The Sandia Transportable Triggered Lightning Instrumentation Facility

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:6294174

Schnetzer, G H; Fisher, R J

Development of the Sandia Transportable Triggered Lightning Instrumentation Facility (SATTLIF) was motivated by a requirement for the in situ testing of munitions storage bunker. Transfer functions relating the incident flash currents to voltages, currents, and electromagnetic field values throughout the structure will be obtained for use in refining and validating a lightning response computer model of this type of structure. A preliminary shakedown trial of the facility under actual operational conditions was performed during the summer of 1990 at the Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) rocket-triggered lightning test site in Florida. A description is given of the SATTLIF, which is readily transportable on a single flatbed truck or by aircraft, and its instrumentation for measuring incident lightning channel currents and the responses of systems under test. Measurements of return-stroke current peaks obtained with the SATLLIF are presented. Agreement with data acquired on the same flashes with existing KSC instrumentation is, on average, to within {approximately}7 percent. Continuing currents were measured with a resolution of {approximately}2.5 A. This field trial demonstrated the practicality of using a transportable triggered lightning facility for specialized test applications. 5 refs., 12 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOD; DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6294174
• Report Number(s): SAND-90-2253C; CONF-9104163--2; ON: DE91006776
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Chemical Explosions & Explosives
AMMUNITION
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CONTAINERS
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
EQUIPMENT
EXPLOSIVES
HOPPERS
LIGHTNING
MILITARY FACILITIES
MISSILE LAUNCHING SITES
PORTABLE EQUIPMENT
SAFETY
TESTING
WEAPONS