Lightning protection for wind turbines
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRichard Allen Hardison, Steven Haines Olson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotor blade for a wind turbine is provided. The rotor blade includes a rotor blade body, at least one receptor adapted to be a location for lightning impact, and at least one down conductor connected to the receptor and located within the rotor blade body. The down conductor includes a first conductor connected to the receptor and a ground connection of the wind turbine, and a second insulated conductor connected to the receptor and a non-grounded location of the wind turbine. A path is formed from the ground connection of the first conductor to the non-grounded location of the second insulated conductor. This path facilitates a continuity test used to evaluate a condition of the lightning protection system.
Claims15
A rotor blade for a wind turbine comprising:
- a rotor blade body;
- at least one receptor adapted to be a location for lightning impact;
- at least one down conductor connected to the at least one receptor and located within the rotor blade body, the at least one down conductor comprising:
- a first conductor connected to the at least one receptor and a ground connection of the wind turbine;
- a second insulated conductor connected to the at least one receptor and a non-grounded location of the wind turbine, wherein the second insulated conductor is located substantially within the first conductor;
- wherein, a path is formed from the ground connection of the first conductor to the non-grounded location of the second insulated conductor, the path facilitating a continuity test used to evaluate a condition of the path.
A lightning protection system for a wind turbine, the wind turbine having a nacelle, a hub and one or more rotor blades, the rotor blades comprising:
- a rotor blade body;
- at least one receptor adapted to be a location for lightning impact;
- at least one down conductor connected to the at least one receptor and located within the rotor blade body, the at least one down conductor comprising:
- a first conductor connected to the at least one receptor and a ground connection of the wind turbine;
- a second insulated conductor connected to the at least one receptor and a non-grounded location of the wind turbine, wherein the second insulated conductor is located substantially within the first conductor;
- wherein, a path is formed from the ground connection of the first conductor to the non-grounded location of the second insulated conductor, the path facilitating a continuity test used to evaluate a condition of the lightning protection system.
A wind turbine having a lightning protection system and one or more rotor blades, the wind turbine comprising:
- at least one rotor blade body;
- at least one receptor in the at least one rotor blade body, the at least one receptor adapted to be a location for lightning impact;
- at least one down conductor connected to the at least one receptor, the at least one down conductor located in the at least one rotor blade body, wherein the at least one down conductor comprises:
- a first conductor connected to the at least one receptor and a ground connection of the wind turbine;
- a second insulated conductor connected to the at least one receptor and a non-grounded location of the wind turbine;
- and
- wherein, the first conductor and the second insulated conductor substantially form a co-axial conductor, where the second insulated conductor is located substantially within the first conductor, and a path is formed from the ground connection of the first conductor to the non-grounded location of the second insulated conductor, the path facilitating a continuity test used to evaluate a condition of the lightning protection system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.