Lightning Protection Design for Small Riverboats Using the FDTD Method

Leal, Adonis F. R.; Oliveira, Rodrigo M. S. de; Lopes, Nathan M.; Lima, Thiago S. de; Ferreira, Eduardo R.; Rodrigues, Nilton Rodolfo N. M.

doi:10.1590/2179-10742021v20i21074

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Journal of Microwaves, Optoelectronics and Electromagnetic Applications

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Article • J. Microw. Optoelectron. Electromagn. Appl. 20 (2) • June 2021 • https://doi.org/10.1590/2179-10742021v20i21074 copy

Lightning Protection Design for Small Riverboats Using the FDTD Method

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Abstract

The Amazon region has high lightning occurrence rates, with many lightning hot spots. Different rivers cross the Amazon rainforests and the people that live there use these rivers as roads to go from one place to another. Every year, lightning deaths are reported in the Brazilian Amazon region. In 2018, a lightning discharge struck a small riverboat, which killed 4 people and injured 5 in the North region of Brazil. In this study, we investigate lightning fatalities in Amazon rivers and compute electric field distribution in a small riverboat due to a lightning strike using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The results show that the electric field produced inside the boat is large enough to cause air breakdown. Additionally, we propose a cost-effective method to improve lightning safety for people that use small boats in the Amazon region.

Index Terms
riverboat lightning protection; FDTD method; lightning fatalities in Amazon rivers

Material	ε_r	σ (S/m)	μ_r
T ocantins R iver W ater	80	46×10⁻⁴	1
W ood	2	4.45×10⁻⁸	1
A ir	1	0	1

Watercraft Lightning Protection Schemas	Peaks of E_z (MV/m) for Each kA of Lightning Current	Decreases of E_z With Respect to The Unprotected Model (%)	Decreases of e_z with Respect to the Model Using One Rod for Each of the Four Beams (%)
O ne R od O n E ach O f T he F our B eams	1.14	98.92	0.00
O ne R od O n E ach O f T he S ix B eams	0.85	99.19	25.26
T wo R ods O n E ach O f T he F our B eams	1.12	98.93	1.48
T wo R ods O n E ach O f T he S ix B eams	0.70	99.34	38.41
F our R ods O n E ach O f T he F our B eams	0.11	98.95	2.69
F our R ods O n E ach O f T he S ix B eams	0.64	99.39	43.60

QUESTION INDEX	QUESTION
Q1	Do you know what is lightning?
Q2	Do you know how to be protected against lightning in a watercraft?
Q3	Have you ever been involved in a lightning accident in a watercraft?
Q4	Have you ever heard of a lightning accident in a watercraft?
Q5	Have you ever heard of lightning struck any watercraft in your region?
Q6	Have you ever heard about lightning protection systems for watercraft?

Age (In Years)
20-30	21%
30-60	66%
> 60	13%

Education Level
Incomplete middle school	90%
Incomplete high school	7%
Complete high school	3%

Question	Yes	No
Q1	90%	10%
Q2	31%	69%
Q3	0%	100%
Q4	5%	95%
Q5	22%	68%
Q6	15%	85%

Sociedade Brasileira de Microondas e Optoeletrônica e Sociedade Brasileira de Eletromagnetismo Praça Mauá, n°1, 09580-900 São Caetano do Sul - S. Paulo/Brasil, Tel./Fax: (55 11) 4238 8988 - São Caetano do Sul - SP - Brazil
E-mail: editor_jmoe@sbmo.org.br

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