doc. Ing. Jan Mikeš, Ph.D.

This thesis will address the possibilities of delayed triggering and pulse shape forming of high-voltage (HV) and high-current (HC) devices (most commonly air spark devices) via a laser beam whose source is not directly part of the device. The use of a laser system avoids electromagnetic interference, mechanical and thermal damage to the ignition device and increases robustness as well as timing and parametric accuracy. The research will be directed towards a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of gas ionization caused by the laser beam and their application to specific devices. The economic and technical benefits of the proposed solutions will be evaluated in terms of robustness, safety, precision, and applicability.

The thesis will deal with numerical simulations (using available tools such as Comsol Multiphysics, ANSYS, EMA, MATLAB-Simulink, EMTP-ATP, etc.) of lightning strikes on electrical equipment. Typical examples are direct and indirect effects on photovoltaic panels, substations, wind power plants, biogas plants, but also numerous electronic devices. The validation of the simulations will be complemented by practical experiments with the application of protection design for the economical and safe operation of the objects. Both technical and economic optimization of the model outputs will be refined.

The work will deal with in situ detection, recording, processing, and evaluation of lightning events. The findings will be applicable for technical and economic analysis of possible protection of the affected objects. The work will include the design of a suitable (HW and SW) solution for early detection, recording, and transmission of detailed information about the lightning event. Both electrical and non-electrical data will be correlated. In situ conditions, ESD/EMP interference, time synchronization, long-distance data transmission (e.g. South Africa), robustness, reliability, and cost-effectiveness will be considered. Attention will also be paid to the statistical treatment of data acquired from multiple dispersed sites. The training facility is equipped with specialized equipment (lightning current generator, high-speed camera, spectrum analyzers) for the development of the device.