Charge initiated lightning protection system for a wind turbine blade and wind turbine blade with the charge initiated lighting protection system
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- US · United States
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SIEMENS AG
- Publication Date
- 2011-12-01
- Estimated Expiration
- Not applicable · inactive patent
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Abstract
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a lightning protection system for a wind turbine blade and a wind turbine blade with the lighting protection system.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A blade material of a wind turbine blade, e.g. GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer), can be destroyed by a lightning stroke (e.g. composed by a leader and a return stroke). Therefore a wind turbine blade usually has a lightning protection system.
[0005] The lightning protection system consists of lightning receptors at a blade surface of the blade. Inside the blade there are conductors with electrically conducting material connected to the receptors. Via the conductors lightning current which is caused by a direct lightning stroke into the receptors can be diverted.
[0006] An area of the receptors is limited leading to a relatively small safe contact surface for the lightning stroke (few square centimeters) compared to the whole blade surf...