Simulated and Rocket-Triggered Lightning Testing of the Lightning-Invulnerable Device System (LIDS)

摘要

We have developed a Lightning Invulnerable Device System (LIDS) to protect nuclear explosive test device systems at the US Department of Energy's Nevada Test Site (NTS) against accidental detonation by lightning. In a series of full threat-level tests of a prototype LIDS canister, we used high-energy storage capacitor banks to generate high current rate of rise (di/dt = 200 kA/ mu s) and high-peak-current (200 kA), simulated-lightning, transient inputs to the LIDS. Subsequently, we participated in the NASA Rocket-Triggered Lightning Program (RTLP). In these experiments, a grounded wire is carried into a highly electrified cloud by a small rocket, causing the canister to be struck by actual lightning. Our results indicate that the LIDS provides an extremely effective way to prevent threat-level lightning transients from reaching the safety-critical components within the canister. (ERA citation 12:027389)