Referenz JLRL
DEHNdetect in the field

The Johannesburg Lightning Research Laboratory (JLRL)

“Reliable and accurate measuring systems which can withstand extreme lightning loads are an important tool for our research work. The DEHNdetect lightning current measuring system fulfils this requirement. It allows precise recording of long stroke and impulse currents during a lightning strike and provides us with accurate and comprehensive data – a prerequisite for solid results and new insights”“Reliable and accurate measuring systems which can withstand extreme lightning loads are an important tool for our research work. The DEHNdetect lightning current measuring system fulfils this requirement. It allows precise recording of long stroke and impulse currents during a lightning strike and provides us with accurate and comprehensive data – a prerequisite for solid results and new insights”
 

Dr Hugh Hunt, Johannesburg Lightning Research Laboratory

Team JLRL

Dr Hugh Hunt - JLRL
Dr Hugh Hunt, ResearchGate
Dr Carina Schuhmann JLRL
Dr Carina Schumann, ResearchGate
Jason Smit - JLRL
Jason Smit, ResearchGate

About JLRL

The Johannesburg Lightning Research Laboratory (JLRL) is based in the School of Electrical and Information Engineering at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It forms one of the laboratories in the Centre of Excellence on High Voltage Engineering (CEHVE). Its team aims to continue the strong legacy of ground-breaking lightning research and distribute the knowledge and research gained to the broader South African and African community.

The JLRL turns Johannesburg into a laboratory where lightning events can be measured and characterized using high-speed cameras, direct current measurements, fast electric field measurements, field mill measurements and comparison with lightning location systems

Johannesburg - a perfect region for studying lightning

Johannesburg is a unique city – it has a lightning flash density between 11 – 18 flashes/km2/year. It is rare to find a country’s main economic and industrial centre in such a high lightning flash density area. This not only makes it a location where lightning protection is imperative, but also a location ideal for studying lightning – both the physics of the natural phenomenon and the practical effects.

Lightning current measurements at the Sentech Tower

  • Sentect Tower Johannesburg
  • Lightning Event at Sentec Tower
  • Lightning Event at Senctec Tower
  • DEHNdetect inside the Sentec Tower

A key part of the JLRL is the recently installed current measurement system on the Sentech tower – this allows to make direct measurements of the lightning currents when the tower is struck. The system is a custom designed DEHNdetect measurement coil system and consists of two coils to measure both peak currents and lower magnitude continuing currents - particularly important for ICC found in upward lightning events.

Video

The figure shows the first current measurement made at the tower on 5 October 2020 at 13:07:21 UTC - The full clip can be viewed at: Johannesburg Lightning Research Lab @ WITS - Wits University. This was a rare downward negative flash to the tower (with 50 kiloamp peak current!), which usually has upward events. More than 50 lightning current measurements have been made over the 2020 to 2021 thunderstorm season.

Marjan Valand - Your contact for DEHNdetect

More questions?

Marjan Valand

T. +49 9181 906 1505

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