WIND TURBINE BLADE WITH A LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEM

• US 20120003094A1
• Filed: 03/08/2010
• Published: 01/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: LM Glasfiber A/S (GE Aerospace)
• Inventors: Hansen, Lars Bo
• Granted Patent: US 8,888,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 416/146.R
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 1/0675 of the blades
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/30 Lightning protection
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/307 Blade tip, e.g. winglets
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2280/6003 Composites; e.g. fibre-reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2253/04 Composite, e.g. fibre-reinforced
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 415/908 Axial flow runner
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49337 Composite blade

Abstract

The invention relates to a wind turbine blade with a lightning protection system, where the blade comprises a shell body made of a composite material and comprises a longitudinal direction with a root end and a tip end. The blade further comprises a profiled contour including a pressure side and a suction side, as well as a leading edge and a trailing edge with a chord having a chord length extending there between, the profiled contour, when being impacted by an incident airflow, generating a lift. The lightning protection system comprises at least one lightning receptor arranged freely accessible in or on the shell unit surface at or in the immediate vicinity of the tip of the blade. The lightning protection system further comprises a lightning down conductor made of electrically conductive material extending within the shell body from the lightning receptor to the root end of the blade. The lightning receptor and the lightning down conductor are electrically connected. The shell body comprises at least a first conductive layer extending along at least a longitudinal part of the lightning down conductor in a transverse distance therefrom. The first conductive layer is electrically isolated from the lightning down conductor and from the lightning receptor, and has a sheet resistance in the range 1-5 Mega Ohm per square.

Claims

1. A wind turbine blade with a lightning protection system (1, 51, 101, 201), wherein the blade (1, 51, 101, 201) comprises a shell body made of a composite material and comprises a longitudinal direction with a root end and a tip end, the blade further comprising a profiled contour including a pressure side and a suction side, as well as a leading edge and a trailing edge with a chord having a chord length extending there between, the profiled contour, when being impacted by an incident airflow, generating a lift, and wherein the lightning protection system comprises:

at least one lightning receptor (3, 53, 103, 203) arranged freely accessible in or on a surface of the shell body surface, and

a lightning down conductor (2, 52, 102, 202) made of or comprising an electrically conductive material and extending within the shell body from the lightning receptor (3, 53, 103, 203) to the root end of the blade (1, 51, 101, 201), and wherein

the lightning receptor (3, 53, 103, 203) and the lightning down conductor (2, 52, 102, 202) are electrically connected, characterized in that

the shell body comprises at least a first conductive layer (60, 62) extending along at least a longitudinal part of the lightning down conductor (2, 52, 102, 202) in a transverse distance therefrom, wherein the first conductive layer (60, 62) is electrically isolated from the lightning down conductor (2, 52, 102, 202) and from the lightning receptor (3, 53, 103, 203), and wherein the first conductive layer (60, 62) has a sheet resistance in the range of 1 to 5 Mega Ohm per square.

2. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lightning receptor (3, 53, 103, 203) is arranged at or in the immediate vicinity of the tip of the blade (1, 51, 101, 201).

3. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the profiled contour is divided into:

a root region having a substantially circular or elliptical profile closest to the rotor hub,

an airfoil region having a lift-generating profile furthest away from the rotor hub, and

a transition region between the root region and the airfoil region, the transition region having a profile gradually changing in the radial direction from the circular or elliptical profile of the root region to the lift-generating profile of the airfoil region.

4. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 3, wherein the first conductive layer extends along at least 20%, or along at least 30%, or along at least 40%, or at least 50% of a longitudinal extent of the airfoil region.

5. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer extends along at least 20%, or along at least 30%, or along at least 40%, or at least 50% of a longitudinal extent of wind turbine blade.

6. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the lightning down conductor comprises an inner conductor (21) made of electrically conductive material, such as copper or aluminium, and a bedding insulation (22) made of polyethylene, preferably HDPE, optionally with a layer of semiconductive material provided between the inner conductor and the bedding insulation.

7. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer comprises a conductive coating.

8. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1 wherein the first conductive layer comprises a conductive net.

9. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer is located on an outer surface of the shell body.

10. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer is located on an inner surface of the shell body.

11. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer is imbedded in the composite material of the shell body.

12. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer may be a strip having a longitudinal direction oriented substantially along the longitudinal direction of the blade.

13. A wind turbine blade (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer is located at or in proximity to the leading edge, and a second conductive layer is located at or in proximity to the trailing edge.

14. A wind turbine having a rotor, characterized in that the rotor comprises a number of blades (1, 51, 101, 201) according to claim 1.

15. A method for retrofitting a lightning protection system to a wind turbine blade, wherein the blade (1, 51, 101, 201) comprises a shell body made of a composite material and comprises a longitudinal direction with a root end and a tip end, the blade further comprising a profiled contour including a pressure side and a suction side, as well as a leading edge and a trailing edge with a chord having a chord length extending there between, the profiled contour, when being impacted by an incident airflow, generating a lift, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the blade (1, 51, 101, 201) with at least a first lightning receptor (3, 53, 103, 203) arranged freely accessible in or on a surface of the shell body surface, and optionally at or in the immediate vicinity of the tip end of the blade (1, 51, 101, 201),

providing the blade (1, 51, 101, 201) with a lightning down conductor (2, 52, 102, 202) made of electrically conductive material extending within the shell body from the lightning receptor (3, 53, 103, 203) to the root end of the blade (1, 51, 101, 201), the lightning receptor (3, 53, 103, 203) and the lightning down conductor (2, 52, 102, 202) being electrically connected, and

providing the shell body with at least a first conductive layer (60) extending along at least a longitudinal part of the lightning down conductor (2, 52, 102, 202) in a transverse distance therefrom, wherein the first conductive layer (60) is electrically isolated from the lightning down conductor (2, 52, 102, 202) and/or the lightning receptor (3, 53, 103, 203), and wherein the sheet resistance of the conductive layer (60) is in the range of 1 to 5 Mega Ohm pr. square.