Method for detection of charge originating from lightning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9450392-B2
Application number	US-81066608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2008
Priority date	Dec 28, 2007
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

The invention relates to a detection apparatus of a wind turbine wherein said wind turbine comprises a down-conducting system arranged to conduct current induced from lightning, wherein said detection apparatus comprises a charge measurement apparatus for establishment of a charge representation, wherein said charge representation represents charge induced into said down-conducting system by lightning, and wherein said detection apparatus further comprises an estimator for estimating deterioration induced by lightning of one or more components in a wind turbine on the basis of said charge representation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A detection apparatus of a wind turbine, the detection apparatus comprising:
a down-conducting system configured to conduct current induced by lightning;
a charge measurement apparatus coupled with the down-conducting system and configured to generate a charge representation representing an amount of charge induced into the down-conducting system by a lightning strike; and
an estimator configured to:
accumulate a plurality of charge representations corresponding to a plurality of lightning strikes;
estimate lightning-induced deterioration of one or more components of the wind turbine based on the accumulation of the charge representations; and
predict a service life of at least one of the one or more components based on the estimated lightning-induced deterioration.

2. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more components forms at least a part of the down-conducting system.

3. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more components comprises at least one of a receptor and a lightning current transfer unit.

4. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the charge measurement apparatus measures the current fed through the down-conducting system as a result of lightning.

5. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the charge measurement apparatus comprises at least one optical measurement apparatus.

6. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the charge measurement apparatus comprises at least one Rogowski coil.

7. The detection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the estimator comprises at least one of a data processing unit for data processing and treatment of analogue or digital measure results, a data storage, a display, and a communications interface.

8. The detection apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the stored data is compared with predefined critical deterioration values of the one or more components in connection with the wind turbine to indicate at least two maintenance levels of the one or more components in connection with the wind turbine.

9. The detection apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the stored data represents an accumulation of the charge representations for a plurality of lightning strikes.

10. The detection apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the estimator is configured to estimate the lightning-induced deterioration of the one or more components in the wind turbine by:
comparing the stored data to a first pre-stored value and a second pre-stored value greater than the first pre-stored value;
in response to the stored data being less than the first pre-stored value, determining that no action is required;
in response to the stored data being greater than the first pre-stored value but less than the second pre-stored value, issuing a predictive request for maintenance; and
in response to the stored data being greater than the second pre-stored value, issuing an immediate request for maintenance.

11. The detection apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the one or more components include a first component and a second component, and the at least two maintenance levels of the one or more components are defined by different maintenance levels for the first component and the second component.

12. The detection apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the display is capable of displaying all data handled by the detection apparatus and the charge measurement apparatus.

13. The detection apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the communications interface communicates the condition of at least one component in connection with the wind turbine to a central data processing device.

14. The wind turbine of claim 1 , wherein the first component is a blade of the wind turbine, and wherein the down-conducting system is disposed within the blade.

15. The wind turbine of claim 14 , wherein the charge measurement apparatus is disposed within the blade.

16. A method for predicting a service life of a component of a wind turbine or of a wind power plant including the wind turbine, the method comprising:
determining, using a charge measurement apparatus coupled with a down-conducting system of the wind turbine, a charge induced into the component by a lightning strike;
determining, using an estimator coupled with the charge measurement apparatus, an accumulated charge from a plurality of determined charges corresponding to a plurality of lightning strikes;
relating, using the estimator, the accumulated charge to a degree of lightning-induced deterioration of the component; and
predicting, using the estimator, a service life of the component based on the degree of lightning-induced deterioration.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the component comprises at least one of a receptor and a lightning current transfer unit.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining the charge induced into the component comprises measuring current induced by the lightning strike and fed through the down-conducting system, and integrating the measured current with respect to time.

19. A wind turbine comprising:
at least a first component;
a down-conducting system disposed within the first component and configured to conduct current induced by lightning;
a charge measurement apparatus coupled with the down-conducting system and configured to generate a charge representation representing an amount of charge induced into the down-conducting system by a lightning strike; and
an estimator configured to:
accumulate a plurality of charge representations corresponding to a plurality of lightning strikes;
estimate lightning-induced deterioration of the first component based on the accumulation of the charge representations; and
predict a service life of the first component based on the estimated lightning-induced deterioration.

20. The wind turbine of claim 19 , wherein the charge measurement apparatus and the estimator are disposed within a tower of the wind turbine.

21. The wind turbine of claim 19 , wherein the charge measurement apparatus and the estimator are disposed within a same housing within a component of the wind turbine.

Assignees

• Erichsen Hans Vagn
• Vestas Wind Sys As

Inventors

• Erichsen Hans Vagn

Classifications

• H02G13/00 Primary

  Installations of lightning conductors; Fastening thereof to supporting structure · CPC title

• F03D80/30

  Lightning protection · CPC title

• F05B2260/80

  Diagnostics · CPC title

• F03D17/00

  Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics (testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30) · CPC title

• H02G13/60

  Detecting; Measuring; Sensing; Testing; Simulating · CPC title