Green technologies are changing the world, essentially by making electricity more available to consumers while impacting the environment less. The general discussion points around green technology is its ability to generate the same power products without the necessity of burning fossil fuels in order to accomplish that task. This reduces the amount of pollutants that impact our bodies and the environment, while allowing us to turn the lights on and off without noticing any difference. There is no “better electricity” that is being manufactured using green technology, and instead the improvement to the world is that it being created in a cleaner way. This has caused much debate in society, as some people see the importance of cleaner production methods while others do not see it as being an issue. The main argument between the two groups is that the cleaner products generally come at a higher production cost, and most people who do not see the older methods as problematic are not willing to pay more for a cleaner method. Few are trying to argue that the burning of fossil fuels is superior in that it is cleaner, and instead they argue its superiority based on cost. If they cannot directly see the impact to the environment, they feel they cannot justify the cost. (more…)

When a discussion of “industrial surge protection” happens, the majority of people who are not involved in the decision making process for large production facilities will probably not understand the critical nature of the industry. The term “industrial” is used to describe a wide variety of installations, generally having some characteristics that are common but for the most part simply meaning “beyond the scope of residential.” Industrial facilities must always be protected, whether they range from light industrial to large installations of equipment designed to work in unison in order to produce or manage a product or service. Products or services beign manufactured can range from the production of electricity for residential use to the production of a simple consumer product, but nearly every industrial facility tends to have the same weaknesses and strengths. The isolated nature of the facilities themselves make them less of a nuisance and irritation to communities, as well as allowing them to function in a way more conducive to the production of products. The larger consumption levels of power and materials allows them to produce products at larger capacities, thus driving costs lower and making prices more affordable. The larger scope of equipment and machinery involved allows the capacities necessary for these increased production levels to be met. They are bigger, more isolated, more exposed to the elements and involve more expensive equipment than anything that most people will ever come in contact with. All of these strengths are also weaknesses if not properly protected. (more…)

A lightning strike causes a significant amount of damage to nearly anything it hits. Most people have seen pictures or videos of the damage that is caused in the area that the strike happens, generally resulting in explosion and fire, and most times resulting in the destruction of the thing that is struck. In order to prevent lightning from striking structures that are known to be vulnerable due to their physical makeup and positioning, precautionary measures like the installation of nearby lightning rods and overhead shields is usually the consideration. The main idea is to divert the lightning away from the structure that would be damaged by the strike, and to a different area that would see less costly damage. Lightning always travels to earth, so the methods of diverting lightning strikes involve positioning these protection mechanisms away from expensive equipment and connected to the ground. Hopefully, the lightning will be attracted to them instead of the more expensive structure in the event of bad weather. (more…)

Surge Protection Is Critical For Industrial Installations

Most businesses will face challenges to operations that will increase costs and potentially stretch the profitability thinner than is comfortable.  For this reason, one of the ongoing tasks of most businesses is to try and discover ways to reduce costs and improve functionality at the same time.  This is usually approached through the integration of better technology or improved robustness of the equipment involved in the process.  Through the integration of improved equipment comes the reduction of not only costs of repair but also costs associated with ongoing maintenance.  As an example, the system which shuts down in order to protect itself against damage will suffer loss at the downtime and would be better served if it were able to immediately restore itself to functionality after the incident that caused the shutdown had passed.  This would not only produce less damage to equipment but also reduce the costs associated with the restoration of functionality.  Even small percentages of cost reduction can have a huge effect on the bottom line over time, so it is important for businesses to be continually aware of any new and improved capabilities that might be at their disposal. (more…)

Surge Protection For Vulnerable Businesses

Industrial businesses often have unique issues that make conducting day to day operations more challenging than a typical situation.  The majority of businesses will operate in a way that utilizes specific types of equipment to perform necessary functions.  This equipment will be housed in protected spaces that ultimately allow for it to remain operational for as long as the equipment can usually remain functional.  This means that through only minimal efforts to potentially protect sensitive equipment, it can operate without too many issues for around as long as is expected before it wears out.  Industrial businesses are generally located in either challenging circumstances and areas, or are being forced to operate on a level that far exceeds the typical residential types of functionality.  For example, heavy machinery would be able to perform far larger tasks than any type of equipment to be used in your home.  In industrial installation, the amounts of electricity and other forms of fuel for operations would be far greater than anything used in lesser circumstances.  This equipment is also forced to function in harsher environments that may be unprotected or less than optimal.  This may be because the type of business requires isolation from the public, or it could be because the business needs to operate closer to some source of fuel.  Whenever the circumstance, industrial businesses operate at higher levels and the equipment that is required for these operations needs to be more robust in order to perform the tasks necessary.  That being said, industrial businesses also have the need for extra measures of protection in order to not only protect the equipment but also to keep the businesses online and functioning during the most extreme circumstances. (more…)

Protection From Lightning On Industrial Levels

The protection of industrial sites from lightning and lightning strikes in general is critical.  A typical industrial site will employ some form of lightning protection, although the equipment that is used for this process will vary depending on the specific needs of the installation itself.  These protection systems all share the same purpose, to reduce the repair and replacement costs associated with equipment damage as well as minimizing down times of the systems themselves.  Even though the expected life span of equipment in the field will have specifics attached to it, most industrial operators will also factor in additional costs for repair and maintenance or potentially early retirement due to equipment being rendered unable to perform the duties that are necessary.  This is because the operation of even the most robust equipment in industrial settings will often perform at less than the life span that is expected.  By maximizing the amount of time that a specific piece of equipment can be maintained as operational, the business will be able to add to the bottom line by shaving dollars off the capital expenditure budget.

One of the most damaging occurrences that can happen in industrial settings is a direct or indirect lightning strike.  This type of incident will usually result in a catastrophic loss of equipment at the strike point, as well as a significant amount of loss downstream to attached components.  Even an indirect strike can result in significant amounts of losses due to the fact that the subsequent surge of electricity can couple into structural elements as well as attached cables, traveling downstream and creating damage at the circuit level on computerized equipment.  There are several methods of protection against this type of damage, and some combination of the protection methods is generally employed.  Overhead shielding attracts the lightning strike to itself instead of the more sensitive areas where it cannot be controlled, thus resulting in a lightning strike to an area that does not have a major impact on the equipment functioning within the region.  The other form of protection methods that we will see most often employed is the utilization of surge protection devices installed at critical junction points within the system.  The expectation of near total loss at the strike point will not be changed by the integration of these types of devices, but the minimization of the downstream surge effect is the point.  By separating the types of damage that can occur and directly dealing with prevention methods designed for that particular type and level of damage, we can leverage the technology that is at our disposal in order to maximize our return on the investment that has been made in operational equipment.  Even though there is added expense that is absorbed by the business when additional equipment is installed into the system for the sole purpose of protection, it is inevitable that this protective system will pay for itself in savings over the course of a certain period of time.  As technology within these systems improves, we see the maintenance and replacement costs associated with the protection systems themselves also improving.  All of this adds to the profitability of businesses.

More info link: https://www.raycap.com/protection-of-industrial-sites-from-lightning/

Industrial Lightning Protection Systems

While most people are familiar with the fact that there is a certain amount of specialized equipment that would go into any industrial operation in order to maintain its functionality, they also understand that there is a significant amount of equipment that is installed within the spaces to simply maintain the operational aspects of the system itself.  What this means is that the day to day operations of any industrial installation will exist and continue only in a perfect world.  Savvy industrial operators must also plan for unexpected events that can potentially impact their operations negatively.  Failure to plan for these types of instances can result not only in losses associated with equipment damage but also the losses that are associated with extended down times as equipment and operations go offline.  Operational costs do not end with the purchase of equipment and the costs associated with its daily operation.  Instead, they also extend to the additional elements of unforeseen circumstances that might be able to be minimized if planned for, but also must be expected to happen.  In the case of industrial installations, we will find unexpected damage costs building up due to things like fire, theft, and natural occurrences associated with weather.  One common weather related damage can be seen with lightning strikes and their associated power surges. (more…)

Surge protection is the utilization of devices and systems to reduce the amount of damage that would occur if an unregulated flow of electricity was allowed to contact sensitive circuitry. The levels of protection that are able to be achieved are generally dictated by the necessity of monetary protection, and the highest end systems are mostly found in industrial applications or high end residences that have many thousands of dollars’ worth of computer equipment. The added necessity of keeping systems online and functioning from a business standpoint will also factor into the levels of surge protection that are chosen. The “industrial grade” surge protection devices are usually more robust versions of the same types of technologies that protect private residences, at least from a functionality standpoint.

Lightning protection is not the same thing as basic surge protection. If you have your computer plugged into a surge strip in your home or office, you are employing a low level of surge protection. Variations in the flow from the grid to your computer can slowly create circuit damage over time that is not as obvious as the immediate and acute damage caused by an unprotected surge. The small devices that you will employ in residential applications will mostly be determined by the value of the devices that you are protecting, most people not willing to pay thousands of dollars for a technologically advanced protection system to ultimately protect only a few thousand dollars worth of equipment. However today’s smart home systems that utilize high levels of technology to control aspects of your home, security and electronic functions can benefit from the inclusion of a higher end protection systems, more like those found within industrial installations.

Within commercial applications, surge protection systems must be technologically advanced and able to withstand the largest surges. Because the instances of lightning strike are more frequent within industrial installations due to their remote and unobstructed physical footprint, it would be foolish to believe that your structures will not ever be struck. When this happens, your equipment faces the very real danger of the surge that follows the strike coupling into attached cables or even traveling along parallel beams that have an ability to conduct electricity. The surge created by a lightning strike is at a much greater level but shorter duration than overvoltages caused by say switching components within a closed electrical system. Residential devices like surge strips are not designed to manage the high surges that come from lightning, and therefore will fail if a home or near vacinity is struck and not protected buy a robust surge protection device at the service entrance. Any device of that level would immediately be destroyed and provide no level of protection at all. Only industrial grade protection technology like that provided by Raycap devices will protect your investments against even the largest of surges, and keep your business functioning and online without interruptions. In a business environment, losses are not just found in equipment damage but also in downtime, so the avoidance of damage also assists in protecting the bottom line of the business as well. Whether it is residential or industrial surge protection that is necessary, Raycap has you and your business equipment covered.

It is unfortunate that cultures do not put more emphasis on the value of a technology for the purposes of creating a better world, as opposed to cost. Traditionally, advancements have existed for some time before being widely adopted, generally because they are cost prohibitive during the initial stages of development. When something is new, it may receive attention from small groups with vested interests in that area, but will not receive the mass rollouts that would be necessary to create a self-fulfilling situation of ongoing advancement. In the initial stages of development of almost anything, the initial group of those interested is willing to pay higher costs simply because they want to use that technology, even if it is available in a different form at a lower price. Only once costs have been driven down through general ”adaptations over time” does that technology begin to become more available to the wider audiences that will then supply additional research and development through their purchases. This is the case with green energy technology, which has existed as an alternative to fossil fuels for many years but has yet to receive widespread adoption in many areas of the world, even though it is known to be superior in most respects. The energy production models are chosen by the companies in control of consumer energy distribution, and they will nearly always choose the methods that have the lowest associated cost. Because they are “for-profit” businesses, they need to weigh the costs of production of the product against the environmental impact, then choose the production model based upon what the consumers are willing to pay. Profits are always considered before environmental impact in private businesses.

The green energy markets exist as tested and verified alternatives to fossil fuel production of the same product. Green energy models have had a higher cost of production in the past because of the cheap availability of fossil fuels, and the need for higher levels of technology to produce the energy that is purchased by consumers. The argument has traditionally been that since there is no pollution created, the method of choice should be green and consumers should be willing to pay a premium for it. Consumer support will generally go the opposite direction if there is not perceptible negative impact in the current time, essentially making the rollout of more expensive but cleaner products difficult because the public is unwilling to pay for them. People are willing to accept a certain amount of damage in order to save money, and as long as they cannot readily perceive that damage they will support the cheaper methods. This is why mass adoption of green technologies has taken so long, because the methods had to exist in working models for lengthy periods of time, evolving and streamlining on their own, to the point of finally representing the cheaper production method. Once the public can see that they will not only have a cleaner environment but will also pay less per month, their support shifts to the alternatives. This has been accomplished through the integration of technologically advanced surge protection devices, which curb the expected damages to equipment in the field as a result of power surges. Lightning strikes to wind turbines are a common cause of damage to computerized components, and through the integration of new and better surge protection devices that damage is being minimized more every year. We are now to the point where the costs of damage on a quarterly basis are lower than the costs of fossil fuel purchase, effectively making wind and solar power cheaper to produce. From the unlikely source of surge protection comes the evolution to an industry that will keep the world functioning, only without the pollution of the past.

Industry has evolved over the years beyond the point that many could have predicted 100 years ago. What was once believed to be the cutting edge of technology is now considered old-fashioned or obsolete, and as technology improves our advancements come even faster. Technology itself creates faster evolution of systems, and ultimately the benefits that those systems produce create more technological innovation. Just 30 years ago the concept of a home computer was beyond the scope of rational thought, and today we could not imagine life without them. As technology speeds forward and becomes more advanced, the need to protect that technology becomes more critical. Surge protection as a concept has not changed much in 100 years, essentially relying upon a method of stopping electrical flow by either diverting it or creating a gap it cannot cross, but the technology of how that is achieved has moved as fast as any other technology. The days of the circuit breaker may not be gone, but the methods of protecting systems that rely upon regulated electrical flow have advanced significantly.

The technological advancement of surge protection systems can be found in multiple areas, primarily in the components that make up the SPD itself, and the ability of the SPD to react faster and be restored to functionality quicker. The materials with which the SPD is constructed will determine how well it can survive a surge event itself. In the past, surge protection devices were destroyed in order to create the necessary gap, and eventually they evolved to a point of being able to be reset. This resetting process took time and manpower, and through the creation of more robust surge protection devices with upgraded housings and made of better materials including internal components able to withstand the potential damages they are exposed to daily, the devices themselves needed less attention. Once the technology had evolved to the point of the devices themselves not needing to be reset after a surge incident, we have found that the productivity of systems they protect has increased. Through the simple process of eliminating downtimes caused by surge protection systems doing their job, there is a greater level of productivity achieved, while at the same time money is saved that would have been spent on repairs and technician time. With every micro-second that can be shaved off the process of a SPD being triggered, there are millions of dollars in damages avoided. With every minute that is saved by not having a complicated resetting process involved in systems being returned to functionality, millions of dollar’s worth of products and services are created. Many people think that technological advancement of the systems that create products and services themselves are what is bringing us into the future. In reality it also has a lot to do with the protection systems that allow these configurations to function without damage or interruption that is moving us forward. We are entering a technological phase that will see new and improved devices coming online every day, and in the background the surge protection devices will be allowing them to do the job they were created for.