Biral’s Stand Alone Lightning Warning System Is Valuable Asset For Malaysia's National Stadium
Lightning strikes the ground in the UK around 300,000 times a year and, for many outdoor venues, it can play a significant role in disrupting operations. With sites all across the world preparing for facilities to open for some summer events, it is important to factor in what can be done to ensure that those attending feel not just safe from infection but from the risk of severe weather as well.
When a thunderstorm is in the vicinity, many venues and stadiums don’t have the facility to be able to close their roofs, and are left exposed to the elements. This results in events either being stopped completely or continuing without proper safety measures in place.
With this in mind, meteorological equipment specialist Biral is offering its BTD‑200 self‑contained, standalone lightning warning system so that employers can take precautions to prevent exposure to lightning and ensure the safety of their workers and guests.
Where It Works
To improve the chances of getting a thunderstorm threat warning, a detector should be able to alert for both distant lightning and the presence of a strong electric field within a specific area. This strong electric field is indicative of a lightning threat developing overhead, which could require immediate action. And with some countries experiencing adverse weather throughout the year, having equipment in place isn’t just advisable but in some cases essential.
Malaysia, which has the third highest lightning activity in the world, sees an increase in storms during the inter‑monsoon periods of April, May, September, and October. Reports estimate that, between 2008 and 2017, there have been more than 100 fatalities in the country due to lightning strikes which is why extra precautions are needed to keep people safe.
To keep Malaysia's National Stadium functioning throughout these months, the venue turned to Biral and its local partner Jebsen & Jessen for the BTD‑200 lightning warning system, selecting the equipment as it is able to offer a real‑time lightning warning for players and spectators and activate a warning siren when a storm approaches.
As the largest stadium complex in Malaysia, the National Stadium Bukit Jalil has nine football fields, which required an advanced system capable of covering its large area. For optimal coverage, the system was mounted on the rooftop of the neighbouring eight‑story athlete apartment building, with a tsunami siren also being mounted for additional coverage.
Why The BTD‑200?
The BTD‑200 lightning warning system is a complete detection and warning system which has been developed from the Biral range of professional aviation grade lightning detection systems. It reliably detects the presence of all forms of lightning out to a range of 35km (22 miles) using a novel quasi‑electrostatic detection principle. This very sensitive method detects small changes in the charge state of the atmosphere in the local area and is even able to measure the charge on falling precipitation.
Designed to be installed and set up by non‑technical staff, the BTD‑200 comes with a power supply and the essential PC application ‘Lightning Works’, for monitoring and warning personnel of approaching thunderstorms. The optional ‘Lightning Works Messenger’ application then works seamlessly with Lightning Works and automatically sends out email and SMS text messages to any number of site managers and remote staff.
The Lightning Works software alerts the staff and managers to threats in real time, allowing them to review and manage the situation and to alert staff to the potential danger. It can also activate warning sounders automatically if required.
Nathan Neal, Sales and Marketing Director at Biral, commented on the project, “We were thrilled to provide our BTD‑200 for the project at the stadium in Malaysia. With such unpredictable and volatile weather during several months of the year, having specialist thunderstorm detectors in place really can be the difference between life and death. We hope this application encourages others in the leisure industry to install devices like the BTD‑200 and that it can continue to make a difference at venues all over the world.”
