ROTOR BLADE WITH A LIGHTNING PROTECTION UNIT, WIND ENERGY SYSTEM HAVING THE SAME AND A METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A ROTOR BLADE

• US 20080193292A1
• Filed: 02/08/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Starke, Andreas, Arelt, Rainer, Stam, Ronny
• Granted Patent: US 7,766,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/146.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/30 Lightning protection
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/307 Blade tip, e.g. winglets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49339 Hollow blade

Abstract

A rotor blade for use in a wind energy system is provided with the rotor blade having a rotor blade body comprising a rotor blade body tip; a rotor blade body cavity; and a lightning protection unit. The lightning protection unit includes a conductive part that is connected to a down conductor and positioned within the rotor blade body cavity close or at the rotor blade body tip, the conductive part having an extension protruding out of the rotor blade body for receiving a receptor. According to another aspect of the invention, a wind energy system is provided with at least one of such a rotor blade. Further, a method for constructing a rotor blade for use in a wind energy system is provided with the steps of manufacturing a pressure side shell and a suction side shell of the rotor blade; applying a conductive part to an inner side of the pressure side shell or the suction side shell with the conductive part including a body and an extension; and forming the rotor blade by joining the pressure side shell and the suction side shell together in such a way that the body of the conductive part is in the rotor blade and the extension of the conductive part protrudes out of the rotor blade.

Claims

1. A rotor blade for use in a wind energy system, with the rotor blade having

a rotor blade body comprising a rotor blade body tip;

a rotor blade body cavity; and

a lightning protection unit,

with said lightning protection unit comprising

a conductive part that is connected to a down conductor and positioned within said rotor blade body cavity close to or at said rotor blade body tip, said conductive part having an extension protruding out of said rotor blade body and being arranged for fixing a receptor thereto.

2. The rotor blade according to claim 1 further comprising a receptor that is removably fixed to said extension of said conductive part.

3. The rotor blade according to claim 2 further comprising a drainage channel within said receptor that is positioned next to said extension of said conductive part.

4. The rotor blade according to claim 1 wherein the conductive part is positioned in the middle of said rotor blade body in the direction of the width of said rotor blade.

5. The rotor blade according to claim 2 wherein the receptor comprises a cavity for receiving said extension of said conductive part.

6. The rotor blade according to claim 2 wherein the receptor comprises a drilling adapted for forming a drainage channel.

7. The rotor blade according to claim 2 wherein the width of said extension of said conductive part is slightly smaller than the width of said receptor.

8. The rotor blade according to claim 1 wherein said conductive part comprises one or more drillings for receiving fixing units.

9. The rotor blade according to claim 1 wherein said conductive part comprises one or more holes for receiving a fixation filling.

10. The rotor blade according to claim 2 wherein the receptor is made of solid metal.

11. The rotor blade according to claim 2 wherein the shape of said receptor corresponds to a prolongation of the shape of said rotor blade body.

12. A wind energy system with at least one rotor blade, wherein said rotor blade comprises

a rotor blade body comprising a rotor blade body tip;

a rotor blade body cavity; and

a lightning protection unit,

with said lightning protection unit comprising

a conductive part that is connected to a down conductor and positioned within said rotor blade body cavity close to or at said rotor blade body tip, said conductive part having an extension protruding out of said rotor blade body and being arranged for fixing a receptor thereto.

13. The wind energy system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one rotor blade further comprises a receptor that is removably fixed to said extension of said conductive part.

14. The wind energy system according to claim 12 having three rotor blades.

15. A method for constructing a rotor blade for use in a wind energy system with the steps of

manufacturing a pressure side shell and a suction side shell of said rotor blade;

applying a conductive part to an inner side of said pressure side shell or said suction side shell with said conductive part comprising a body and an extension; and

forming said rotor blade by joining said pressure side shell and said suction side shell together in such a way that said body of said conductive part is within said rotor blade and said extension of said conductive part protrudes out of the rotor blade.

16. The method for constructing a rotor blade according to claim 15 with the further step of fixing a receptor to said extension of said conductive part.

17. The method for constructing a rotor blade according to claim 15 wherein said applying of said conductive part is done by gluing it to said inner side of said pressure side shell or said suction side shell.

18. The method for constructing a rotor blade according to claim 15 with the step of filling the cavity formed between said suction side shell and said pressure side shell of said rotor blade with a material.

19. The method for constructing a rotor blade according to claim 15 with the further step of attaching a down conductor to said suction side shell and/or said pressure side shell.

20. The method for constructing a rotor blade according to claim 15 with the further step of providing a drainage channel.