Technical Note

The ERITECH® ERICORE Lightning Downconductor Cable

Overview
The ERITECH ERICORE insulated cable achieves the important objective of minimising, under
®

lightning transients, voltage rise along its length relative to the structure it is protecting, preventing
conducted currents and minimising the risk of side-flashing. The voltage rise across the cable is
minimised using HV field-control principles, a small geometric R/r ratio, internal semiconductive
layers and a semiconductive outer sheath that is bonded to the structure at regular intervals.
The following short paper highlights some of the key features of the cable for use in lightning
protection applications.

What are the physical features of the ERITECH How does the cable respond to lightning transients?
ERICORE cable? When a lightning current is injected into the cable, the
The physical characteristics and upper termination of current within and the voltage across the cable passes
the cable are shown in Figure 1. From the inside to through each of three key stages over the time scale of
the outside, the components are as follows: (i) Plastic the impulse. These stages, as illustrated in Figure 2, are:
(polyethylene) filler; (ii) Inner conductor comprised 1. Impedance-dominated stage, in which the voltage is
of copper strands and copper tape (> 50 mm2); (iii) determined purely by the characteristic impedance,
Thin, extruded, semiconductive, stress-relief layer Zo, and the magnitude of the applied current up to
#1; (iv) Polyethylene insulator; (v) Thin, extruded, the time the reflection returns from the far end of the
semiconductive, stress-relief layer #2; (vi) Shield ERITECH ERICORE downconductor. The impedance
(copper tape); (vii) Semiconductive outer sheath (doped of the cable during Stage 1 is in the range 6-11 Ω.
PVC). The voltage rating of the upper termination and The corresponding impedance for a standard
cable is > 250 kV. The cable has an overall diameter downconductor is of the order of 50-100 Ω.
of ~ 36 mm. 2. Inductance-dominated stage, in which the voltage
across the cable is determined by the inductance per
unit length, dI/dt of the impulse and the total length
of cable. The inductance of the cable, determined from
the voltage between the inner and shield conductors
at the time of peak dI/dt, for all waveshapes, is
~ 37 nH/m.
3. Conduction-dominated stage, which begins with
a zero value of dI/dt. When the conduction current
dominates, the overall voltage developed across the
cable decreases significantly.
Generally, Stage 2 of the lightning impulse results in the
most extreme voltage rise on the downconductor, hence
all calculations carried out for the ERITECH ERICORE
cable assume this worst case. This fact is illustrated in
Figure 3, which shows the response of a 100 m length of
ERITECH ERICORE cable to a severe lightning current
impulse (5.5/75 μs, dI/dt = 24.3 kA/μs, peak I = 70 kA).
The voltage shown is that developed between the inner
and shield conductors of the cable as the combined result
Figure 1 of inductive reactance and signal reflection.

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Technical Note
The ERITECH® ERICORE Lightning Downconductor Cable

Stage 2 Parameter Voltage developed at the top (kV)

L dominant
dI/dt One std. Ten std. ERITECH
V oc L dI/dt I (kA) (GA/s) conductor conductors ERICORE cable
Stage 1 32 9 235 32 27
Z dominant
Stage 3 32 24 610 70 55
60ln(R/r) R dominant
V oc Z 0 = 32 65 1635 172 133
V oc IR
3
r
13 10 254 29 23
Figure 2 13 40 1004 104 80
13 160 4004 404 185

200

150
What verification of the ERITECH ERICORE cable
Voltage (kV)

Voltage has been carried out via modelling and simulation

computations?
100
Extensive PSpice model calculations have been
50
carried out on the ERITECH ERICORE cable for
Current a wide range of injected lightning impulses and
parameters, cable lengths and installation scenarios
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 (e.g., steel structures, reinforced concrete buildings,
Figure 3 Time (μs) non-conducting structures, etc).
The electrical parameters of the cable used in the PSpice
modelling, based on experimental measurements,
analytical or numerical calculations as appropriate, were:
How does the transient performance of ERITECH®
ERICORE cable compare with standard (bare) • Linner = 0.42 μH/m, Lshield = 0.33 μH/m;
downconductor cables? • Lbuilding = 1.11 μH/m;
• Cinner-shield = 733 pF/m, Csheath = 5 pF/m;
To illustrate the difference in philosophy between • Rinner = 6.1 mΩ/m; Rshield = 10.6 mΩ/m;
standard conductors and the ERITECH ERICORE • Rshield-building = 200 Ω; Rbuilding = 6.3 mΩ/m;
downconductor, consider the comparison in the table • Magnetic coupling coefficients:
below for a 50 m length of each conductor. Values of Kinner-shield = 0.97 – 0.98,
L = 0.5 μH/m and R = 6 mΩ/m are assumed for the Kinner-building = 0.110 – 0.112,
standard conductor. Since it is common practice to Kshield-building = 0.110 – 0.115
use multiple standard conductors, calculations were (exact values depend on scenario modelled)
performed for a single standard downconductor and
also a set of ten such conductors with perfectly The PSpice simulations enabled the cable impedance
equal current sharing. According to current code and distributed inductance (relative to the structure
recommendations, the latter case would be applicable to being protected) to be determined. The impedance
a large structure with a perimeter of 200-300 metres. of ERITECH ERICORE cable, taken as the ratio V/I
during the first propagation cycle of the transient
It is readily seen that, in terms of minimising side- (Stage 1), was found to have a weak dependence on
flashes, a single standard downconductor of length 50 m length, ranging from 6 to 11 Ω for lengths of 25 to
will result in side-flashes for most lightning strikes. 100 m. The distributed inductance was obtained by
Also, more than 10 standard downconductors of injecting into the cable a range of lightning impulse
length 50 m are required to match a single ERITECH currents and measuring the peak voltage and current at
ERICORE cable in terms of the voltage developed at the point in time where the maximum dI/dt is reached,
the top of the cable. e.g. marked by the arrow in Fig. 3. The distributed
inductance (relative to the structure being protected) was
found to be approximately 37 nH/m and to have virtually
no dependence on any other variable.

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 Technical Note
The ERITECH® ERICORE Lightning Downconductor Cable

As Fig. 3 shows, the voltage developed across the • 2003 (USA): Upper termination withstand voltage,
cable due to its impedance during Stage 1 is smaller Vb = 263 ± 7 kV, 100 kA surge test also carried out
than the inductive voltage rise during Stage 2. successfully.
Therefore, for most practical calculations, the results What are the bonding requirements of the ERITECH
follow the Stage 2 dependence on length and ERICORE cable for a typical installation?
waveshape (dI/dt). The PSpice simulations also
showed that the voltage developed on the ERITECH® There are three simple steps that comprise the typical
ERICORE cable has very little dependence on the installation practice for the ERITECH ERICORE
installation scenario (type of structure). cable with respect to bonding requirements. These
requirements are illustrated in Figure 5, with the
Figure 4 shows the dependence of the voltage numbers corresponding to the following steps:
developed between the inner conductor and the cable
shield as a function of the length of the ERITECH 1. Cable “bonding braid” at the upper termination is
ERICORE cable for a variety of lightning current bonded to the structure at the top.
waveshapes (negative lightning, positive lightning, 2. Cable (outer semiconductive sheath) is secured to
first and subsequent strokes). Bearing in mind the the structure with saddles every 1-2 metres.
upper termination voltage limit of 250 kV, for 3. Cable lower termination (“short circuited” central
high reliability of operation, the installed length of conductor and shield) is bonded to the structure and
ERITECH ERICORE cable should not exceed about services earth at the bottom.
70 metres. Taller structures or longer required lengths It is important to highlight the fact that the lightning
can be accommodated via the use of series-connected current passes down the central conductor of the
or parallel (multiple) cables. ERITECH ERICORE cable. The three bonding steps
are required simply to ensure the optimum operation of
the cable. For example, because a large lightning current
300
flows down the central conductor and the cable has an
insulation layer and a metallic screen, the capacitance of
the cable results in a small “cable charge current” (from i
Maximum Voltage (kV)

200 = C.dV/dt). Hence, the semiconductive outer sheath and

the saddles are the means for ensuring the equipotential
status of the outer part of the cable.
100

Inline Coupling
1 Stainless Steel Cable Tie
0
0 30 60 Metallic Lower Mast

Figure 4 Length (m)

Mounting Brackets

ERITECH ERICORE Downconductor

What verification of the ERITECH ERICORE cable
has been carried out via laboratory testing? Downconductor
Saddle
During development, the ERITECH ERICORE cable
underwent extensive in-house and external laboratory 2
testing. Independent tests have been carried out by
Shoden Corporation (Japan), Bondarenko & Associates Lightning
(Australia) and Tyco Electronics (USA). Laboratory Event Counter

testing was comprised of voltage impulse tests on the Inspection Pit

upper termination and surge currents tests to determine
the cable parameters. 3
Some examples of the test results include:
• 1997 (Australia): Z = 5 ± 1 Ω and L = 36 ± 6 nH/m; Ground Rods
Figure 5
• 1999 (Japan): Z = 7 Ω, L = 40 nH/m;
• 2002 (Australia): Z = 5.3 Ω, C = 1.1 nF/m,
L = 30 nH/m;

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Technical Note
The ERITECH® ERICORE Lightning Downconductor Cable

What happens when the current reaches the ground? of Profile

(m) Distance (m)
om Origin
At ground level, the ERITECH® ERICORE cable is Distance fr

connected to a dedicated earthing system that is

specially designed for lightning frequencies, since

(Volts)
the ERITECH ERICORE cable is designed to provide

)
tude (Volts
“protection by isolation”. Such an earthing system

tude
will have a single injection point, typically employ

ofile Magni
a crow’s foot design (shorter than the “critical length”

ofile Magni
of 70 metres), and have vertical rods at various nodes.

Potential Pr
In order to compare the performance of the ERITECH

Potential Pr
ERICORE earthing system with a multi-conductor
earthing system at lightning frequencies, a case study
will be used, namely:
)
• Structure dimensions of 20 x 20 x 20 metres; file
(m
• Downconductors: One ERITECH ERICORE Pro
of
cable to be compared with four standard, bare igin
Dis
tan Or
m
downconductors cables (one down each vertical ce
(m fro
) ce
edge of the structure); Figure 6a tan
Dis
• Earthing system: ERITECH ERICORE cable
injects lightning current into the purpose-designed,
buried, “crow’s foot” earthing system (ECFES)
with a 5 m ground rod at each node, vs four bare
downconductors, each terminating at a 5 m
ground rod but all interconnected with a buried
ring conductor (BDRCES). (m)
file
of Pro Dist
ance
• Lightning impulse waveshape: 5.5/75 μs in m Origin (m)
e fro
both cases. Distanc

A peak current of 30 kA is injected from the

ERITECH ERICORE cable into the ECFES. On the
other hand, only 15 kA is injected from one of the

s)
bare downconductors into one corner of the BDRCES.

(Volt
Poten

The latter value is based on the many studies on

ude
tial P

agnit
rofile

multi-downconductor systems which have shown that

file M
Magn

approximately half of the lightning current proceeds

itude

l Pro
directly down to ground from the injection point,
(Volt

ntia
with the remaining current being distributed via
s)

Pote

the other paths.

)
(m

Figures 6a (ECFES ) and 6b (BDRCES) show the

e
fil
ro

results of earthing system computations (a 2 x 2 m

Di

fP
sta

no
nc

patch of soil at a distance of 5 m from the injection

igi
e

Or
(m

m
)

point). These calculations were carried out at high

ro
ef
nc

frequencies (examples shown were for 150 kHz)

sta
Di

Figure 6b
with the state-of-the-art CDEGS software program.
It can be clearly seen that there is little difference
in the soil surface potentials for both systems.

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WARNING
ERICO products shall be installed and used only as indicated in ERICO’s product instruction sheets and training materials. Instruction sheets are available at www.erico.com and from
your ERICO customer service representative. Improper installation, misuse, misapplication or other failure to completely follow ERICO’s instructions and warnings may cause product
malfunction, property damage, serious bodily injury and death.
Copyright ©2009 ERICO International Corporation. All rights reserved.
CADDY, CADWELD, CRITEC, ERICO, ERITECH, ERIFLEX, and LENTON are registered trademarks of ERICO International Corporation.

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