Overvoltage characteristics of atmospheric origin
Lightning strokes in a few figures: Lightning flashes produce an extremely large quantity of pulsed electrical energy (see Figure J4)
- of several thousand amperes (and several thousand volts),
- of high frequency (approximately 1 megahertz),
- of short duration (from a microsecond to a millisecond).
Between 2000 and 5000 storms are constantly undergoing formation throughout the world. These storms are accompanied by lightning strokes which represent a serious hazard for persons and equipment. Lightning flashes hit the ground at an average of 30 to 100 strokes per second, i.e. 3 billion lightning strokes each year.
The table in Figure J3 shows some lightning strike values with their related probability. As can be seen, 50% of lightning strokes have a current exceeding 35 kA and 5% a current exceeding 100 kA. The energy conveyed by the lightning stroke is therefore very high.
| Cumulative probability (%) | Peak current (kA) |
|---|---|
| 95 | 5 |
| 50 | 35 |
| 5 | 100 |
| 1 | 200 |
Lightning also causes a large number of fires, mostly in agricultural areas (destroying houses or making them unfit for use). High-rise buildings are especially prone to lightning strokes.
