Storage tank with bypass conductor cable

A lightning protection system for a liquid storage tank, the storage tank having a shell and a floating roof floating atop of liquid in the shell, the lightning protection system comprising:

• a plurality of bypass conductor cables having a rectilinear cross-sectional shape connected to a plurality of air terminals projecting above the shell of the storage tank, the plurality of bypass conductor cables comprising about 25 to 35 inner copper wires defining a first carrier and wherein about 40 to 45 of said first carriers are woven together to form a first braided structure, a plurality of woven stainless steel wires forming a sheath surrounding the copper wires, wherein the sheath comprising about 25 to 35 stainless steel wires defining a second carrier and wherein about 40 to 55 of said second carriers are woven together to form a second braided structure surrounding the first braided structure and being configured such that lightning does not dissipate through the shell of the storage tank, and wherein the shell of the storage tank is isolated from the plurality of bypass conductor cables and the plurality of air terminals are spaced apart from each other above the storage tank, the plurality of air terminals are insulated from the storage tank and electrically bonded to the plurality of bypass conductor cables, and wherein lightning striking any one of the plurality of air terminals does not energize the shell of the storage tank and is conducted to ground through at least one of the plurality of bypass conductor cables without passing through the shell of the storage tank.