Method for repairing a lightning protection system of wind turbine rotor blade

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023323864-A1
Application number	US-202118043156-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 27, 2021
Priority date	Aug 31, 2020
Publication date	Oct 12, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for repairing or improving a lightning protection system of a rotor blade of a wind turbine having a blade root and a blade tip includes identifying a repair or improvement location in the lightning protection system of the rotor blade. The method includes removing one or more layers of material at the repair or improvement location that form part of a shell of the rotor blade so as to expose existing conductive material in the rotor blade. The method also includes placing a conductive layer of material atop the repair or improvement location such that a root-side edge of the conductive layer overlaps the existing conductive material. Moreover, the method includes electrically connecting the root-side edge of the conductive layer with the existing conductive material and a tip-side edge of the conductive layer of material with the blade tip. The method further includes covering the conductive layer with an outer covering.

First claim

1 . A method for repairing or improving a lightning protection system of a rotor blade of a wind turbine, the rotor blade having a blade root and a blade tip, the method comprising:
identifying a repair or improvement location in the lightning protection system of the rotor blade; removing one or more layers of material at the repair or improvement location that form part of a shell of the rotor blade so as to expose existing conductive material in the rotor blade; placing a conductive layer of material atop the repair or improvement location such that a root-side edge of the conductive layer of material overlaps the existing conductive material; electrically connecting the root-side edge of the conductive layer of material with the existing conductive material and a tip-side edge of the conductive layer of material with the blade tip; and covering the conductive layer with an outer covering.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the existing conductive material is part of at least one of a spar cap or a shear web of the rotor blade.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer of material further comprises a first strip of continuous material and a second strip of continuous material extending from the root-side edge of the conductive layer of material to the tip-side edge of the conductive layer of material, the first and second strips of material having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of remaining portions of the conductive layer of material.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first and second strips of continuous material comprise first and second tinned braided cables, respectively.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the first strip of continuous material is positioned adjacent to a leading edge of the rotor blade and the second strip of continuous material is positioned adjacent to a trailing edge of the rotor blade.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conductive layer of material further comprises a conductive plate secured at the tip-side edge thereof.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein electrically connecting the root-side edge of the conductive layer of material with the existing conductive material and the tip-side edge of the conductive layer of material with the blade tip of the rotor blade further comprises:
electrically connecting the root-side edge of the conductive layer of material to the existing conductive material via a conductive adhesive material; and electrically connecting the tip-side edge of the conductive layer of material to the blade tip through the conductive plate.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising securing the tip-side edge of the conductive layer of material to the blade tip through the conductive plate via at least one of one or more fasteners or soldering.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the conductive plate is soldered to the conductive layer of material and the first and second strips of continuous material.

10 . The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the conductive layer of material comprises at least one of a solid sheet, a wire mesh, a webbing, a netting, or a woven sheet.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein covering the conductive layer with the outer covering further comprises:
sliding a blade sleeve onto the rotor blade so as to cover the conductive layer of material; and securing the blade sleeve to the rotor blade.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the blade sleeve is a unitary component comprising a pressure side, a suction side, a first open span-wise end, a second open span-wise end opposite the first open span-wise end, a closed leading edge, and an open trailing edge, the rotor blade configured to extend through the first and second open span-wise ends, wherein sliding the blade sleeve onto the rotor blade so as to cover the conductive layer of material further comprises separating the pressure and suction sides at the open trailing edge, sliding the open trailing edge of the blade sleeve over the rotor blade, and once the conductive layer of material is covered, securing the pressure and suction sides back together.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the blade sleeve is constructed of a thermoplastic material.

14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising trimming the blade sleeve at the trailing edge thereof.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein trimming the blade sleeve at the trailing edge thereof further comprises chamfering a root-side edge of the blade sleeve and a tip-side edge of the blade sleeve.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing one or more finishing components to the blade sleeve once installed on the rotor blade, the one or more finishing components comprising at least one of forming at least one drain hole in the blade sleeve, painting or providing a coating onto the blade sleeve, placing a filler material within the blade sleeve, or contouring the blade sleeve to correspond to an exterior surface of the rotor blade.

17 . A rotor blade assembly, comprising:
a rotor blade extending between a blade root and a blade tip, the rotor blade having a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge; at least one conductive structural component arranged within an inner cavity of the rotor blade; a conductive layer of material adjacent to at least one of the pressure side or the suction side of the rotor blade at the blade tip, the conductive layer of material comprising a root-side edge and a tip-side edge, the root-side edge overlapping a portion of the at least one conductive structural component at an interface, the conductive layer of material further comprising opposing edges having a thickness that is greater than remaining portions of the conductive layer of material and a conductive plate at the tip-side edge; a first electrical connection between the root-side edge of the conductive layer of material and the at least one structural component at the interface, the first electrical connection comprising a conductive adhesive material; and, a second electrical connection between the tip-side edge of the conductive layer of material, the conductive plate, and a blade tip of the rotor blade.

18 . The rotor blade assembly of claim 17 , wherein the thickness of the opposing edges is created by first and second tinned braided cables, respectively, the first tinned braided cable being positioned adjacent to the leading edge of the rotor blade and the second tinned braided cable being positioned adjacent to the trailing edge of the rotor blade.

19 . The rotor blade assembly of claim 17 , wherein the second electrical connection is formed via at least one of soldering or one or more fasteners.

20 . The rotor blade assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a blade sleeve secured over the conductive layer of material, the blade sleeve comprising a pressure side, a suction side, a first open span-wise end, a second open span-wise end opposite the first open span-wise end, a closed leading edge, and an open trailing edge, the rotor blade configured to extend through the first and second open span-wise ends.

Assignees

• Lm Wind Power As

Inventors

• Tobin James Robert
• Olson Steven Haines
• Hansen Lars Bo
• Dudon Matthew Brian

Classifications

• F03D80/50 Primary

  Maintenance or repair · CPC title

• F03D80/30

  Lightning protection · CPC title

• F05B2230/80

  Repairing, retrofitting or upgrading methods · CPC title

• F03D80/502 Primary

  of rotors or blades · CPC title

• F03D1/0675

  of the blades · CPC title