Investigation of lightning strike effects

on wind turbine critical components

S. A. Pastromas, K. Sandros, K. . Koutras, E. C. Pyrgioti
High Voltage Laboratory, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Patras
University Campus, Rio-Patras, Greece
pastromas@ece.upatras.gr

Abstract: Wind energy is a renewable, pure form of energy investigated the effects of such hit in the wind turbine key
that does not contribute on the environment pollution and in CO2 components.
emissions and is inexhaustible. Wind turbines are usually located
at high altitude areas as well as in flat terrains, where there is II. DESCRIPTION OF THE MODEL
usually increased number of lightning strikes that could cause
operational problems in a power plant. Lightning can be Wind turbine under investigation is imported in the software
considered as current source and its main parameters are the platform. Since COMSOL architecture design capabilities have
peak current, lightning current steepness, charge transferred and specific limitations the wind turbine model was used based on
specific energy which are linked with thermal, mechanical and available models in Solidworks platform. The technical data
electromagnetic effects on the affected structure or even live
beings. In the current paper is simulated a large-scale wind have been adapted in COMSOL in order simulations to be run.
turbine and is investigated the impact of a lightning strike on its The focus of the current paper is not to design the wind turbine
critical components focusing on the blades, the nacelle, the tower in detail but to reflect the main components in the software in
and the base. The simulation is executed on a software platform simplified geometry without affecting the accuracy of the
that can extend conventional models of physics into models that extracted results.
solve simultaneously coupled physics phenomena. With the use of
COMSOL software it is simulated a lightning strike which hits
the surface of a wind turbine and is investigated its effect on many A. Blades design
other critical points to understand the risk to which these are
exposed and to prove the necessity of the design of a reliable The design of the blades is very complicated since
lightning protection. It is presented the wind turbine model and incorporate aerodynamic rules while the software that is used
the definition of physical and mathematical models in the
simulated lightning simulation program environment. The does not provide the specific capability. For that purpose, it
assessment is based on specific and realistic scenarios and the was used a generic model of wind turbine blades mounted on
simulation results are presented. The extracts are demonstrated the hub. The blades and hub are depicted in Fig.1 hereto. The
either in 2D or 3D on the geometry of the wind turbine and at length of the blade was considered 24 m. The blade material is
predetermined times. These will drive the proposal of a reliable glass reinforced plastic (GRP) with conductivity () 0.004 S/m.
lightning protection system for the wind turbine focusing on the
most vulnerable points which are blade tips and the back of the At the blade tip the lightning receptors are made by aluminum
nacelle. The simulation results show the importance of material (= 3.77*107 S/m).
continuity and limited changes in the conductors’ direction in
order the reliable protection of the wind turbine to be ensured.

I. INTRODUCTION
The continuous development of wind energy has led to an
increase of the size of the wind turbines and rotor diameters.
Consequently, wind turbines become taller while these are
operating in areas where the geographical and the
environmental conditions, are such which cause them
vulnerable to lightning strikes. According to [1-2] the high
probability point of attack is the blade and follows nacelle and
tower (side flash). The wind turbine lightning protection
system shall be protected against lightning strikes via lightning Figure 1. Wind turbine blades and hub imported in COMSOL.
protection level I as per [3-5]. In the current paper are
investigated the lightning strike effects on wind turbine basic B. Nacelle design (including hub)
components focusing mainly on the blades and nacelle. For the
investigation, COMSOL Multiphysics software is used based The wind turbine nacelle is designed considering a nacelle of
on Finite Element Method (FEM). It will be simulated a 6-meter length, 6-meter width and 6-meter height constructed
lightning strike that hits a wind turbine blade and will be by three layers. The external layer is constructed from glass
978-1-5386-5086-8/18/$31.00 ©2018 IEEE
reinforced plastic (GRP) and is of 12 cm thickness. The middle
layer represents the electromagnetic shield of the wind turbine,
is made by iron with = 1.12*107 S/m and is of 2 cm thickness
and the last one is considered the air. Apart from these, the
nacelle is reinforced with a metallic frame for supporting
purposes.

C. Tower design

The wind turbine tower was designed as a hollow cone

consisting of two steel parts. This has led to a tower with total
height 38 m and thickness of 10 cm. The tower base is of 4 m
diameter and the upper part on which is mounted the nacelle is
of 2 m diameter.

Figure 3. Wind turbine modelled in COMSOL

Figure 2. Wind turbine tower modelled in COMSOL. missing the equipotential design that is ensured with extended
earthing grid and electrodes. The final wind turbine model in
D. Physics the software is depicted in Fig.3 hereto.
To simulate the generation and propagation of the lightning The wind turbine lightning withstand capability and its
strike on the surface of the wind turbine, we need the AC / DC possible effects is studied with the finite element method by
Module, from which we select the Electric Currents interface. discriminating the model in several segments on which the
Since we have a phenomenon that unfolds over time, we basic mathematical formulas are applied. The more the
choose Time Dependent Study. Then, we select the algorithm discrimination, the more accurate the extracted results. The
with which the problem will be solved. There are two general simulation will use as lightning current Ip=100 kA with
categories of resolution methods, direct and iterative. The waveform 10/350s which is aligned with international
preferred algorithm was PARDISO, a direct type of solver, standards for test and measurements of high voltages. The
which works on generally linear systems of form A * x = b and lightning strike and its effects will be simulated for 1000 s
uses LU derivatization in table A to calculate the solution. while the sampling rate will be 3 s. With the use of software
will be investigated the electric field intensity and current
E. Model considerations density at specific points of the wind turbine.

The wind turbine nacelle model does include some metallic

III. SIMULATION RESULTS
support parts which are inside. There are also excluded from
the model the nacelle internal parts gearbox (if such exist), The wind turbine under investigation is of 44 m total height
generator, Low Voltage/ Medium Voltage (LV/MV) and blade radius of 24 m. The lightning that hits the tip of one
transformer, LV panels, etc. These are excluded since it is blade has parameters Ip=100 kA with waveform 10/350 s.
considered that both the internal lightning protection system The simulation will investigate two main topics, the electrical
and surge protection devices are operating while the focus of field density and the current density.
the investigation is on the electric field that passes through the
nacelle. As regards the wind turbine earthing system, this was A. Measurement of simulated electrical field density
not designed in detail but modeled as rectangular
parallelepiped considering that its resistance is of 10  which The density of the electrical field will be calculated via
is compliant with [6-7]. This approach does not affect the simulations at four points in the wind turbine: a) soil close to
simulated values and extracted results inside the wind turbine the wind turbine tower base for step voltage investigation, b) in
but leads to not so accurate results at the tower base since it is the nacelle close to the hub for investigation of electric field
inside, c) inside the blade for investigation of possible arc
development and d) in the yaw system of the nacelle for the
investigation of possible electric field between the rotational
and steady parts. The simulation results appear in Fig.4 hereto.

Soil at WT tower base

Figure 5. Electrical field in WT tip (9μs, 96μs).

Electric field (V/m)

Close to nacelle

Inside the blade

WT yaw system

Figure 6. Electrical field in WT tip (243μs, 384μs).

Figure 4. Electrical field in WT specific points. B. Simulated current density measurement

The results are summarized in Table I hereto: The purpose of this specific simulation is to compare the
TABLE I currents along the lightning path and basically in the down
ELECTRICAL FIELD conductors and to estimate the magnetic field at wind turbine
Ip=100kA (10/350s) specific points. The selected points of the simulation
Point measurements are: a) attachment point between foundation and
Position V/m Result
Tower base – surrounding tower, b) joint of the down conductor and the tower, c) joint of
A 8600 Ground potential rise
soil
Ground and tower base
B Yaw system 6000 High field – risk
C Inside blade 500 Low field – low risk
D Nacelle 0,0001 No field – no risk
Current density (A/m3)

Down conductor
From the simulation results it is extracted that at the tower base and tower

and outside the wind turbine in the surrounding soil it is

accumulated a high electrical field which could be dangerous
for the live beings and the equipment of the wind turbine
which is placed at the bottom. For that purpose, it is crucial the Blade conductor and
main down conductor
design and construction of an extended earthing system
following as minimum the international standards [3,6,7]. High Blade tip

electrical field is noticed also in the yaw system which consists

of bearing which due to the different materials that this system
is manufactured. Inside the blade the electrical field is relative Figure 7. Current density in WT specific points.
low compared to the tower base and this has a low risk for
material failure since the lightning will be led via the ionized blade down conductor with the main down conductor and d)
path to the lightning receptor and via the blade internal wiring blade tip, lightning attachment point. The simulated
to the rest wind turbine lightning protection system. This is measurements are depicted in Fig.7 hereto and summarized in
based on the fact that the lightning is of high amplitude and Table II. The increased values noticed in the current density at
will be attracted by the blade receptor. The results confirm also the point of contact with the tower are noticed due to the
the expectation that inside the nacelle there is not developed change of direction of the current vector at that point. As the
any electrical field due to its design that acts as current vector changes direction, the current is not flowing
electromagnetic shield. The 3D simulation measurements are quickly and thus appears as increased density. The current
depicted in Fig.5 and Fig.6 hereto. For the specific figures it is density at the base of the tower is significantly below the other
shown that at the first sample (9 s) the electric field is values. The current density decreases significantly close to
9540V/m and in 384s is reduced to 5610 V/m (~40% earth due to the increase in the dimensions of the tower at that
reduction).
 TABLE II which could lead to its failure. These results prove that a
CURRENT DENSITY
properly designed and manufactured blade LPS can protect the
Ip=100kA (10/350s)
Point blade against failures. Simulation results have additionally
Position MA/m2 shown that high electric field at the wind turbine tower base
Tower base – surrounding
A
soil
55 causes risk for high step and touch voltages which is critical
B Down conductor-Tower 30 for the safety of life beings. Thus, the earthing system of the
C
Blade and main down
22
wind turbine must be designed according to the standards
conductor following as minimum [6] and in a way, that creates safe
D Blade tip 0,140 conditions onsite and the ground potential rise is within the
limits [5]. In conclusion, a properly-designed wind turbine LPS
level and hence a larger volume exists in which the current and especially the protection of blades is crucial for wind
diffuses. The 3D simulation measurements are depicted in turbines reliable operation since lightning is the main
Fig.7 and Fig.8 hereto. environmental risk for the wind turbine.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Authors would like to express their gratitude to Professor
Ricardo Albarracín, Dept. of Electrical, Electronic and
Automation Engineering and Applied Physics, Universidad
Politécnica de Madrid, for granting access to department’s
COMSOL Multiphysics platform in order the current paper to
be accomplished.

Figure 7. Current density in 3D (9μs, 21μs).

REFERENCES
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