Industrial Business From Natural Damage

If you are involved from an ownership or management position within a business that operates in an industrial capacity, you already are aware of the challenges that operating in this capacity pose. The critical nature of an industrial facility, coupled with an incredible amount of heavy machinery that must be kept online, we often find that the care and maintenance of this equipment must always include ways to keep the equipment from being damaged by weather events such as lightning strikes and surges. In any situation, the more protection that can be given to components will result in longer average operational life spans, so finding new and innovative ways to shield that equipment from harm is almost always a priority for businesses that operate this way. While this might not be able to be accomplished when speaking of building structures, in many cases the equipment is extremely exposed in the first place, as in the case of cell towers, wind turbines or solar farms, and there are other ways to provide shielding aspects, and help to prevent damage. In the case of a wind turbine or solar panel, the need for these to remain both exposed and unobstructed in order to function properly is a consideration, yet there are ways to make sure that this equipment is not damaged by weather events. While you might not be able to stop the rain from falling on those components, you can prevent damage from occurring as a result of lightning strikes.

Lightning is one of the main problems at exposed industrial facilities and leads to some of the biggest expenditures with regard to repair and restoration of functionality. Lightning hits the exposed equipment and destroys it, which in most cases would mean that the end unit components would need to be repaired or replaced. The issues arise when equipment is connected further away, and is damaged as a result of the surge coming from the same strike. Lightning produces a power surge that travels along any conductive element, moving from the strike point towards earth. It will overwhelm almost any circuit driven component along this path and cause it to also need repair or replacement. Due to the need for connecting these end units to control equipment farther away, we find that a single lightning strike can cause a huge amount of damage even great distances from the point it hits, requiring replacement and restoration to functionality in order to continue business. This is why the integration of surge protection devices along the potential pathways where surges can travel is so critical, and poses a technological solution to protecting equipment in the field. Surge protection devices serve as the barriers against power surge damage produced by these natural events, and can ultimately save businesses millions of dollars each time a strike occurs. Couple this with the fact that prevention of damage makes the restoration to functionality able to happen faster, and you have a method of protecting the business bottom line that looks very attractive.

Industrial Surge Protection In Modern Industrial Businesses

As businesses become more reliant upon computerization and robotic manufacturing to produce goods and services for public consumption, we find that there are unique challenges that present themselves as technology becomes more integrated. Industrial businesses still share the same types of physical makeups as they always have, being positioned in regions and areas that are not close to other developments, in order to both allow for the aspects of business to happen that must without disturbing the daily lives of others, and also to provide the space that is necessary in many operations. In other cases, the “end units” of a business comes into play, with things like solar panels and wind turbines needing to be positioned in places that are unobstructed, once again necessitating a remote location. In all these cases, each year that goes by shows more reliance upon technology to regulate and operate the business itself. Computers and robots are replacing human beings in many roles, and the processes are becoming more streamlined and productive as new technology is integrated. The downside to the integration of computerized and circuit driven equipment is the expense of its maintenance and repair when it is damaged. The more expensive the components in equipment, the more cost to maintain it. The more integral the equipment is to the process, the more damaging it becomes when it goes offline. The unfortunate aspect of integration of these types of systems is that they can easily be damaged by the natural weather events that take place all around us, especially lightning strikes.

When lighting strikes an industrial facility, it causes two types of damage. The most obvious is the explosion and fires that happen at the strike point, usually resulting in structural and equipment damage at the point of the strike. There is little that can be done to prevent this type of damage, but downstream damage because of the power surge that follows a lightning strike can be prevented. An unprotected system will see damage at the strike point that also results in damage to components some distances away. This is because of the connections between that equipment and the strike point itself. If the power surge that follows the strike is allowed to travel along any pathways that lead to other circuit-driven equipment, it can easily damage that connected equipment as a result. This compounds the costs of regularly doing business because the damage that must be fixed and restored to functional status is not isolated to one place. Instead, it can be seen anywhere that is ultimately connected to that point through a cable or wire. Any component directly connected to equipment at the strike point, or directly connected or mounted to the same structure, can be easily damaged and must be attended to. This is why the need is so strong to integrate industrial surge protection devices along all possible pathways that electricity can follow. The result of allowing a facility to be inadequately protected will almost always be more expensive than providing that protection in the first place.

Lightning Protectors For Industry Savings

Lightning is one of the primary causes for losses within industries that function with exposed equipment. When combined with the losses as a result of customer frustration with networks availability, and supplies that are intermittent, causing customers to switch to competing firms for services, revenue losses as a result of lightning strikes can easily run into the millions of dollars over time. It is for this reason that savvy companies have turned to preventative measures in order to salvage as much equipment as possible as a result of lightning strikes, with an added benefit being quicker service restoration times. Simply put, by creating situations where lightning strike damage is isolated to the strike points themselves, the downstream equipment repair and replacement costs can be minimized. Through minimization efforts, downtime rates are also reduced leading to greater levels of customer retention and satisfaction. The minimal costs of implementing lightning protectors is offset by the huge savings over time that they produce.

Lightning protection within each industry is going to look different due to the unique setups that are involved in specific equipment for that industry. As an example, we will find that a cellular tower is one of many units in the device chain used by the telecommunications industry. That cell tower exists within an exposed space, generally providing the best target in a region for lightning strikes due to the physical makeup of the tower. They are most always the tallest structures in a region and are unobstructed by other structures in order to provide good signals to users on the ground. They are constructed of materials that conduct electricity so as to provide strength against wind and rain, and they are not shielded in any way so as to allow for signal transfer. At the top of the tower is the “remote radio head” equipment which essentially receives and transmits the necessary signals to users. Near the bottom of the tower is the “base band unit” which processes the signals and transmits them to the network. These two equipment groups are connected through a multitude of wires and cables, as well as being affixed to the same structure, essentially tying these two equipment groups directly together. In the event of single or multiple lightning strikes to the tower near the top, the electrical current produced by the strike overwhelms and damages the equipment that is connected together using the power lines as a transfer path. The only way to salvage at least some of this equipment further down the chain is to provide a gapping mechanism, known as “a lighting protector” which will not allow the flow of electricity past the point of install. The electrical flow will travel unobstructed to that point. The result is a salvaging of equipment beyond that point and an easier restoration of service after the fact. These technologically advanced products produce far more savings over time than the cost of their install, ultimately making lightning protectors a good investment for the cellular industry.

Photovoltaic Surge Protection

In the ever growing field of clean and efficient power generation, the need to continually innovate in order to bring down costs is critical. The ongoing power struggle between industrial concepts involving fossil fuels vs clean energy techniques will continue until a clear winner emerges that can produce lower cost power that also has the lowest impact on the environment. Until then, the debate over environmental impact is not enough to convince many people that the added cost is justified. Ultimately, it is this inability to see beyond the short-term savings of a small amount of money that hinders the entire green energy industry, as public support rarely goes to the concepts that offer better long-term solutions at a higher current price. People throw their support behind the methods that cost the least today, even though they fully understand that these choices are not the best over time. Once a method becomes better and cheaper, the public supports it fully. Unfortunately, at the current time, solar power is still evolving to that point. This means that at the current time, solar power costs more to produce than fossil fuel power. Even through there may be manipulation from governments and groups interested in pushing a fossil fuel agenda, ultimately the technological progression within the solar industry will prove to be a cheaper product. Where innovation might not be being supported and funded by these large groups and government agencies, the private sector is still moving the entire industry forward towards that goal.

One way that innovation is proving that it can drive down energy production costs in the solar market is through the implementation of ways to lengthen the time the equipment in the field lasts. One such innovation in the implementation of surge protection devices into photovoltaic systems. Just like any mechanized or computerized system that is exposed to the elements, the solar industry on both an industrial and consumer level has this issue. The exposed panels that are necessary to collect sunlight also provide an ideal place for lightning to strike. This is due to the isolated nature of their placement in order that they be unobstructed by other structures. Lightning is prone to striking the panels, which causes damage at the strike point. This strike also produces a power surge which travels along connection cables from the panels to the downstream equipment used in the process. That equipment is overwhelmed by the power levels exceeding the safe range, and must then be repaired or replaced as well. This creates far more damage than is necessary, and ultimately drives up the total production costs of a unit of power created using these types of systems. Through the integration of photovoltaic surge protection devices in the inverters and at junction boxes within these systems, a protective stop is created between the vulnerable panels and the sensitive equipment downstream. The protection of this equipment over time allows for power generation having lower costs, in the end bringing the cost of solar power down below that of fossil fuels. The future is green energy, and technological innovations in the private sector are making it possible.

The Cellular Industry And Lightning Protection

The cellular industry has many challenges that are misunderstood by the general public. Ask most people how the telecommunications industry works and they will say that their phone receives information from a network, and connects them to others as a result. The lack of understanding of the challenges faced by the industry itself leads many to switch carriers whenever they are presented with spotty coverage during and after inclement weather; this ultimately being a result of a natural phenomena that happen to any carrier. These challenges are due in part to the physical makeup of the towers themselves and not the carrier or any fault with their service. The tower is positioned within range to receive and transmit signals to your device on the ground. That tower is made of materials that can conduct electricity, as a result of the need to remain strong and able to withstand the highest wind and rain. At the top of that tower is a group of devices that make up part of a distributed base station architecture, “remote radio heads”, which receive and transmit signals to users on the ground. That equipment group is directly connected to the rest of the architecture, the “base band unit”, at the base of the same tower. This equipment group processes your signal data and provides a direct connection to the network itself. When a lightning strike to the top part of a cellular tower happens, which is a perfectly natural occurrence, the result can be damage equipment not only at the top but throughout the system. This is due to the connectivity lines that join that equipment chain together, as well as the structure they are all connected to. A strike produces a significant amount of damage at the strike point itself, in the form of explosion and fire, but the subsequent damage to equipment as a result of the power surge which follows must also be taken into consideration. While the isolation of damage to the strike point would be already negative with regards to losses, the power that follows a strike moves to additional connected equipment and exacerbates the issues. Surging power flows along those connectivity cables and damages the circuitry of equipment far from the strike point, meaning that far more equipment must be repaired or replaced. This will also increase the amount of time that is necessary to restore that tower to functionality, ultimately resulting in unsatisfied customers and potential revenue losses as a result. Only through mitigation efforts can these types of losses be stopped.

Mitigation in the cellular industry involves the installation of “lightning protection” along the pathways that electricity can flow. These surge protection devices prevent the flow of electricity top other equipment if a surge outside of a safe range is detected. This prevents the subsequent damage downstream from happening and allows restoration to be completed in a faster time frame. These lightning protection measures ultimately pay for themselves in savings over time, of both equipment damage costs as well as customer retention. The revenues that are saved as a result can many times be the difference between business success or failure.

The Integration Of Surge Protection Into Photovoltaic Systems

The development of solar power and other green energy production techniques over the past few decades has been slower than one would expect. This is due to a push back from the companies that produce power using the traditional fossil fuel methods, generally relying upon the burning of a fuel source in order to produce the same product that the new methods do. This push back is not as a result of a desire to evolve and find alternative sources of energy in case of emergency, but instead is due to the potential lost revenues that these companies would sustain if their methods were phased out. There is also the threat of losses as a result of the population having the potential to more effectively generate their own power, ultimately removing paying customers from the system as it stands. The desire to keep the current systems in place at all costs in order to protect revenues has caused a slowing of development of new innovations and techniques within the green energy sector, as the combined potential monetary investments into technology by governmental sectors is lacking. As a result, the majority of innovations within the green energy sector come from private entities.

The desire to create more efficient methods of power production is both a money and a production discussion. Innovation within the sector will produce more power using those systems, providing the more reliable ability to fully satisfy customer needs using those systems alone. As the efficiency of the green energy systems improves, we as consumers can rely more heavily on the amounts of power produced to not run out for us during heavy-use times. Additionally, technological innovation will make these methods cheaper, producing the same units of power for less cost than the traditional methods. Fossil-fuel producers realize this is the death knell of their industry, and are doing everything they can to stop its progress. One example of how technology can intervene to make green energy a more viable source than fossil fuel energy is through the integration of surge protection devices into the photovoltaic systems, as well as other forms of production. Green energy production methods all rely upon an “end unit” in the form of exposed machinery or devices. These devices in the form of solar panels and windmills are positioned in completely vulnerable areas because of the necessity for them to be unobstructed to be more efficient. This makes them perfect targets for lightning strikes, and while the damage at a strike point is not good, it is complicated by the subsequent damage. This happens when a power surge moves along connectivity lines from those end units to the machinery used in the process downstream. As a result, damage occurs at the strike point as well as further into the system. The integration of surge protection devices along the pathways electricity can travel can ultimately save downstream equipment, and make the entire system cheaper to maintain over time. The result is cheaper and cleaner power.

Wind Turbine Lightning Protection

The ever-expanding popularity of wind generated power in order to satisfy both needs and desires for cleaner production methods is hindered and slowed by issues that have no absolute solutions. In these circumstances, the best solutions provided are technologically advanced avoidance mechanisms in order to prevent issues from happening. What we are primarily discussing is a major cause of both damage repair cost as well as outages with respect to wind towers as a result of lightning. This issue only grows more severe as the technology used in the wind power generation field grows more sophisticated, and the reliance upon each individual tower to perform becomes more critical. There is no way to assure a total prevention of damage that comes as a result of lightning strikes, so the industry has turned to the most evolved avoidance mechanisms to step in and salvage as much as possible when the inevitable occurs. A “wind tower” is an isolated structure that is physically tall and unobstructed in order to harness the full potential of wind blowing across its blades. Each tower utilizes sophisticated electronic equipment to perform their function. And that equipment is at constant risk of damage as a result of the physical makeup of the tower. Since lightning strikes to the tower or blades is not only commonplace but essentially unavoidable, methods to stop the subsequent power surge and conduct it safely to earth have been the primary method of equipment damage avoidance. These systems will usually cost less than 1% of the operational cost of the tower itself and can improve reliability as well as increase the cost effectiveness of operations to a far larger degree than that 1%.

Research suggests that during the first year of operation of a typical wind tower, once it is installed, more than 85% of downtime is lightning strike related. These studies have also shown that not only are 80% of insurance claims in this field lightning-related, the average totals for lightning damage after a strike exceed $250,000. As a result of these risks, there has been a push within the insurance industry to deny lightning-related coverage. The typical damages that are seen that have high costs are to the control systems and electronics, even though when the strikes happen to the structure and blades they are often destroyed. The blades DO represent the most costly and disruptive damage, but the electronics like the sensors, actuators and motors as well as the transformer stations, frequency converters and switchgear elements represent combined costs that combined can rival blade replacement costs. This electronic gear is generally not completely damaged as a result of the strike but instead suffers due to the surge, and these damages can be avoided through the installation of lightning protection devices on strategic areas of the wind turbine system. Combined with grounding to an existing rod, this setup can avoid a significant amount of damage typically associated with a strike, isolating that damage to the blades and exposed structure. This avoidance technique can save millions of dollars in repair costs every year, increasing productivity and creating a more viable electrical source.

Combo Disconnect Enclosures From Raycap

The need for standardization of electrified equipment that is in proximity to the public is paramount. This is being driven home recently in the explosion of 5G microsites or “small cell sites” happening across the globe. There were 154,000 small cell sites in 2019 according to CTIA, and that number is expected to balloon to more than 800,000 by 2026. This is simply because the demand for 5G connectivity is strong, causing a land grab by competing carriers to create 5G coverage within their networks. The issues arise not from the desire or need for the service itself, but from the drawbacks involving the equipment used in the process. 4G macro sites can be positioned on tall cell towers upwards of a mile from the device connecting to the network via that site. They can also be positioned this distance apart while still maintaining a reliable network that will not lose coverage or drop calls. This enables 4G macro sites to be installed farther distances from the users than 5G allows. A 5G small cell site will be smaller in size and scope, but still requires several electronic components to be installed within around one-tenth of a mile from the user or other sites. This poses the issue of overwhelming the landscape with equipment mounted to poles and structures, ultimately hurting the aesthetic beauty of a region in the name of technological advancement. Because of the desire for both 5G coverage and aesthetic beauty, there has been a significant push over the past few years to create new materials which will allow better concealment without blocking signals coming from and to antennas or radios. Creative installation methods and placements have hidden equipment where it can be concealed, but this equipment still remains exposed in many situations, and externally mounted enclosures found on telephone poles and streetlights can create an unsightly jumble of boxes and wires that actually could become dangerous for the public and utility workers. In order to interact with these installations, utility workers must have a basic understanding of the ways that each equipment piece is connected to the power supply. Because of the different components and the unique setup of almost every installation, dangers can present themselves as a result of the wiring and live electricity. Raycap has designed a streamlined presentation for use in these small cell applications, where a combination disconnect enclosure will house both the metering equipment as well as the main breaker that supplies all telecom equipment that is connected in the system. This presentation is aesthetically pleasing, replacing the number of visually exposed boxes and wiring into a single unit, while also assuring a single and easy method of completely shutting off power for maintenance, with optional surge protection as well. Providing the standardization that prevents accidents through understanding of the system as well as the streamlined visual approach to the equipment that is mounted within view of the public is an elegant solution to a growing issue that will continue to be needed more and more as more sites are rolled out by carriers to satisfy demand for 5G. The future can be both technologically advanced and beautiful.

Combo AC Disconnect Enclosures Keep Workers Safe And Cities Beautiful

The phrase “combination AC disconnect enclosure” describes a specialized box that can be used to standardize the installation of 5G microsite or “small cell” electrical equipment. This enclosure provides several benefits to the public, and mainly these will be noticed as a way to conceal the array of wires and boxes into needed in the process into one single slim elegant enclosure, away from public view. While there is no denying that 5G technology is coming to an area around you, the way that it will impact the aesthetics of the area is debatable. A 5G microsite is smaller than a 3G or 4G macro site or cell tower, but there must be many more of them in place in order to maintain network functionality. While the 5G network signals are faster, they degrade far more quickly than previous generation cellular signals, meaning that the typical mile apart needed to maintain connectivity is reduced to one-tenth of a mile with 5G small cell mmWave sites. This results in 5G equipment in densely packed urban environments being positioned closer to users instead of far away on building tops or cell towers. To function properly, 5G mmWave small cell sites must be in close proximity to one another, and at or near street level. The means that you are going to be noticing far more boxes and wires all over utility poles and streetlights as you move through the area you live or work. Many people are resistant to change because of the side effects that change will have on the environment. With regards to 5G rollouts, which are expected to go from 180,000 currently to more than 800,000 over the next few years, this will mean that you will be seeing different looking poles, and poles hosting enclosures that can contain all types of electronical equipment needed for the small cell site, plus radio receivers and antennas mounted to the tops of them. These installations require the support of local utilities to hook them up to the main power, and with this comes expense and also potential danger. Each piece of equipment is powered by an electrical connection, and the possibility of accidentally encountering a live electrical feed is possible when workers are seeing different typese of connectivity setups each time. Raycap’s solution to this is its new “combination AC disconnect enclosure” which consolidates the electrical equipment necessary into one streamlined box complete with an easy to see and use AC power disconnect. After the installation of these systems on a small cell site the utility can easily disconnect the AC power going to the pole equipment before making any necessary repairs.

The vast array of boxes and wires that are involved in the 5G microsite are often not very pleasing to the eyes. The AC combo disconnect enclosures manufactured by Raycap conceal and combine the equipment and wiring involved in the process, reducing it to a slimline and standardized presentation in a single enclosure. The power supply feeds an integrated metering device, which then moves to a single breaker which enables power shut off to the entire array of equipment. This standardization in combination with concealment keeps access to the dangerous power supplies away from the public, and makes the setups easier to work with for utilities and others who would need to interact with the site for repair and maintenance. As 5G rolls out across the world and more microsites impact the daily lives of citizens and workers alike, the choice to use a combination AC disconnect enclosure or not may be the difference between a beautiful and smart city, or just a smart city.

Indoor 5G And Effective Concealment

The first rollouts of 5G technology have been met with great excitement by those desiring faster speeds for download and connectivity. After only a short period, the pushback began with criticism of the amounts of equipment necessary for the infrastructure. The tradeoff between the faster 5G speeds and connectivity and older 4G and 3G networks is the amount of equipment that must be in proximity to the user of the network, and the distance necessary to the user’s device. With distances of upwards of a mile possible for cell towers comprising 4G networks to function effectively, much of the telecom infrastructure equipment used in the process could be installed far enough away from people to not have them notice. Because 5G mmWave small cell sites must be around one-tenth of a mile from the user, the visual impact is often noticed and sometimes less than desirable. For these reasons, the concealment industry has shifted its focus from mainly doing concealments for macro sites, to the concealment of 5G network equipment, often within challenging urban environments.

A “challenging environment” is a way to describe a multitude of urban areas that might not be accepting of the installation of new network infr4astructure, especially if it will be readily seen by the public and have an impact on the aesthetics of a particular region. While the availability of 5G signals and services within that area would be met with positivity most certainly, the “destruction of the landscape” in the name of technology is often not very well received by City planners and residential bodies. In an urban environment where densely packed people interact every moment, we find that these constituents can view the efforts to bring in 5G via small cell installations as counter-productive. These environments have been more receptive to 5G rollouts if the equipment can be concealed inside new street poles or hidden on existing poles that would already be there providing street light. Additional creative methods have produced a wide variety of custom solutions ranging from church steeples to side mounted shrouds designed to blend into the building on which they are placed, and into the surrounding landscape. At the core of the ability to conceal equipment within challenging landscapes is the materials used in the process. To this end Raycap has developed a technologically advanced material called InvisiWave®, as well as other materials, that will enable the rollout of 5G infrastructure by the wireless carriers. This material allows for 5G signals, whether mmWave or in the C-band spectrum, from antennas and radios to pass through it effectively, without degrading the signal. This allows the small cell equipment to be installed closer to ground levels while also concealing it, without upsetting the beauty of the region. Within indoor areas like stadiums or airports, the same philosophy of creative solutions is being used. Within the Tampa International Airport for example, 5G mmWave small cell sites allow connectivity for all major carriers, these sites being installed into walls and ceilings, or inside shrouds tastefully mounted or hung where necessary. This has allowed the Tampa Airport to provide 5G connectivity in its most high traffic areas and also to provide compensating 4G and 3G signals within areas that are lesser trafficked. Through additional optional features that can be built into the installations themselves, these sites can be maintained by airport personnel, all while also having the public present. Through the combined efforts to provide safety and beauty, large indoor installations as well as hidden outdoor installations are bringing 5G to a wider population, and in areas where it was not available before.

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