Lightning protection systems for wind turbine blades

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11225949-B2
Application number	US-202017102538-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 24, 2020
Priority date	Oct 17, 2013
Publication date	Jan 18, 2022
Grant date	Jan 18, 2022

Abstract

A blade tip assembly for a wind turbine blade, comprising a conductive blade tip module, a receptor arrangement spaced from the conductive blade tip module, a coupler that electrically couples the conductive blade tip module to the receptor arrangement and an insulating member that insulates the coupler. The invention also can be expressed as a method for assembling a blade tip assembly for a wind turbine blade, the method comprising providing a blade tip module; providing the blade tip module with a coupler for electrically coupling the blade tip module to a down conductor of a lightning protection system; and encasing the coupler with an insulating member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrical system for a wind turbine blade, comprising:
a down conductor; and
a blade tip assembly coupled to the down conductor, the blade tip assembly comprising:
a conductive blade tip module;
a coupler extending from the conductive blade tip module;
a lightning receptor arrangement electrically coupled to the down conductor and spaced from the conductive blade tip module, wherein the coupler electrically couples the conductive blade tip module to the lightning receptor arrangement; and
an insulating member that encases the coupler, the lightning receptor arrangement, and a portion of the down conductor,

wherein at least the coupler, lightning receptor arrangement, insulating member, and down conductor of the electrical system comprise an assembled, self-contained unit for placement in a wind turbine blade or a wind turbine blade mould.

2. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler is detachable from the blade tip module.

3. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler is receivable in a cavity defined in the conductive blade tip module.

4. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler is in the form of an elongated plate.

5. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the insulating member is moulded to the coupler.

6. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the insulating member includes an aerofoil profile in a chord-wise section.

7. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the insulating member is polyurethane.

8. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the conductive blade tip module is a solid metal tip.

9. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the lightning receptor arrangement includes a conductive receptor base, to which a lightning receptor element is attachable.

10. The electrical system of claim 9 , wherein the conductive receptor base is brass.

11. The electrical system of claim 9 , wherein the conductive receptor base is plate-like in form.

12. The electrical system of claim 11 , wherein the conductive receptor base extends transverse to a longitudinal axis of the blade tip assembly.

13. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the coupler includes a conductive link connected between the lightning receptor arrangement and the conductive blade tip module.

14. The electrical system of claim 13 , wherein the conductive link is a cable.

15. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the insulating member extends between the lightning receptor arrangement and the conductive blade tip module.

16. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the insulating member is a single block that encases at least part of the coupler and at least part of the lightning receptor arrangement.

17. A wind turbine blade assembly comprising the electrical system of claim 1 , and a wind turbine blade comprising a windward shell and a leeward shell.

18. The wind turbine blade assembly of claim 17 , wherein the insulating member is sandwiched between the windward shell and the leeward shell.

19. The wind turbine blade assembly of claim 17 , wherein the insulating member extends in a chordwise direction from a leading edge of the blade towards a trailing edge of the blade, and in a spanwise direction from the conductive blade tip module towards a root of the blade.

20. A method for assembling an electrical system for a wind turbine blade, the method comprising:
providing a blade tip module;
providing a lightning receptor arrangement spaced from the blade tip module; and
providing a down conductor;
connecting the lighting receptor arrangement to the blade tip module via a coupler;
connecting the down conductor to the lightning receptor arrangement; and
with the electrical system outside the wind turbine blade or wind turbine blade mould, encasing the coupler, the lightning receptor arrangement, and a portion of the down conductor in an insulating member so that at least the coupler, lightning receptor arrangement, insulating member, and down conductor form an assembled, self-contained unit.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the coupler is removably attached to the blade tip module.

22. An electrical system for a wind turbine blade having an interior cavity defined by a blade shell, the electrical system comprising:
a down conductor;
a blade tip assembly comprising a coupler electrically connected to a receptor arrangement that is electrically connected to the down conductor, the coupler configured to be connected to a conductive blade tip of the blade tip assembly; and
a pre-formed insulating member configured to be received in the interior cavity of the wind turbine blade adjacent a tip of the blade;
wherein the pre-formed insulating member encases the coupler, the receptor arrangement and a portion of the down conductor,
wherein the receptor arrangement is configured to be spaced from the conductive blade tip module when the conductive blade tip module is attached to the coupler, and
wherein at least the coupler, lightning receptor arrangement, insulating member, and down conductor of the electrical system are pre-assembled and configured as a pre-manufactured unit.

23. The electrical system of claim 22 , wherein the pre-manufactured unit is positionable within the wind turbine blade subsequent to the manufacture of the blade.

24. The electrical system of claim 22 , wherein the pre-manufactured unit is positionable within a blade mould during manufacture of the wind turbine blade.

25. A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade, comprising:
providing a wind turbine blade mould;
positioning glass fibre layers in the mould to form a blade skin of the wind turbine blade;
moulding the wind turbine blade; and
coupling the electrical system of claim 22 to the blade.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the coupling step occurs after moulding the wind turbine blade.

27. The method of claim 25 , further comprising positioning the electrical system within the blade mould prior to moulding the wind turbine blade such that the electrical system is coupled to the blade during manufacture of the blade.

28. The method of claim 25 , further comprising attaching the blade tip module to the coupler of the blade tip assembly.

Assignees

• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Whitehouse Daniel
• Baker Richard

Classifications

• F03D1/065

  characterised by their construction elements (F03D13/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F03D80/30 Primary

  Lightning protection · CPC title

• Y02E10/72

  Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction · CPC title

• F03D1/0675

  of the blades · CPC title

• H02G13/80

  Discharge by conduction or dissipation, e.g. rods, arresters, spark gaps · CPC title