Design of a low-cost microcontroller-based lightning monitoring device

Kamau, G.M.; Kang'ethe, S.; Kamau, S.I.; Van de Giesen, N.C.

Design of a low-cost microcontroller-based lightning monitoring device

Title

Design of a low-cost microcontroller-based lightning monitoring device

Author

Kamau, G.M.
Kang'ethe, S.
Kamau, S.I.
Van de Giesen, N.C.

Faculty

Civil Engineering and Geosciences

Department

Water Management

Date

2015-03-15

Abstract

Lightning data is not only important for environment and weather monitoring but also for safety purposes. A device that monitors and keeps track of occurrences of lightning strikes has been developed. A communication interface is established between the sensors, data logging circuit and the microcontroller. The digital outputs of the lightning sensor and data from GPS are processed by the microcontroller and logged onto an SD card. The interface program enables sampling parameters such as distance from the lightning strike, time of strike occurrence and geographical location of the device. For archiving and analysis purposes, the data can be transferred from the SD card to a PC and results displayed using a graphical user interface program. Data gathered shows that, the device can track the frequency and movement of lightning strikes in an area. The device has many advantages as compared to other lightning sensor stations in terms of huge memory, lower power consumption, small size, greater portability and lower cost. The device shall be used in designing lightning network.

Subject

lightning monitoring
microcontroller
data logger
sensor

To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:fc0b6efb-d776-4408-855d-c116f7c678ad

Publisher

Kabarak University

ISSN

2305-784X

Source

Kabarak Journal of Research & Innovation, 3 (1), 2015

Part of collection

Institutional Repository