The Pic de Carroi communications tower is one of the strategic infrastructures of the Andorran telephone and television operator
It is located on a vertical mountain at 2333m that dominates the two Andorran valleys. Its privileged location involves a very high risk of material damage and lack of service due to direct lightning strikes and impacts on the tower's power supply input lines.
In order to minimise the number of incidents caused by lightning strikes, as well as to maximise the operating time of the communications tower, an Autonomous Preventive Disconnection System (SADP) has been installed which will automatically isolate the tower when a storm approaches and there is a potential risk for Andorra Telecom's installations.
INGESCO's engineering department has carried out a customised integration of real-time thunderstorm information.
A centralised control unit has been configured to manage the electric field information by means of PREVISTORM® sensors, as well as the data from a high-precision lightning detection network and also from the DL EOLOS K15FO lightning strike control equipment installed on the different towers.
Depending on the existing risk and the parameterisation of the set alarms, the central unit automatically activates a digital disconnection system that prevents the risk of damage to the telecommunications equipment.
