Method and apparatus for detecting a lightning strike

摘要

Described herein is a self-powered system for detecting a current spike. The current spike is delivered through a current return network that energizes a resonant circuit to produce an alternating electrical output. The output is rectified by a rectifier into direct output that is then transferred to an integrator circuit. The integrator circuit slowly builds to and dissipates from a voltage threshold corresponding to an output transistor. When the output transistor is triggered by the voltage threshold this trigger is communicated to a fault monitoring software that recognizes the current spike.

主权项

1. A self-powered system for detecting a lightning strike comprising:
a current return network receiving and dissipating said lightning strike;
a resonant circuit having a transformer and a capacitor, said transformer in communication with said current return network and providing an alternating electrical output based on a waveform of said lightning strike, and said transformer including an inductor that is connected to said capacitor in parallel; a rectifier for rectifying said alternating electrical output into a direct electrical output; a slow integrator that builds to a voltage threshold when said direct electrical output is received, said slow integrator including an integrating capacitor; and an output transistor triggered by said slow integrator for communicating a signal with a fault monitoring software.