Diseño del Sistema Puesta a Tierra de una Embarcación de Turismo Tipo Yate con Capacidad de Generación de 75 KW Considerando Corrientes de Frecuencia Industrial y de Tipo Rayo

Abstract

The Galápagos Islands, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, represent a unique and highly sensitive marine environment, where tourism is one of Ecuador's main sources of economic development. However, many tourist vessels operating in this archipelago rely on improvised electrical systems, lacking fundamental safety measures against electrical phenomena, lightning strikes, and corrosion. This problem is compounded by the impact of climate change, which has increased atmospheric electrical activity in the region, thus increasing the vessels' exposure to lightning and electrical transients. This work focuses on the comprehensive design of an electrical and lightning protection system for a metal-hulled vessel used for tourism in the Galápagos. The initial assessment revealed the absence of a grounding system, a lightning protection system, surge protection devices, and corrosion control strategies, representing a high level of risk to the safety of passengers, crew, and electrical and electronic equipment, whose total value is estimated at $2.5 million. The methodology applied was structured chronologically and based on international standards (IEC 62305, IEC 60479-1, IEEE Std 45, ASTM B843, NACE, and ABYC). It began with the collection of technical data for the vessel, followed by the characterization of the marine and climatological environment, and then proceeded to the regulatory analysis, the selection of calculation models, and the sizing of the protection systems. The calculations were performed in both Word and MATLAB, allowing for the verification of the results using computational tools. Among the parameters evaluated were the equivalent capture area, the risk index (Nr), touch voltages and potential gradient, as well as the sizing and impedance of sacrificial anodes during the initial and maintenance phases. Modeling and analyzing the vessel's electrical system with the ETAP software confirmed the correct operation of the generator, its protection devices, and the load distribution through the single-line diagram. Load flow and short-circuit studies validated the voltage levels, currents, and capacities of the components, ensuring stable, selective, and reliable system operation. This supports the suitability of the proposed design for the vessel's successful operation.