Objective Objectives It may be shown that lightning strikes are the cause of a disproportionately large loss of kWh generation. Consequently the objectives of the project are the investigation and the development of a general methodology for the protection of wind turbine generator systems from lightning strikes. The project will provide practical assistance and guidance to the designers and operators of wind turbines to put in place cost-effective lightning protection systems providing a to-be-determined level of protection so that the effects of lightning can be minimised. Experimental work will examine the effect of lightning on blades and bearings. Various protection measures will be assessed. Computer analysis and simulation will be used to investigate induced voltages in control circuits and to model the response of wind farm earthing systems to lightning. Technical Approach The project will consist of a number of phases. - Recorded strike data will be collated by a questionnaire survey and a document search from published data. - Estimates will be made of the level of protection required for different geographical locations using available data. - Testing will be used to estimate the susceptibility of blade structures to lightning damage and to investigate the effects of lightning strikes on the rotating bearings in the wind turbine drive train. - The guidelines of existing good lightning protection practice will be reviewed for their relevance to wind turbines and wind farms. Case studies will be made of existing wind turbine nacelle and tower designs to demonstrate the likely distribution of severe strike current and the consequent effects in generating induced voltages in wiring. - An analysis of the problem of maintaining the safety of the operators on wind farm sites will be made to establish the scale of the hazard. - The response of wind farm earthing to lightning will be investigated using computer simulation. - A best practice guide will enable designers to assess the risk from lightning arising from their design, manufacture and siting of their turbines and assist them in appropriate protection measures. Expected Achievements and Exploitation A designers guide will be made available to European industry so that wind turbines and wind farms are designed and constructed with a level of protection that makes the risk of lightning strikes acceptable. The research carried out in the project will be included to illustrate the philosophy used in determining the recommendations made: - Support the move toward the increase in size of wind turbines. - Reduction in power losses due to lightning strikes. - Improved public perception of wind energy. - Increased utilisation of wind energy within the EU resulting in reduced fossil-fuel emissions. Fields of science engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energywind powernatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical modelhumanitiesphilosophy, ethics and religionphilosophy Programme(s) FP4-NNE-JOULE C - Specific programme for research and technological development, including demonstration in the field of non-nuclear energy, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 0304 - Wind energy Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator Birtley Engineering Ltd Address Eddystone road SO40 3SA Southampton United Kingdom See on map EU contribution No data Participants (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all National Technical University of Athens Greece EU contribution € 0,00 Address 42,patission street 42 10682 Athens See on map Other funding No data Tacke Windtechnik GmbH & Co KG Germany EU contribution € 0,00 Address Holsterfeld 5a 48499 Salzbergen See on map Other funding No data UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Sackville street Manchester See on map Links Website Opens in new window Other funding No data United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Culham laboratory OX14 3DB Abingdon See on map Other funding No data
