Following all safety rules: protecting biogas plants

The special architectural features of a biogas plant pose challenges when planning the external lightning protection. The fermenter, for example, is a round container covered by a dome made of rubber-like material. Their often large diameter and curved shape make it difficult to maintain the rolling sphere radius defined in the  
lightning protection zone concept. Air-termination systems are placed around the fermenter. In order to include the curvature of the dome, they must have a corresponding height, which in turn must be taken into account in the wind load calculation. Our solution: Telescopic lightning protection masts with a practical plug-in system, optionally with a screw-in foundation or for bucket or concrete foundations. With regard to potentially explosive system parts, it is also important to prevent dangerous sparking and flashovers on conductive components. Maintaining the separation distance is therefore critical. We have also developed an elegant and practical solution for this: the HVI Conductor.

Thanks to its high-voltage-resistant insulation, the down conductor creates an equivalent separation distance, and thus not only prevents sparks caused by lightning, but also makes it easier for you to position your air-termination systems: Air-termination masts with integrated HVI Conductors can be installed directly on the building to save space. Please contact us for more in-depth advice and support with your planning.  
 
Ensure that there are no sparks in Ex zones 

You can achieve lightning protection equipotential bonding for inserted metal pipelines by connecting them to the earthing/equipotential bonding system. Particularly in Ex zones, ensure that these connections are secured against self-loosening and tested to ensure that they are non-sparking. 

An essential component of the internal lightning protection system of biogas plants is the lightning equipotential bonding, which you introduce for all conductive systems brought into the building from outside. All systems connected to operating voltage are incorporated into the equipotential bonding indirectly with type-1 arresters. Type 2 surge arresters are used in downstream sub-distribution boards. To ensure the continuous, interference-free transmission of measurement data to the control unit of your biogas plant, the control and signalling lines coming from outside must also be connected via lightning current arresters. We offer you a complete range of arresters for all interfaces and installation requirements.