Objective
Objectives
A Joule II project, commenced in 1996, investigated ways in which wind turbines may be protected against the effects of lightning. That project identified a number of important new issues as needing further study. This I year project of further work in this area will investigate five particular topics.
- To investigate why wood-epoxy laminate and GRIP wind turbine blades do not suffer the same frequency of damage. This study should assist in identifying an inherently lightning protected blade design for wind turbines.
- To investigate the use of high-receptivity strips on wind turbine blades to provide effective lightning protection without increasing elector-magnetic interference. Such strips could be used with new blades and as a retro-fit means of protection to unprotected blades.
- To evaluate the ability of a wind turbine blade de-icing system to also be used as a blade lightning protection system, the combination of which would lead to lower overall manufacturing costs for such a blade.
To investigate the response of wind farm earthing systems to lightning by performing pulse injection tests on buried earth conductors. The results of the tests will be used to validate computer models developed during the Joule II project.
- To model the response of large wind farm SCADA systems to lightning and to propose effective lightning threat levels and lightning protection techniques for such systems.
Technical approach
The project phases examining the response of wind turbine blades and lightning protection systems to a lightning strike will be undertaken using a combination of finite element computer modelling and high voltage testing. The high voltage laboratory at UMIST containing a 2MV impulse generator and 750kV DC generator will be extensively used.
Windfarm SCADA and grounding systems will be modelled using computer codes that are commercially available. The response of a real earthing system during pulse injection tests will be contrasted with the response predicted by these computer codes.
Expected achievements
The achievement of these objectives should result in the following benefits:
- Improved and more cost-effective means of protecting wind turbine blades from the effects of lightning.
- Confidence that the models which have been developed for the design of wind farm earthing systems represent their behaviour under lightning conditions correctly.
- Improved methods for the earthing and protection of wind farm SCADA systems.
The results of the research will be made available to the European wind turbine industry at the end of the project. Publication will be by conference papers and by an appendix to the "Designers Guide" which will be produced at the end of the Joule II project.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
M60 1QD MANCHESTER
United Kingdom